Your experience: Strip vs pendant light? And LEDs

[HarleyK]

Howdy,

I've always only had strip lights. My ballasts are going and they're no longer made. Time for an upgrade. Now I notice that all the high end plant LEDs come as pendant lights. Not sure if I'd like it- totally new concept for me on a tank. I'm sure it's great for an open tank, but I need mine covered with glass to keep jumpers in.

My concerns is that pendant lights might illuminate more of the room, and that light reflected on the glass canopy adds scatter to ambient room lighting.

Also: how's everyone with the light ripples that LEDs create in the tank? Cool or annoying?

Thanks for your input!

 

[JK47]

I love mine and really enjoy the shimmer effect. I use LED under cabinet lighting. It's relatively cheap and it sits directly on the lids. I do not think mine would do well for plants but I don't know anything about plants.

 

[celebrist]

I have my pendants pretty close to the hood, my wife wanted good looking lights since the tank is in the dining room

 

[tiger15]

LED get cheaper, more variety to choose from, and more lumens per watt every day. I have replaced all my aquarium FL with LED strips which show fish color more vividly. My flash light, night light, cabinet light, table lamps and car lights are now LED. Just last week, I bought a bunch of 99c LED bulbs from IKEA to replace a few of my remaining fluorescent. I set up my first planted tank a month ago with high lumen LED from eBay that costs less, lasts longer and uses less electricity than T5 /T8 plant lights. LED Is the future, replacing CFL the way it has replaced fluorescent before and there is no going back.

 

[DN328]

Howdy,

I've always only had strip lights. My ballasts are going and they're no longer made. Time for an upgrade. Now I notice that all the high end plant LEDs come as pendant lights. Not sure if I'd like it- totally new concept for me on a tank. I'm sure it's great for an open tank, but I need mine covered with glass to keep jumpers in.

My concerns is that pendant lights might illuminate more of the room, and that light reflected on the glass canopy adds scatter to ambient room lighting.

Also: how's everyone with the light ripples that LEDs create in the tank? Cool or annoying?

Thanks for your input!

Are you wanting larger LED fixtures that are "high end"? Im not sure what size your tank is but Giesemann may have larger fixture or you may be able to purchase a complete hood for planted.

I would consider Giesemann high end?

 

[HarleyK]

tiger15
Thanks, and I agree. There is no doubt about the functionality and economic advantages of LEDs. And thanks to high tech horticulture, there is no doubt about the feasibility of using them to grow plants, either.

My concern is the shimmer, which some find cool, while others find it distracting after some time.

What's your take on the visual effects?​

 

[HarleyK]

Are you wanting larger LED fixtures that are "high end"? Im not sure what size your tank is but Giesemann may have larger fixture or you may be able to purchase a complete hood for planted.

I would consider Giesemann high end?

Yeah, I mean it should be powerful enough to allow for carpeting plants to grow in my 29'' tall tank. I'll have to research Giesemann, thank you!

 

[Fish Tank Travis]

Yeah, I mean it should be powerful enough to allow for carpeting plants to grow in my 29'' tall tank. I'll have to research Giesemann, thank you!

You might check out Beamswork on Amazon. I am planning on using them when I make my 29 into a planted tank. You could get three fixtures for under $150 and then another $45 can get you three controllers for them. Just make sure you get the 6500K fixtures and not the 10000K.

 

[Imsobored152]

I dont recall exactly what mine are, generic fixtures from ebay. I think they were mr120s. "Full spectrum". I love them. Have 3 over my 125. But i dont have many plants. I dont really notice the shimmer

 

[Sanman]

HarleyK what lights did you decide on .. I need to upgrade my lights I went with beamswork 60 inch ea fspec ..I have zero algae but only Anubius will grow a little java fern is alive but hasn't grown an inch. What's throwing me off is I got out of the hobby when it was just fluorescent and metal halide