LED lighting?

[scottthomas]

Has anyone used the Marineland Double Bright LED lights for a planted aquarium?

I really like the shimmering effect. I have not had a planted tank in a few years. Think I am going to try to strart a small low tech using this LED lighting system. There is just a lot of conflicting info on LED lights for plants. I have seen about every possible opinion on some other sites. Anyone here used this lighting systems?

http://reefbuilders.com/2010/02/26/double-bright-led-lights-marineland-trigger-mass-adoption-led/

[scottthomas]

Well. Either no one is interested in LED planted tanks or no one has any experience with these lights. I am currently working on a small planted tank and I love the shimmering effect of these lights. You have to see them to get the idea. Like actually being underwater as sunlight bounces and reflects off of the surface and other objects. Just looks way more reaslistic. Anyway, I will update if successful at growing plant vwith these lights.

[Discus-n00b]

I wouldn't know about growing plants because i'm not interested in weeds. :D But I do use LEDs on my 100gal, link in my sig. Looks perfect.

[cooksa]

I've got one one over my open top 2'x2'x2' cube. I now have 2 Tropica Crypts, an Anubias Coffeefolia, a small Anubias Gigantea, and a large Amazon Sword in this tank. The crypts look fantastic! The growth was slow, but my tank is as low tech as low tech can get. The anubias coffeefolia has been in there for the same amount of time as the crypts, but I haven't noticed much growth from it. It is, however, alive and doesn't look to be hurting in the least. The sword plant is fairly new (only a few weeks in), and I'm seeing the leaves aren't doing so well. I'm not sure if that's from them being somewhat more demanding than the crypts and anubias or if they don't like the light though. The Gigantea is pretty brand new in the tank so I can't comment much on that yet.

Overall I absolutely HATE how the fish look with this light. IMO The cool white does nothing for their color making them look completely washed out. The light isn't evenly distributed either. I can see where each bulb is located just by looking at the substrate.

[Johny_Dough]

My understanding is these will not be good for a planted tank. There are some good LED systems like aquaray and Ecoxotic (which I have supplementing my PC lights)

[cooksa]

Matt, I really believe it's the warm white vs. the cool white that is making my fish look like crap. Yours look AMAZING! You go right ahead and build me one of them purty LED fixtures like you have. :D

Just thought of something else. I also have a Fluval Edge shrimp tank. Once I changed the stock halogens for LEDs, the java moss really took off. The Anubias Nana are doing well in there too. They're obviously closer to the lights, so I guess depending on what your definition of "small" is will give you an idea of what kind of growth you can expect.

[Discus-n00b]

Thanks. The cool whites (my moonlights) definitely add more blue, mostly artificial looking, into the spectrum. The warm whites really compliment the wild discus, wood, and tan water.

[scottthomas]

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I can see how the lighting may not compliment fish color. I also see some spotlight effect but I'm growing mostly floating plants and it looks cool like the sun beams are breaking through. My main concern was if the light would grow plants at all. Maybe I will have to suppliment with more light.

[nc0gnet0]

I don't know, personally I think my discus look great under the marineland 48" double bright LED light. I believe it really makes thier colors "pop". As for plants, your going to have to stick with the low light genre, anubus and the like.

[cooksa]

I don't know, personally I think my discus look great under the marineland 48" double bright LED light. I believe it really makes thier colors "pop". As for plants, your going to have to stick with the low light genre, anubus and the like.

What kind of discus do you have nc0gnet0? The fish I really notice look like poo are the PBs. The orange looks quite faded to me. I actually don't remember thinking that way about my blues. I'll have to pay more attention to it when I get home.

[scottthomas]

Well I bought supplimental T5 lighting. I will now certainly have enough light to grow plants but shimmering effect is diminished.

[nc0gnet0]

Lets see, in the tanks I have the marineland lights I have two Vr's, two albino MR's, a gold diamond, a snow white, a BD, a blue turq and a two Red melon's (two tanks). Both of the tanks I have the lighting system on are open top, meaning the light is not diffused through a glass panel before it hits the water.

[Discus-n00b]

This shows my LED lighting. These are just 9 warm white crees lighting a 48x24 footprint tank. Thats basically how it looks to my eye, maybe a little bit lighter. Really shows off the wilds perfectly IMO like a burnt orange almost. And you can see the shimmer. Be sure to watch in HD!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igaj-Xl5PZ0

[Jennie]

looks Awsome Noob!!!