# What is the definitive answer on LED lighting?



## Chris_topher (Jul 31, 2015)

I'm using LED lighting for my new aquarium & wondering if they are appropriate for growing healthy plants?


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## jorstrick (Jun 25, 2015)

I think it would help us help you if you gave as much information as you can about your leds. Brand, type, model number etc.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk


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## ObiQuiet (Oct 9, 2009)

See this thread too:
http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/lighting/85222-what-do-i-need-know-about.html#post638246

One thing I didn't make clear enough in that thread is that it's essential to check the spectral output of a specific LED fixture since they have a narrow range compare to other types of light, and plants need very specific wavelengths:
* If an LED or fixture isn't claimed to be for planted tanks, it won't grow much.
* If an LED or fixture is claimed to be for planted tanks, you still have to evaluate the light intensity vs. what your plants need.

Spectrally speaking, LEDs are a narrow paint brush. The other types of lights we are used to are paint rollers.


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## PhilipS (Jan 14, 2014)

Have a picture of your tank?

It would help if you show us a light colored object in the tank like a rock and good clear pics of the plants.


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## Maryland Guppy (Mar 5, 2015)

Chris_topher said:


> I'm using LED lighting for my new aquarium & wondering if they are appropriate for growing healthy plants?


LED is more efficient and provides exact determined spectrum lighting.
It can provide quality PAR values without wasting wattage/lumens.
Cannot speak to a specific brand, DIY for me.


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## Chris_topher (Jul 31, 2015)

It's an older Marineland Reef edition fixture w/o timer a friend gave to me... thanks for the help.


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## Chris_topher (Jul 31, 2015)

Here's the plant I have for now...


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## mannheim (Aug 9, 2015)

Get a LED set thats mean't for fish tanks, the only way to be certain.


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## Michael (Jul 20, 2010)

Actually, you need an LED fixture that is made for PLANTED tanks, not fish tanks. Fish only tanks just need enough light for viewing, not photosynthesis.

There isn't any definitive answer. For moderate light, the Finnex Planted Plus works well for many people. For high light, you need the Finnex Fuge Ray 2, or a fixture from Build My Led (BML). There are some fixtures from Beamworks that people have recommended, but I don't know as much about those.

I can't tell what your plant is, the photo is too small.


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## rmsalaysay (Oct 7, 2015)

Michael said:


> Actually, you need an LED fixture that is made for PLANTED tanks, not fish tanks. Fish only tanks just need enough light for viewing, not photosynthesis.
> 
> There isn't any definitive answer. For moderate light, the Finnex Planted Plus works well for many people. For high light, you need the Finnex Fuge Ray 2, or a fixture from Build My Led (BML). There are some fixtures from Beamworks that people have recommended, but I don't know as much about those.
> 
> I can't tell what your plant is, the photo is too small.


LED is nowadays the best solution for enegy effeciency expensive but in the long run it has a big impact on our total expenses. 6500K is the easy access for DIY luminaire.

The question is what is the standard LUX requirement for the TANK? i have read in some article that sun is around 100,000 Lx (Lux) while the aquarium is 500lx?, is this right? do i need to achieve this kind of lux value?. if this 500lx is the requirement it is easy for me to identify which and what wattage (we prefer now for the lumen/watts) for the aquarium. please let me know the lux requirement.

Sir michael its me again, ^_^ thank you.
if it under classify of class I to III.


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## PhilipS (Jan 14, 2014)

Lux is still revelent and PAR is what many people choose to use today. I have a PAR meter.

For the record, Beamworks LED fixtures are hotter than VHO flourescent lights.

Why heat up your aquarium to save a Buck?


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