# Fluval Aqualife and Plant LED light



## dachewitt (Feb 28, 2010)

Does anyone have experience with the Fluval Aqualife and Plant LED light, http://usa.hagen.com/Aquatic/Lightin...Lighting/A3980?

I have a planted 20 gallon long tank with soil substrate. Is this is too much light for my tank--I do not supplement CO2.

Thanks,
Debbie


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## AKnickolai (Nov 30, 2007)

No experience with the light, but I do have some with the LED light strips that Aquarium Hobby Supply sells. Here's a link to a report of a 20W LED AH Supply from a while back. Also check out this article that explains PAR and has some charts so you can see what types of lights crank out what PAR at various levels.

Based on the data that I've seen for LED lights, I would say you are probably in the medium light bucket with a 25W LED light. You'd have to make the call weather or not you think it's too much light for your tank. If you are not seeing algae pop up, then you're probably ok with the light. I don't have a lot of experience with dirt tanks, I've only started keeping tanks like this a few months ago, all previous tanks have been medium-high light with CO2, so some else may be able to provide more insight into the lighting level.


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## dachewitt (Feb 28, 2010)

Thanks! The PAR article is very helpful. I have some research to do before changing from T-8 to LED.

I have had great plant growth with the dirt substrate (wish my houseplants grew so well). Only complaint is too much tannin in the water, even after 4 years, because I didn't strain out the bark pieces. Always learning . . .

Debbie


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## howie (Jan 5, 2007)

I have 3 of these lights. I initially purchased one 24" on a 29 gallon with for CRS Shrimp tanks with Low light plants. Good light output and had it from a few months now. Plants growing well. Then purchased two 48" for my 90 gallon. I had halide, Power Compacts, and VHO T-5 before and I think it's just as bright using 2 of these units on my 90 gallon. Since I've had it for about 2 months now, growth on floor of the tank is slow but the rest of my plants seem to like it. I really like the compact design and now heat directed in the tank. All the heat is channeled from the housing off the unit. Also because of the low profile of these units I don't get the huge bleeding of light like the traditional lights. I makes watching movies in the same room less distracting. I will update again in a few more months on the plant growth.


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## sranderson4 (Apr 18, 2012)

I have one of these for my 56 Gallon Planted tank. I originally had a HOT5 on it that was producing 10,000 Lumans. I was getting an amazing amount of algea growth with that. I then when to two of the Marineland LED lights and those didn't produce nearly enough light. Now I have one of the Fluval Lights on and wow is all I can say. I have noticed a good amount of plant growth with them and the tank is much brighter. Still think I probably need one more in order to get the ground plants to grow more.


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