Drew04

My plants do not do well in my tank despite high nitrate levels. Reason being: 15W bulb that came with the 35G tall aquarium. So I started looking for higher watt bulbs that would fit my lighting fixture. Very few 18" bulbs are rated higher than 15W.

Then I came across this on ebay (same seller that I purchase red LED lights for night time use)

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...%3D4%26ps%3D42

I sent him an email asking the wattage output so I could correctly determine if this light bar meets my requirements for watts/gallon. Here is his response:

"This tube is assembled with 24 LEDs. Normally the light generated by 1 LED is roughly similar to the amount of a 1W bulb. However, plants need red and blue light only in the growing process, if you calculate the watts you need for your plant by white light standard, it is not correct. I suggest you to apply a factor 5 in the calculation, which means that this tube generates similar amount of light that plants need to a 120W bulb. Thanks."

Does this sound accurate? Would 24 LEDs really produce 120W of lights for my plants? How would my fish accept this light?

I would plan on mounting this lightbar to the underside of my hood and running it in addition to my regular white fluorescent bulb.

Thought or advice?

Thanks

Fla_Larry

this is going t sound a bit odd, but....
that seller is both right and wrong.

plants do indeed really only use light from the "Red" and "Blue" end of the spectrum.

with that said just because a light is blue does not mean it is transmitting light only from the blue end of the spectrum, and same for the red.
Red will cause plants to grow fast, just not full.


what you would need to know from him is how much is being radiated from the blue end of the spectrum from the blue LED's, and same question for the Red LED's

Now factor in that water will "Absorb" Blue wavelengths faster than red so convention would say you need more blue than red, red carries more energy so needs to be reduce to avoid temp. increase. etc etc etc

my answer is more on the lines of look at nature, how does it provide.
forget about the how many watts do i need, look at what do my plants need based on what i am trying to do with them.

are you looking to set up a plant farm? ie rapid propagation?
or do you just want nice lush growth, and healthy plants.

much information is needed to to help, ie substrate, fert types and levels, Fish load, and types, are you running supplimental Co2, water movement.
etc etc

Drew04

I just want my plants to live instead of the leaves turning transparent or brown.

Tank: 35g Tall
Gravel substrate
I dose the water with Flourish when I do water changes
Fish: 9 (1 angelfish, 2 blue rams, 4 bloodfin tetras, 1 Black-Banded Leporinus, 1 CAE)
No Co2
water movement: HOB whisper 40 filter with long extension intake, 1 small bubble airstone, 1 med bubble

Parameters: 0/0/80-100

I just ordered THIS which my plants should really enjoy, but I'm still wondering if the red/blue LEDs would have any additional benefit other than looking nice.

If I do get the red/blue set up, I plan on using a timer powerstrip to turn on the LEDs in the morning about an hour before the white light comes on, then having the LEDs on for an hour after the white light goes out in the evening.

Fla_Larry

the increase in light will certianly help greatly. you dont appear to have enough plants to warrant Co2.

and personally i dont belive those led bars will do much more than.... look neat JMO, Ive been wrong before.... just ask my wife.

Drew04

Thanks for your input. I may still get the LEDs simply for the dusk/dawn effect for the fish and the warm glow in the evening effect for the humans.

Fla_Larry

here is a link to a very well written article re: plants ferts etc.

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/aqua...rev-1-2-a.html

and this one for the Planted tank walk through.

http://www.myfishtank.net/forum/aqua...h-v-1-0-a.html