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Lights for a 75cm tank

Epiphyte

Member
Joined
15 Dec 2020
Messages
187
Location
Hemel Hempstead
I have a non-"standard" sized tank at 75cm wide and am struggling to find a good light that will work with it. I've used in the past DIY flood lights to great success so I've rigged one up temporarily, but I'd like something a little nicer.

Does anyone know of a 75cm wide light? Would a 60 be too narrow? 90 too wide?

Tank is 45cm deep and I'm growing a Marsilea Crenata carpet with CO2 and lots of ferts.
 
I I have an Aquael 100 litre which measures 75cm. I have been using a Twinstar 600EA.
IMG_20210205_150941.jpg
 
It is a great RGB light, pretty strong for my no co2 tank so I run it at 50% using a S2Pro led controller.

My tank is 75 x 35 x 40 height.
 
Twinstar S 60 (get the new version 3 for better color rendition) should be fine - if you‘re able to go with the SP version, then easy enough to raise the light for better light distribution across the tank length

With fixed leg, you may see some shade effect but it’s only several cm’s on each side (I’m assuming the Twinstar LED array runs the full 60cm or so)

I’d skip the Finnex/Nicrew as individual LEDs will be 0.2watt or less (which is fine for a 30 cm tall tank)
 
First off what a diode is rated isn't always what it's run at
You're right that the Nicrew I listed was a weaker model and I should have thought more about.
Using 2 makes up for this somewhat.
Nicrew sky led is more fitting.

  • PAR: 97 @ 12-inch depth (30-inch fixture)
  • Ideal for: most plant types
  • Fixture sizes: 30-36 inches (available 12-54″)
  • For tanks: 30-36 inches
  • LEDs: 80 White + 15 Blue + 10 Red
  • Modes: Day/night
  • Wattage: 30 watts
  • .28w per emitter, so prob. .5w " class" leds
But PAR matters more than electrical characteristics.
List:

The o/p using led floods could have more or less par than any part. light mentioned
Funnex "standard" planted plus w/ less than .5w per diode:
PAR: 121 @ 14-inch depth (48-inch fixture)
Ideal for: most high-demanding planted tanks, red plants
Fixture sizes: 48 inches (available 12-48″)
For tanks: up to 55 gal
LEDs: (160) 7000K + (88) 660nm red + (16) blue
Modes: Day/moonlight
Wattage: 48 watts .18w per emitter on average not accounting for resistor losses btw


I've never had much love for the likes of 5050 diodes as an example of .2w emitters which were often driven at like .1 w but one can't argue results.
I' m at a disadvantage here since I don't know your market well here.
Heck could have suggested 2 AI Prime freshwaters hung over that tank at the cost of
$200-ish US each.
100 real watts for 2, full control and 90-ish lensing to punch deep and call it a day.
 
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Any thoughts on the Chihros RGB Vivid II? Looks like it would suit my tank size and results look nice.
 
Any thoughts on the Chihros RGB Vivid II? Looks like it would suit my tank size and results look nice.
chihirosrgb.JPG

90cm light. 60cm will have less PAR.

Suggest hanging it vs using legs (Depends on leg length)
If you get a 60cm light for 75cm tank. Just to even out the PAR.
Needs to be about 12cm off the water line.
45 + 12 - 5 = 52cm "effective" height.
Light spill front/back will increase a bit.
Higher it is the more even the light w/ more light loss outside of the tank.
Assumption is you want more even coverage at the top of the tank.
chihirosrgb2.JPG
 
I've got the vivid on my 75P and it's perfect for this size with good light spread right into the corners
 
First off what a diode is rated isn't always what it's run at
You're right that the Nicrew I listed was a weaker model and I should have thought more about.
Don’t forget you can buy the same watt rated LED in low and high intensity
 
Don’t forget you can buy the same watt rated LED in low and high intensity
Right, using lumens as a measure you can get, say, 60 lumens/watt to 110 lumens/watt efficiency from different bins of the same diode same manuf and same form factor much less different manufacturers.
 
@oreo57 you have knowledge far beyond what I can comprehend! Where do you find the data on these lights or is it all your own work?

I actually found a brand new Vivid II RGB just up the road from me for £280 so I snapped it up, collecting it tomorrow.

I'll have to work out how to hang it though, I may just fabricate something up with some 19mm alu pipe I've got kicking around.
 
@oreo57 you have knowledge far beyond what I can comprehend! Where do you find the data on these lights or is it all your own work?

I actually found a brand new Vivid II RGB just up the road from me for £280 so I snapped it up, collecting it tomorrow.

I'll have to work out how to hang it though, I may just fabricate something up with some 19mm alu pipe I've got kicking around.
Yea good choice.
Here is a contrast manipulated image to show what I was alluding at.
The Chihiros really did slightly better than the Fluval btw..
It visually will not look like this for a few reasons one of which is human vision "defects"..but this will give you an idea.
Oh, I collect work on retail lights. I build all my own.
The "no dead spots" is kind of my mantra..
exaggeration.JPG

 
I installed the new Chihros light today and it's good.... I think! I've yet to get the colour rendition how I like it, it just feels "wrong", if that makes sense. The colours on my fish really pop though, they're quite stunning, especially the blue edge on the fins on one of my Apistogramas.

I would post a picture but the tank is going through it's ugly stage with fungus from the new wood everywhere

@oreo57 you mention the light to be hung 12cm off the water line, how did you get to this figure? I've got it perhaps 20cm off right now but it's a little blinding from my sofa with the light bleed.
 
I installed the new Chihros light today and it's good.... I think! I've yet to get the colour rendition how I like it, it just feels "wrong", if that makes sense. The colours on my fish really pop though, they're quite stunning, especially the blue edge on the fins on one of my Apistogramas.

I would post a picture but the tank is going through it's ugly stage with fungus from the new wood everywhere

@oreo57 you mention the light to be hung 12cm off the water line, how did you get to this figure? I've got it perhaps 20cm off right now but it's a little blinding from my sofa with the light bleed.
Estimated from the normal beam angle of the diodes and maximizing for right left coverage at the water surface
The glare factor is known and they sell shields for it.
 
I installed the new Chihros light today and it's good.... I think! I've yet to get the colour rendition how I like it, it just feels "wrong", if that makes sense. The colours on my fish really pop though, they're quite stunning, especially the blue edge on the fins on one of my Apistogramas.

I would post a picture but the tank is going through it's ugly stage with fungus from the new wood everywhere

@oreo57 you mention the light to be hung 12cm off the water line, how did you get to this figure? I've got it perhaps 20cm off right now but it's a little blinding from my sofa with the light bleed.
Actually my math was way off. Not sure how I got 12 (may have somehow doubled my should have been est of 6cm) but here is a corrected graphic of various heights and light err "cone"
I'll blame it on the metric system...
I assume 12" width (75x30).. height is irreverent.
Keep in mind that the edge area around an ind. "cone" will be considerably duller than the center area.
You can see the issue w/ 20cm..
chihiros5-12-20.JPG


You can use this calculator to get an idea of the spread of the light.
It will give you a diameter but you only use the radius
Example you light surface is 60x14cm
At a throw distance of 6cm the diameter of a single 120 degree lensed diode is 20.78cm
So your spread is
10.39 + 60 + 10.39 = 80.79
10.39 + 14 + 10.39 = 34.78
(yes just add diameter plus light )
LED Lighting Beam Angle Calculator

Once the light is in the tank it is "trained" by reflection/refraction.
Hopefully I got this right .. but the concept is sound.
Oh and to give you a number ..at 20cm your "cone of light" is 129 x 83.3cm..

Edit: Looking over my older post and I can see that I was concentrating on evening out the PAR which does change things a bit..
That's my story at least.. ;)
Split the difference.. 9cm..
 
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