15W LED for a Low Tech Tank?

[Emyr]

Sorry to be another one asking/checking/asking for thoughts about lighting levels but I really want to check this before setting out and then experiencing problems.

Would my 15W Aqua FX tube (Apparently equivalent to a 24W T5 tube) be too much light for a 70L low tech set up, no co2, just excel with mosses, java ferns etc. I plan on making a little wooden case for the tube to be housed in and just rest on the top of the tank. I want to have pieces of mantanzania wood and im worried that because they will be close to the light that algae will grow on them.

Any thoughts and/or suggestions greatly appreciated, Thanks.

 

[rolexbene]

I think if it is the equivalent of a 24w T5 in a 70L, guessing the water would be around 40cm deep. This would be classes as low lighting suitable for lowtech.

Low light requirements are between 0.3 – 0.5 watts per litre of water.
Medium light requirements are between 0.5 – 0.8 watts per litre of water
High light requirements are upwards of 0.8 watts per litre of water.

 

[Emyr]

It is difficult to judge LED suitability though because the wattage is different compared to light output of a standard fluorescent. On the website they claim that it is the equivalent to a 24W T5 but the light intensity seems much stronger then when i put just one 24W on there.

I will be adding a lot of hardscape so the plants will not be at the bottom of the tank but more in the middle and all over attached to rocks and wood etc.

I was reading through George Farmers Scree Evolution Journal and he has X2 30W TMC tiles on his 60L which are located 30Cm above the water and I think he even ran them at only 50% and that was high lighting when he measured the par of the light at the substrate which effectively it was only 30W but 30Cm above.

So my lighting will be a quarter of this but located right on top of the tank, Im not sure it would be Low lighting for an LED?