9 liter LED options

[igirisujin]

Hello,

I scaped a little 25L x 17D x 21H (< 9L) tank last night, and am considering my options for lighting units.

I live in Japan, and so many of the options available to UK buyers aren't available here. The most common brands here are GEX, Kotobuki and possibly Tetra (at additional cost). The budget is also tight.

I'm new to using LEDs, so not 100% sure on how to calculate it. I've seen various recommendations on lumens per litre, with Tropica's recommendation leading me to assume I'd be aiming for 360 lumens. Do these calculations work for tiny tanks too?

I'll be using the DO!Aqua mini pressurised CO2 bottles through a CO2 airstone.

Here are some available options I'm considering. Any advice concerning these lights or any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much in advance

1. Kotobuki Flat LED SS 2032 - 208mm long, 190 lumens.
https://tinyurl.com/wntccw2

2. Kotobuki Flat LED SS 3042 - 308mm long, 380 lumens.
https://tinyurl.com/v66utx8

3. GEX Clear LED Power III - 300mm long, 500 lumens.
https://tinyurl.com/r8xm4hx

As my tank has branches coming above the surface, I'm also looking at 'spot' lights, but have no experience with them either.

4. GEX Clear LED Light, Leaf Grow - 300 lumens. The base will fit. Will the light reach the corners?
https://tinyurl.com/toclro5

5. Lumini Asta 20 (??) - Unknown lumens, dimmable.
https://tinyurl.com/ujvsllo

 

[Gill]

I like the look of the GEX Power III. Although never used any of those brands before.

 

[igirisujin]

I like the look of the GEX Power III.

Yeah, I actually have the 45cm one on an ADA 45P. It's certainly nice for the price, but for this little tank I was concerned firstly that it might be overpowered, and even the smaller unit would overhang a couple of centimetres on each side. Plus the sticky-out branches at the top might get in the way.

I've actually just ordered the Lumini Asta 20 out of curiosity - It looks like I can return it easily if it's not right. I'd still appreciate any other opinions.

 

[Ed Wiser]

For a small tank you can not do better than a ONF nano light.


https://www.amazon.co.jp/ONF-水陸植物育成...tt、1300-LM、7000K、省エネルギー・節電、1年保証/dp/B07WG19LQY

 

[jaypeecee]

Hi @igirisujin

I'm with @Gill here. In fact, I'm going to see if they are available in the UK as I was recently given a 30cm nano cube. Why am I drawn to the GEX Power III? Quite simply, because if it delivers on the published data, it has been designed with plants in mind. Oh, yes, and we users. The choice of LEDs at 450nm and 665nm is good. And cool white LEDs. It looks as if each LED colour (white/red/blue) can be switched ON/OFF individually - I like that.

BTW, welcome to UKAPS!

JPC

 

[igirisujin]

For a small tank you can not do better than a ONF nano light.


https://www.amazon.co.jp/ONF-水陸植物育成ライト、アプリ制御、-独自設計のColorFull-LED、20cmから45cmまでの水槽に適しています、15-Watt、1300-LM、7000K、省エネルギー・節電、1年保証/dp/B07WG19LQY

That looks nice! It's around 4x the price of the light I went for though! I went for the Lumini Asta 20 for two reasons (in addition to the price) - firstly because a longer light might not fit around the driftwood that sticks out of the top of the tank; secondly, because the GEX and equivalents would be longer than the tank itself, and the overhang would be ugly. I would say that the 45cm GEX I already have gives a slightly better colour rendition (more red), but I'm happy with the Lumini. It can be dimmed, too, which might be useful if I encounter any algae problem later on.

 

[alto]

That Amazon price seems high - that’s more than I paid in Canada which has some of the highest prices for aquarium goods (I saw it last year for much less at a Taiwan dealer)

The ONF Nano should have same spectrum as the Plus
(earlier model lacks the bluetooth option but has sufficient on-board control - I went with the Plus version as the introductory price was irresistible )

The Lumini looks very good in your tank photos