LED advice needed for low tech 60L cube

[BexHaystack]

Hello all,


I’m a new comer to the planted aquarium – I used to work in the lfs when I was a teenager and had a 200L tank with a pair of Oscars and a few choice catfish, very few plants (and they were yellow and covered in algae) but that was 15 years ago in South Africa and the hobby has certainly moved on! There are so many more exciting plants, fish and bits of equipment available and I’m keen to have another go – sans the Oscars…


I’m planning on starting small with a 60L cube tank, I would like to try a low-tech tank but would like to buy equipment that would cater for adding CO2 (probably in liquid form) at some point in the future if I feel like having a go at ‘high tech’. As a result I am having trouble deciding what light to choose and would really appreciate some advice from you guys, I’ve spent hours trawling the internet and this website, there is so much information and really inspiring stuff but I am still in the dark (terrible, I know). I would really like to go with LED. I have looked for lights that have a dimming function so that I can run them at a lower % for low tech and bump them up if I decide to add CO2 one day. Below is a list of the lights that seem the best fit for my tank and budget but I am unsure of what to choose or how many of them – WPG doesn’t seem to be a good guide anymore so I’m finding it all a bit confusing…please help!


Tank will be a Dennerle 60 – 38cm(l) x 38cm(w) x 43cm(h), 60 litres.


(I haven’t decided on a filter yet but it will definitely be an external canister with at least 600 litres per hour – any suggestions welcome.)


Ideas for LEDs:


-AquaEl Leddy Smart LED 6W 2 Models: Plant 6500k/Sunny 8000k (£23.00 each) http://www.aquael.com.pl/en/products/akwarystyka/oswietlenie/175-leddy-smart#details

Website says that one is sufficient for 10-50L tank. So would I need 2? Could run one and have the other come on for just a couple of hours?


-Dennerle Scapers LED Strip 32-50cm 15W – has a dimmer switch (£75.00)

http://www.pro-shrimp.co.uk/aquarium-led-lights/355-dennerle-scaper-s-led-15w-4001615060317.html

The website indicated that one is sufficient for 35-45L – so would one be enough?


Arcadia LED Stretch 30-40cm 11W - (£30.00)

http://www.swelluk.com/arcadia-classica-stretch-freshwater-led-lighting/

Read many good things about it and good price, but . again would one be enough?


Chihiros Aquasky LED A301 18W – (£50.00)

http://www.natureaquadesign.com/fr/materiel/297-rampe-led-chihiros-a301.html

Nice looking and much cheaper than the ADA version, there is an option to buy a controller which would enable me to dim the lights if too intense for my setup, I would be able to use it one something bigger/higher tech in the future.


Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated, the sooner I decide on a light the sooner I can start!


Thanks in advance,


Bex

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[alto]

The LEDDY SMART lamp is designed for aquarium tanks of a capacity between 10 and 50 l and of a height up to 35 cm.

- you're already outside the manufacturer suggested tank height range on this one
On any LED, request information on the actual LED emitters used - this information should be readily available though many don't have PAR or PUR values (or won't release them )

Look at the Dennerle Scaper tank kit deals, some of them include lighting at very good prices

Chihiros Aquasky LED <snip> much cheaper than the ADA version

yes ... and lots more LED failures & various other issues ... depending on luck ... and you don't expect any seller/manufacturer resolution of issues

and by the time I paid shipping , it wasn't going to be all that much cheaper for me ... after talking with a few local people that had defective units, I decided to give them a miss ... check which LED's are being used on the unit you will receive ... some are much lower intensity than the comparable ADA.
I picked up a Current USA LED + Pro on sale, it's programmable color & intensity & ramping etc so easy to run high or low tech
Some ukaps folk are using dimmers with ADA Aquasky, this is one such discussion

 

[BexHaystack]

Hi Alto,

Thanks for replying and posting the link to the dimming discussion. I've decided to go for 2 of these instead http://www.blau-aquaristic.com/nano-led-light.html
Once I've got more kit together I might start a journal, depending on how brave I feel...

Bex

 

[HiNtZ]

I use a TC420 programmable dimmer with just a basic 5050 strip, it's a great little controller, and cheap! Don't think it could power the Aquasky because it's out of the voltage range, but this one in the link may be suitable

http://www.leddevil.de/zeitschaltuhr-mit-led-dimmfunktion-12-bis-40-volt