• You are viewing the forum as a Guest, please login (you can use your Facebook, Twitter, Google or Microsoft account to login) or register using this link: Log in or Sign Up

moving from T5's / T8's to LED - retro fit or other?

smithie

New Member
Joined
7 Feb 2021
Messages
8
Location
London
Hi All,

Looking for some advice/help on the above.

The aquarium is 65cm (depth) x 40cm (width) x 120 cm (length) = 312L. I currently run a 54w plant pro (T8) light for 9 hours, and 2 x 54w (T5's) = Juwel Day light and I-quatics Tropical light for 8 hours. The T8 coming on 30mins either side of the T5's going on and off. All 3 tubes have a reflector for higher light output. Very broadly thats 3 x 54w lights plus 3 x 54w with reflectors (assuming they double the light output) = circa. 300w

I have the Co2 coming on an hour before the lights and off an hour before, the plants vary from low light Java and Anubias to red ludwigia, Amazon Swords and foregrounds - Sag Subutala. I dose ferts - DIY, Macro and Micro weekly, with 20% water change a week.

I'd like to move to LED lighting (more cost effective, especially now!).

The questions:
  • I looked at retro fit LED tubes - Aquarium systems T5 retro fit, there is a Freshwater pro but its rated as 8000K, general research mentions around 6,500K, would such high K's casuse algae issues?
  • Should I also have the T5 Led Original Tropical running? Are two LED retro fits enough with 3 being overkill? They all mention a lot more output than T5's ("double the output") or is this just sales blurb?
  • The big question, will I have issues with the light depth with retrofit LED's as I'm struggling to find info on this.
  • Lastly is there a good, economical alternative e.g. one strip light that can replace these tubes, meets the depth requirements and is reliable in someones view? I've seen a lot of products which people complain about after a few months.. I like the idea of a dimmable LED not only better for the fish but looks nice!

Thanks
Smithie
 
Last edited:
Hi all,
there is a Freshwater pro but its rated as 8000K, general research mentions around 6,500K, would such high K's casuse algae issues?
Personally I don't think light spectra and algae are related, the reason for this is <"there is only one sun"> and photosynthesis <"only evolved once"> (all photosythetic organisms are a clade). In terms of the Kelvin value, 8000K is just a slightly bluer light than 6500K, but daylight often has these higher Kelvin values.

800px-PlanckianLocus.png

By en:User:pAR - en:User:pAR, Public Domain, File:PlanckianLocus.png - Wikimedia Commons
  • Lastly is there a good, economical alternative e.g. one strip light that can replace these tubes, meets the depth requirements and is reliable in someones view? I've seen a lot of products which people complain about after a few months.. I like the idea of a dimmable LED not only better for the fish but looks nice!
Have a look at <"LED floodlights">.

cheers Darrel
 
Very broadly thats 3 x 54w lights plus 3 x 54w with reflectors (assuming they double the light output) = circa. 300w


Doesn't work that way.
Tubes also don't have the depth penetration of some other lights even with reflectors.
Soo 162 watts.
The safe way is match wattage and most likely dim the LEDs.
Past par comparisons in all sorts of fields shows LEDs to be equiv. to tubes either 1:2 or 1:1.5
So you are looking for 80-108 watts.

130 watts, any k temp you choose:

Then again their track record is spotty(???)
2 AI Prime is next.
 
Be careful about retro fitting LED tubes in place of fluorescent tubes.

Most retro fit LED tubes are designed to be retro fitted to tube holders with magnetic tube ballasts, most aquatic ballasts are the considerably more efficient electronic (Juwel certainly is electronic) and retro LED tubes won't work and may be damaged by the electronic controller.

Also some T5 tubes are just as efficient as LED, especially if fitted with reflectors.
 
Be careful about retro fitting LED tubes in place of fluorescent tubes.

Most retro fit LED tubes are designed to be retro fitted to tube holders with magnetic tube ballasts, most aquatic ballasts are the considerably more efficient electronic (Juwel certainly is electronic) and retro LED tubes won't work and may be damaged by the electronic controller.

Also some T5 tubes are just as efficient as LED, especially if fitted with reflectors.
Thks Ian..If it helps anyone...These are for the electronic ballasts and require the IP67 rated connections. Its more of a cost thing now...in that even with the outlay the are more cost effective in a few months..
 
I use 4 x 54W Aquarium Systems LED tubes on my 5ft ND Aquatics tank with a hood. The tubes are 2 x tropical pro and 2 x freshwater pro.
My recommendation... keep the receipt and buy from a decent seller who will effectively replace them if/when they fail. I have had a number of mine fail within the 2-year warranty period.
Swell have been excellent in replacing them.
I now keep a spare freshwater and tropical pro tube for when they fail.
I do like the look of the tank but reliability is an issue and they are not the cheapest tube to replace.
I purchased these LEDs as a replacement for the iQuatics tubes, holders, reflectors and ballast. It appears that the LED tubes move ever so slightly and push the bulb in the reflector which means the bulb is not held onto the reflector. I have to keep an occasional eye on them.
 
Back
Top