# LED for planted tank (ADA Mini-L)



## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Hi,
I was going to close down the planted tank and just focus on growing juvie discus on a bare bottom tank so I sold all my plants...
Thanks to all the wonderful sponsors we now have a ADA Mini-L tank--which is about 8.5 gallon, and is about 18" wide--with 2 bags of ADA soil...so it seems like we are on for another exciting journey.. I am so glad I still have the Co2 tank. I was going to sell that at the auction but luckily we were running late. LOL
My daughter really likes the look of LED lights after seeing the fluval demo at the recent auction.
I want to ask if there is any LED fixture you folks would suggest for a tank this size, please. 
Since she and I will likely go crazy with lots of plants we do want enough power to grow not just medium and low light plants.
We have not ordered the plants yet as I want to get the light ready before we start.
Thank you very much in advanced for your help.


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## Foxtail (Mar 14, 2012)

Check out neven's GU10 LED light build. If you are handy at all you could make a really nice custom led fixture using the screw in led bulbs. Neven is just starting the build and his is for saltwater but the company he is comunicating with for supplying the bulbs said they can make them however he wants. 

Sent via the Shining.


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## matti2uude (Apr 22, 2010)

I'm considering trying the finnex ray 2.


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

look at the vertex Illumilux units like the one raffled at the show. I own 6 of them now, and they work exceedingly well. (its what I'm planning on using on the Mini S I won  ) If you want to see them in action you and your daughter can visit my place if you like and see them in action.


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Thank you everyone for your help.
Algae beater thanks for your help, your tank looks really awesome and after seeing your plants we really became very interested in LED lights rather than t5ho
I am a total newbie to LED so please dont laugh at me I was looking at this just now... http://www.ebay.ca/itm/270690526880?ssPageName=STRK:MESINDXX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1436.l2649
Is this pretty much junk or is it actually okay for growing plants in a ADA mini-L?
Thanks you.


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

Those units are VERY low powered and not at all useful fir plants

You would need 3-4 if them to equate a decent led light


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Okay thanks.
If it is over 10000K is that still good for growing plants...a lot of them seem to be geared toward reef and I personally prefer something around 6500 to 8000K.


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## aQ.LED (Nov 13, 2012)

another option is that you can always try a PAR38 with about color 6500k to 8500k temp. I would skip most of anything lower than 6000k or so call "warm white"

you can also read up here, might give you better idea
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/6500k-vs-12000k-for-plant-growth-201110-2.html


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Thank you so much for your help. Really appreciate it.


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

using warm white in combination with cool whites will actually add more red to the spectrum, which higher kelvin LEDs lack severly. a 1:1 or 2:1 (cool to warm white) ratio is ideal depending on preference.


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## aQ.LED (Nov 13, 2012)

yeah, wat I meant is not to use anything just warm white out of LED only. I think plants are fine with it, just the tank will look really yellowish


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## Algae Beater (Apr 21, 2010)

warm white LEDs have the Highest CRI rating of any LED available ... so yes plants LOVE them


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## trout (Mar 21, 2012)

How handy are you fishrookie? (ie soldering, basic wiring etc) As in doing a DIY rig, you could build to meet exact coverage and intensity needs. All you really need is some led chips, a driver or controller or both, and a mounting fixture/heatsink.

Only suggested if your into DIY and have some basic knowledge electronic wise....otherwise I wouldn't recommend to someone whos never soldered or wired anything before.

Big fan of LEDs when wired to a controller, can control sunrise and set, intensity and even mild spectrum options. I've yet to see any prebuilt fixtures that offer those options, although there are prob some out there, if your willing to give someone your left arm or leg 

Oh ya and the shimmer you get with LEDs, awesome. Btw congrats on winning that mini l!


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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

If you are think of going the diy route rapid led offers solderless led kits here is the link. 
Retrofit kits - Solderless Kits - Dimmable Solderless Retrofit Kits - Rapid LED


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## neven (May 15, 2010)

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/diy-area-18/nevens-gu10-led-light-build-gu10-explained-33989/

explains the easiest diy method


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

Thanks a lot guys but I am terribly terrible with electronic. I dont believe I can never ever make a DIY light to work to be honest so I think I will stay with buying one. I also want to make the tank and the light look nice as it will be placed next to the dinning table.
I may just go with T5HO if finding a LED is hard. I looked briefly in Richmond today but could not really find any T5HO light short enough. I saw some fixture in IPU but they came with 1 blue and 1 white tube rather than 2 white tubes and the shortest one was 24".
We will be growing glosso on the front, probably try dry start. I would prefer to have some decent "light power". 
For a 8.5 gallon tank, 18" wide, I wonder what kind of wattage should I be aiming at, may be 20W or so? Is this kind of power hard to find with a short LED light without paying a lot?


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## aQ.LED (Nov 13, 2012)

if none of the freshwater LED I carry (mostly price) is good for you, you can try one of this
LED Clamp 1W 6500K Aquarium Light Freshwater Plant Tropical Fish Nano Pico Betta | eBay
=)


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## bonsai dave (Apr 21, 2010)

I think this would work for your tank. 
EHEIM aquaLight LED
http://www.petsandponds.com/en/aquarium-supplies/c5813/c231289/p17666997.html


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

aQ.LED said:


> if none of the freshwater LED I carry (mostly price) is good for you, you can try one of this
> LED Clamp 1W 6500K Aquarium Light Freshwater Plant Tropical Fish Nano Pico Betta | eBay
> =)


Do you carry freshwater fixture that is around 18"?

Thank you for the suggestion. Does this light fixture you suggest provide stronge enough light to grow high light plants and carpeting plants, please?

This one is more money is this going to work better for my application: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/EVO-Quad-Cli...969?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43b60d0741

Thank you Dave, that looks interesting. I saw that light before but with a bulky corner filter, I do not know they sell the light seperatly.

Am I crazy to think of buying this light...I can replace the tubes to some T5HO 6500 K or so, and use the MH for an hour at noon time...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/MH-18-Metal-...441?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19d5ee0d89

Thank you everyone for your help.


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## aQ.LED (Nov 13, 2012)

ah I didn't see their other lights, but yes the first one you posted is more than enough for you. I will walk away from MH for such a small tank. Heat is kind of the main issue for MH and place it on a 8 g tank is way too much issue to deal with (water lost, etc), with about 60W in total for 3watt LED chip, this will give more than enough light regardless what brand of the LED chip it use. 
I think it price is pretty in the right ratio to the fresh water version I carry, for 60W after shipping you looking at about $130, the one I carry is 24" with CREE chips and 72w, it is $240. Like I said before, usually CREE is about 30 to 40% more than bridgelux and coule be even more to other brand such as EPISTAR etc.

PS: I saw it is a bidding not buy it now, so can't say what would the final price end up.

EDIT: this one is $80 and buy it now
EVO Quad Clip 3W LED Aquarium Light Nano Freshwater Plant Tetra Discus 20 3 Watt | eBay


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## Fish rookie (May 21, 2012)

aQ.LED said:


> ah I didn't see their other lights, but yes the first one you posted is more than enough for you. I will walk away from MH for such a small tank. Heat is kind of the main issue for MH and place it on a 8 g tank is way too much issue to deal with (water lost, etc), with about 60W in total for 3watt LED chip, this will give more than enough light regardless what brand of the LED chip it use.
> I think it price is pretty in the right ratio to the fresh water version I carry, for 60W after shipping you looking at about $130, the one I carry is 24" with CREE chips and 72w, it is $240. Like I said before, usually CREE is about 30 to 40% more than bridgelux and coule be even more to other brand such as EPISTAR etc.
> 
> PS: I saw it is a bidding not buy it now, so can't say what would the final price end up.
> ...


Thank you so much for taking your time to help me out. I really appreciate it that you do not just try to sell me your fixture but are willing to help me to find what I am looking for. That is really nice of you. Thank you.


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## aQ.LED (Nov 13, 2012)

Heh np. I don't like to sell ppl something that is not suitable for them. Hope u can find the right light soon


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