# LED lighting advice for 10g



## Kaoss (May 31, 2013)

I wanted to get everyone's opinions on my planned lighting upgrade. I'm currently running an Aqueon hood with a single T8 Zoomed Ultra Sun, and I've been running this setup for quite some time now with subpar results. My tank is well planted, dosing Flourish and Excel. I am well stocked in terms of fish, 5 neon tetras and I believe 6 or 7 sparkling gouramis. 

I've been taking a look at Finnex's offerings, particularly the 20" Planted+ and the Stingray. I've done a lot of reading online regarding how both of these lights perform on a 10g planted setup, with some saying the Planted+ is way too much PAR for a 10g and causes massive algae outbreaks and the Stingray is the way to go, and others saying the Planted+ is perfect for a 10g and the Stingray being "insufficient" for a 10g in terms of PAR.

It is to my assumption that regardless of the LED setup I choose, it will be brighter than my single T8. With that being said, based on everyone's experience, for a 10g tank which is rather shallow, will the Stingray be sufficient for all low-mid lighting plants? As I understand and from what I've read, the Planted+ on a 10g causes perpetual pearling on all the plants at the expense of significantly increased algae growth, whereas on a Stingray there still could potentially be algae growth, but not much pearling in terms of plant activity. 

Cost is not particularly an issue, I simply want to find which one would be the ideal balance between plant growth and algae, and ultimately which would be the better choice for a planted tank!


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## Reckon (Jul 25, 2012)

What are your tank's dimensions? Standard 10gal? 20 x 11 x 13?

Why not the 16" planted+? 12watts as opposed to 16watts in the 20"
The spread should be good enough still too. 

Or the stingray's 20" fixture puts out 11 watts. And it'll ensure you get the spread across 20". If you're just growing mid to low light plants you can be more conservative and go to less wattage.


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## wslam (Dec 14, 2015)

I have the 20" stingray on my Spec V (5 gallons but similar dimensions), its been amazing so far. Great growth with low tech, Tom Barr's Non-CO2 EI dosing, and no excel. In my opinion it is better to have a dimmer light so I can keep it on longer than having too much PAR and keeping it on for only 4-6 hrs per day. I want to see my tank. However, if you are planning to do CO2 in the future, it could be better with the Planted+


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## Kaoss (May 31, 2013)

Reckon said:


> What are your tank's dimensions? Standard 10gal? 20 x 11 x 13?
> 
> Why not the 16" planted+? 12watts as opposed to 16watts in the 20"
> The spread should be good enough still too.
> ...


It is a standard 10 gallon tank, 10L x 20W x 12H. Right now the T8 Zoomed I'm using is 18", I know for sure a 20" Stingray would work great, but from everything I've read, the Planted+ is just better for plants in general and evidently so based on what owners are saying, as it should be with significantly more red lighting than the Stingray.

The thing that puzzles me are how about half of 10g owners are stating they had an insane algae outbreak, whereas the other half of the 10g owners say they only experienced very mild increase of thread algae but nothing uncontrollable with Excel which I'm already dosing regularly. All of the 10g owners with the 20" Planted+ did mutually voice their satisfaction with the drastic increase in plant growth.


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## outsider (Jan 13, 2015)

I have Fluval plants and aquatic life nano led on my Do!aqua 45p shrimp tank. (18"x10.6 "x12")

Dwarf Baby Tear grow really well in it.










I do leave my light on over 12 hours a day which is why I have a lot of green algae even I have Chinese version of twin star.

To control the algae, you just don't leave the light on more than 8 hours a day and have fast grow plants to use up the nutrition. (Or use co2 to increase plant growth.)

I bought a small patch of dwarf baby tear from island and it took about 2 months to cover up the tank.

Fluval plants and aquatic life nano led mounting sucks big time thou, I put the mount on wrong side of tank and I am afraid I will break my Do!Aqua tank if I forcefully remove it. Fluval does release new version of of their plant led series however I dunno if it will have better mounting.


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## charlie1 (Nov 27, 2015)

Kaoss said:


> I've been taking a look at Finnex's offerings, particularly the 20" Planted+ and the Stingray. I've done a lot of reading online regarding how both of these lights perform on a 10g planted setup, with *some saying the Planted+ is way too much PAR for a 10g and causes massive algae outbreaks and the Stingray is the way to go, and others saying the Planted+ is perfect for a 10g and the Stingray being "insufficient" for a 10g in terms of PAR.
> *
> It is to my assumption that regardless of the LED setup I choose, it will be brighter than my single T8. With that being said, based on everyone's experience, for a 10g tank which is rather shallow, will the Stingray be sufficient for all low-mid lighting plants? As I understand and from what I've read, *the Planted+ on a 10g causes perpetual pearling on all the plants at the expense of significantly increased algae growth, whereas on a Stingray there still could potentially be algae growth, but not much pearling in terms of plant activity.
> 
> *Cost is not particularly an issue, I simply want to find which one would be the ideal balance between plant growth and algae, and ultimately which would be the better choice for a planted tank!


I have never used any of the 2 fixtures referred to, so i have no hands on experience, that said there is a few of factors you can consider -
A - i think the 24/7 has the ability to adjust intensity, if this is so it negates the issue of light/algae.
B - Intensity can be controlled by varying the height the fixture above the tank ( risers, suspension)
C - Although light intensity is the driving force of algae issues, it is also the driving force of plant growth, i`m sure you have heard both plant & algae have the same requirement for existence. The trick is to provide a balanced trio - Light, Carbon & nutrients (both macro & micro),this allows the plant to out compete the algae, in short healthy plant growth = poor algae growth.
Regards


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## Kaoss (May 31, 2013)

Ended up purchasing a 20" Planted+, found a good deal online, $69 USD, the cheapest I could find!


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