# LED experts



## African_Fever (Apr 22, 2010)

Looking for some advice for someone well versed in LED's - I'm looking at some products from China for a somewhat large-scale project, and seeing as I'm rather new to the world of LED's, I'm looking for some advice on product quality, specs. etc. I suppose this could eventually lead to a group buy of sorts if the product quality turns out to be sufficient.


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## jkam (Apr 21, 2010)

What are you looking to do with the LEDs? just light up the tank or grow plants/corals?


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## Keri (Aug 2, 2010)

I'm sorry I can't offer any advice but I am interested in what others say as I too would like to go LED on my (FW planted 65g) tank. 

What kind of project are you starting?


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I can't remember who did the project, but he was from the UK and is on the forum.

All I remember is that the chinese variety of LED's have less par then the Cree name brand ones which is important to know.


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## taureandragon76 (Apr 21, 2010)

I would not trust the quality of the product if it is coming from China.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

effox said:


> I can't remember who did the project, but he was from the UK and is on the forum.
> 
> All I remember is that the chinese variety of LED's have less par then the Cree name brand ones which is important to know.


The member is supercoley1 and this is his DIY thread: http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/diy-area-18/diy-led-luminaire-mkii-4014/


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## Theratboy_101 (Apr 27, 2010)

I've seen lots of cheap junk from china... but also some good stuff

I've ordered some 200+ bulk L.E.D.s from a place in hong kong that makes all kinds of L.E.D products, and have been very happy with them. They were very bright, haven't had any burn out (unless i hooked them up to way to much voltage) and best of all they were really cheap.

you might just have to try them out... buy something cheap from them and see how it works.

I took an $8 shot in the dark and have come to really like the place I order from.


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## Jonney_boy (Apr 28, 2010)

Depends on what you are aiming for. If for general lighting or for growing plants.

If for general lighting, almost anything will work as long as you have enough fo them  "for the money" 1w leds work well.

If you are using it for growing plants, then you need to be more picky. U need bulbs that have output in the light spectrum you need them in. Also, higher power bulbs will "punch through" water much better than many lower power bulbs. ie a 3w bulb will have will have less loss of par than 3 x 1w bulbs.

Finally, the overall build of the unit is very important. bulbs that are over driven or under cooled will die very quickly. dimmiable circuits are a plus. A lens of some sort will also help to distribute the light to the bottom of the tank vs a spot light effect.

currently, Cree Q5's seem to be the standard as they are "cheap" and have an output roughtly where we want it for plants. The R bins are more efficient but more $$ and don't have output graphs for them (to my knowledge).


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

http://www.bcaquaria.com/forum/plants-algae-ferts-ei-co2-lighting-13/led-lighting-6416/index2.html

side note: red spectrum helps bring out the red pigment in the plant. If you do go with LED, get a few diode in the red and far red into the mixed. One reason why CRS Fan red plants were always bloody red.


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## African_Fever (Apr 22, 2010)

What I'm looking at for the most part is the 300W terrestrial LED grow lights. Domestically, most are $1000-1200, with some in the $600 range. Right now I've actually found a local supplier with them at $500 and am close to snapping up all the units he has left. The Chinese units are usually about $300 or so. I'm starting a greenhouse (organic herbs) and want LED rather than MH or HPS for the environmental and 'green' aspect. So on the many manufactured full units out of China that say they have the same specs as the domestic units (7:1:1 or 8:2 for red:blue vegetative growth), what differences in regards to quality would I really find?


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

I have been looking and in talk with Philips about their LED. Too bad they are not available in Canada until the systems are approved by the CSA. Personally, I would trust a lighting company that has years of experience in growing plants on an agricultural level and extensive research in LED than a company that do a cookie cutter copy of light ratio. Philips does make system with diode ratio specific to certain plants and not an all purpose system. from tissue culture, to tomato crop, to Chrysanthemum. They actually have system that utilized far red and infar red diode for plants specific purpose.

Main difference in price is pretty much the watt per diode, the reliability of the unit (diode, driver wiring, cooling etc), driver quality and cooling system, and tech support/research. When it comes to digital driver/ballast, you will see a difference in the light/diode performance quite easily when compared side by side. Newer the better as digital driver/ballast are software/firmware base and they do make a difference.

I have a Philip advance HO T5 ballast next to a workhorse 5 ballast and the brightness is very noticeable to the eyes.

When it comes to LED system, the newer the design/system, the better. I still consider LED in the infant stages of development.

You will get a much better answer in forums specific to food production over aquarium forum. Not many of us play with lights or research grow light here. The light we use for aquarium is a huge difference to food production.


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