# New toy - cheapo LED



## kivyee (Oct 15, 2016)

I have a fluval edge 12 which as some of you might know is relatively tall given the volume. The stock light is woefully inadequate for plants at the bottom e.g. carpeting plants. I've been very curious how those cheap LED floodlights would perform so finally ordered some from Amazon, one for my tank and another to actually use as a flood light. I got the daylight color temperature which is quoted as 6000 to 6500k. 

I've included some pictures of the light and it's packaging. The body is metal, the lens plastic, and the enclosure is rated IP66 which is more than adequate for what I need. Build quality is solid. 
You need to supply your own 3 prong plug, which i harvested from a cheap extension cord.
I've included a series of shots with my cameras auto exposure fixed. So same aperture, iso and "shutter speed".
It is plenty bright...Almost too bright with both lights on. And the lighting is very even. While the flood light is only 2 more watts than the stock fluval, it is significantly brighter. Only the top corners of the tank is missed the way I currently mount the light (placed on glass in front of existing "hood". I might just leave the stock fluval light on blue night light mode.
All in all I'm pretty happy with the light. Especially for $19.99+$3.50(extension cord). I'll update in a month on how the plants like it.


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## Ljm24 (May 22, 2017)

Nice looking tank. I'm very curious how it works out as I have one too. The flood light look pretty small, will it fit under the hood?


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## kivyee (Oct 15, 2016)

The light could potentially fit under the hood in place of the stock light. But you'd have to integrate it to the swing arm and essentially destroy the stock light, build your own swing arm that fits the stock attachment point, or just mount it to the hood and remove the stock light.
I put mine on the glass in front of the hood, leaving enough room so theres no interference with the removal/install of the hood, and now I have the option of using both the stock light and the flood light.


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## troutsniffer (Dec 10, 2015)

I have a 10w hyperikon flood light over my 8 gallon, has no problem growing plants. I still have to make a hanger for mine


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