# Aquarium Lighting



## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

Good Morning,

I am looking for some information on T5 aquarium lighting, I have a 125 gallon tank and the lighting that I currently have is not sufficient. I was looking for some lighting options that will allow me to have healthy live plants. I've seen several options for different lights and I am trying to stay somewhat within a budget. Does anyone have ideas for this? I have found a couple on ebay/amazon but I am not sure how they will perform.

Thanks for your input,

Brian


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Look into Odyssea T5. They are inexpensive, and I have seen positive things on here about them. Use the search function on the home page to find old posts about it.


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

Yeah I saw those and wasn't sure on why they were so inexpensive. Is 320W is enough for a 125 gallon tank?


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I have no idea. Not a plant guy. Try the Equipment or Decor sections of the forum.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

320W should be plenty for most live plants on a 125G tank. Also, check out the Beamswork plant lights. The Quad Plant model would probably be plenty of light on your tank as well.


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

I purchased a led setup 96 x 3 each. .. Pretty good price and saw some reviews and videos. I'll post my own video of the initial setup and post it here so others can look at it


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

This is the one I purchased, I'll also be getting a couple cooling fans and timers, hopefully this gives me all that I need for a long time

http://www.ebay.com/itm/291011937140?ss ... 1436.l2649


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

JebusCHI said:


> This is the one I purchased, I'll also be getting a couple cooling fans and timers, hopefully this gives me all that I need for a long time
> 
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/291011937140?ss ... 1436.l2649


Ya, that was the one I was talking about. Good buy!


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks. . Can't wait for it to be setup and see how it looks.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

JebusCHI said:


> Thanks. . Can't wait for it to be setup and see how it looks.


How many units did you purchase?

I'm getting the Beamswork 48" Plant LED for christmas. I only have anubias in my 75G tank so I don't need an extremely bright light. Can't wait to get it! I'll post pics and a video review as well once I get it.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I'm also thinking LED for a 6 x 2 x 2 tank. I want some dark corners, and at apart from maybe something like anubias I don't have any plans for live plants. Thinking something like a 4ft dbl brite .. or one of those beamsworks 4ft. ANother thought was to do 2 36" lights and over lap them a little in the middle creating a brighter area in the middle leading to darker on the edges...


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

Mine will be here on the 9th and I'll make sure to post here with pics and stuff like that.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

skurj said:


> I'm also thinking LED for a 6 x 2 x 2 tank. I want some dark corners, and at apart from maybe something like anubias I don't have any plans for live plants. Thinking something like a 4ft dbl brite .. or one of those beamsworks 4ft. ANother thought was to do 2 36" lights and over lap them a little in the middle creating a brighter area in the middle leading to darker on the edges...


My Marineland double bright produces a large beam effect. It's currently not being used.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

skurj said:


> I'm also thinking LED for a 6 x 2 x 2 tank. I want some dark corners, and at apart from maybe something like anubias I don't have any plans for live plants. Thinking something like a 4ft dbl brite .. or one of those beamsworks 4ft. ANother thought was to do 2 36" lights and over lap them a little in the middle creating a brighter area in the middle leading to darker on the edges...


I had 2 36" Marineland double brights lights over my last 6' tank but had them end to end. The tank was only 20" tall and I thought they worked well.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Yeah that's the sort of thing I looking for, I think centrals look much better under subdued lighting. Iggy when you say beam are you referring to a spotlight sort of effect without much spread?


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

If I was to purchase a new LED unit, I would without a doubt go with the Current Satellite+ fixtures. I have a Beamswork fixture now and although I initially really liked it, the colors of the fish (especially the warmer colors) really get washed out with only the white and blue LEDs. The Current fixtures are RGB and you can customize how much of what color you want. Good price too!


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Ahh yes saw those Current-USa lights they look pretty good, and I like the programmability, but why the **** can't they add a timer..  the current-usa light is so close to perfect, at least in functionality (I can't comment on performance or quality)
Ahh well, next challenge .. find a retailer in Canada..


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

skurj, I believe Current has (or is very soon) coming out with a timer, however you have to buy it separately.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

skurj said:


> Ahh well, next challenge .. find a retailer in Canada..


I have found U.S. retailers that will ship it to Canada. I may actually go for the 48" on my new 5 foot tank.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Ok found it at big al's online Canada at least (everything is pricey from them sadly), and there is a timer on the C USA website. But nothing can be perfect... no hanging kit available! argg.. on my SW tank I had a hanging kit allowed me to raise the light for maintenance which still allowed me to see what I was doing... I have these spring things that I can adjust the height of the light with ease, its a sweet setup I hoped to continue to use. Mebbe I can rig something for the C USA lights. My issue with the timer is that I can't have for example a dusk/dawn cycle sort of thing like marine tanks. It looks like Aquaticlife might now have an LED available with 3 different timers (EDGE), not sure if the light is strictly intended for SW or not. I like their 48" T5 4 tube I have, just need some stores to actually start selling them.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Current makes hanging kits: http://www.current-usa.com/accessories/hanging-kits

And they will be releasing a ramp timer soon.. actually it should be out already? http://www.current-usa.com/product-sneak-peek


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

I checked, Current Usa emailed me today saying no hanging kit because these lights are intended to be close to the water. The timer list on their website says the ramp timer is only on/off with the satellite plus freshwater system. Their more expensive systems it can do more


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

skurj said:


> I checked, Current Usa emailed me today saying no hanging kit because these lights are intended to be close to the water. The timer list on their website says the ramp timer is only on/off with the satellite plus freshwater system. Their more expensive systems it can do more


That's interesting. I would think that the ramp timer would work on any fixture as it just ramps up the electricity going to the unit.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Me too..

http://www.current-usa.com/accessories/ ... ramp-timer


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

skurj said:


> Me too..
> 
> http://www.current-usa.com/accessories/ ... ramp-timer


It says on the bottom under compatible LEDs that the fade up/fade down feature only has on/off capability with the Satellite + lights. This feature does work on their TrueLumen Pro Strips though. What a great system...expensive though when you get all the necessary components.


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## CjCichlid (Sep 14, 2005)

Well that sucks.. :?

Have you looked at the Finnex fixtures?
http://www.finnex.net/index.php?opt...ge.tpl&category_id=4&product_id=337&Itemid=61


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

To be honest I am thinking of keeping the aquatic life 4 tube 48" t5ho I have now. I just need to replace some bulbs, but I'd rather have LED. THe fixture I have now has 3 timers, 1 for the moonlight led's, 1 for each pair of bulbs. bah.. It seems for marine you can get whatever you want.. but for fresh you get on or off... makes no sense. Mebbe the new aquaticlife edge series will do what I want and not cost a fortune.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

skurj said:


> To be honest I am thinking of keeping the aquatic life 4 tube 48" t5ho I have now. I just need to replace some bulbs, but I'd rather have LED. THe fixture I have now has 3 timers, 1 for the moonlight led's, 1 for each pair of bulbs. bah.. It seems for marine you can get whatever you want.. but for fresh you get on or off... makes no sense. Mebbe the new aquaticlife edge series will do what I want and not cost a fortune.


Here's hoping!

There are many different ways to do what you want. You could replace the t5 elements with two LED strips and then use them on separate timers. Current makes stips that can be used to replace flourescent tubs using the same fixture. Basic light timers are cheap! The Marineland one's are $7 a piece, but my mom got a set of two light timers for $5 at walmart in the christmas section last week.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Rumour has it the ramp timer might work... watching MFK as a member there is about to receive his timer to try on the satellite plus leds.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

skurj said:


> Rumour has it the ramp timer might work... watching MFK as a member there is about to receive his timer to try on the satellite plus leds.


I'm curious to see what the person says. After I priced out the TrueLumen Pro Strips, I realize they're out of my budget. The Satellite Plus would be worth it to me if the ramp timer works.

It's interesting that one of the reviews of the timer on Amazon is by a customer who's using it on a Marineland Double Bright system and the ramp up feature apparently works on it.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

****, i would of tried to figure out what type of light the plants i intended to keep before i dropped $340- on a light haha.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Cryptic? Where ya been dude!


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Cryptic? Where ya been dude!


Long story short i moved, moved again, then again, and for now leasing a beach house til june, then moving again, then probably again 3 months later back into the beach house as i've falling in love with living in a small fisherman's village. As a result i pretty much had to liquidate all my live stock, 90% of my plants, sold most of my tanks, put some tanks in storage. Think i went through a little hobby depression after all of it so i stayed away from all the forums in general, but working my way back into them haha.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

zimmy said:


> skurj said:
> 
> 
> > Rumour has it the ramp timer might work... watching MFK as a member there is about to receive his timer to try on the satellite plus leds.
> ...


I'm guessing it depends on the type of LEDs the fixture uses - just like incandescents I imagine some are dimmable and some aren't. Although, I would think that the Satellite+ would be since that is one of its core features. If I get the Beamswork LED for christmas that I ordered from santa I try a ramp timer on that and let everyone know.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Has anybody tried the lights from buildmyled? They have a very impressive website. More expensive than the Satellite Plus but less than the TrueLumen Pro Strips.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

zimmy said:


> Has anybody tried the lights from buildmyled? They have a very impressive website. More expensive than the Satellite Plus but less than the TrueLumen Pro Strips.


Yeah, they seem to have a pretty solid reputation on a couple other forums i'm on, and if you pay attention to the par values, they are much more capable of being a lot brighter.


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## zimmy (Aug 13, 2010)

Thanks, Cryptic. They sell a dimmer with the lights too. The capacity to go a lot brighter when I want is exactly what I'm interested in.


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## CrypticLifeStyle (Dec 14, 2009)

If you get one let us know how it works for you


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

Well even though it was a day late, Here is the video that I said I would post. I am quite happy with the first impression considering the cost.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqgB8Eo ... e=youtu.be

I hope that this will help with my plant growth and I will be shopping for plants next to suit my SA tank.

Thanks for your input everyone,

Brian


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

JebusCHI said:


> Well even though it was a day late, Here is the video that I said I would post. I am quite happy with the first impression considering the cost.
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HqgB8Eo ... e=youtu.be
> 
> ...


Very nice! Which beamswork fixture is that?


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

This is the listing on Ebay

LED Quad 72" 3W Timer 6500K Aquarium Light 96x LEDs Freshwwater Fish Plant 180cm

I got the one without the asitinic lights cuz I was looking to get more plants in there. I was a bit surprised on how bright it is and how much of the tank it covers.


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## skurj (Oct 30, 2011)

Ok.. yer fish are all freaky with the eyes... That looks like a decent light, I'd have loved to see the 4ft on that tank, for me that's just too much, no shadows. It does look better than the before shot though!


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

There are two light settings on mine that only illuminates about 1/3 of the lights. I think I'll use that more when I'm home in the evenings.


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

JebusCHI said:


> There are two light settings on mine that only illuminates about 1/3 of the lights. I think I'll use that more when I'm home in the evenings.


Which light do you have?


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## JebusCHI (Jan 9, 2012)

See above... Sorry on my phone


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## clhinds78 (Jul 27, 2012)

JebusCHI said:


> See above... Sorry on my phone


OK, the one off of ebay.


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