LED Lighting and Eriocaulons

bikercarl

Junior Poster
Mar 11, 2013
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Aloha from Hawaii! I am interested in converting my lighting system over from T5HO to an LED system. Has anyone had experience with these LED systems and growing Eriocaulons? I'm considering BML Dutch, Twinstar 900E or Finnex Planted+ 24/7 SE over a 40 Breeder. Any input would be greatly appreciated!


Mahalo (Thank you in Hawaiian)!


BikerCarl
 

Dennis Singh

SynKing!
May 5, 2013
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Lighting doesn't really matter type wise. T5's will bring out more par and grow em faster though if you upkeep. How did you do with the t5's, why the change (i.e. electricity, like the look, etc)


but if you do change, led's will do just fine. From brown to 10,000k


Adios
 

bikercarl

Junior Poster
Mar 11, 2013
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Aloha strungout,


Thanks for the expeditious response! I was hoping to switch over to the LED systems because of the reduced power consumption along with not having to replace bulbs! It has been becoming more and more difficult to get the bulbs at a decent price point out here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean! Many of the websites won't ship to Hawaii. I don't mind supporting local brick and mortar shops, but sometimes, they don't have the bulbs that I prefer.


I was able to grow some of the easier Erios in the past. I had the E. Goias and Parkeri growing and splitting like crazy. I was also doing fairly well with the Cinereum, Aussie II, Japan/Shiga and Sulawesi. I took a break for a while and recently saw pictures of the Ratonagiurini and almost immediately knew that I wanted to give them a try once I get things dialed in!


Mahalo!


BikerCarl
 

Dennis Singh

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May 5, 2013
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ooooo that rat.....a cute sea urchin


The erios you kept in the past are probably same difficulty. Parkeri being easier. Go for the leds. I think you got this.
 

Jason King

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Welcome Carl :)


I take it your tank is 900mm width? What is your budget for the lighting?


Just for reference you can forget the bml leds as they no longer exist since last year around February i think.. they closed shop.

Thank you for your interest. Thank you for your business. Thank you for your support. After serving this market for the last four years we have made the difficult decision to indefinitely suspend our participation in the aquarium lighting segment. We have made many friends in this industry and we will always be thankful to those who have supported our company. If you're interested in horticulture lighting, you can find us at Fluence Bioengineering. It was a pleasure serving you.
 
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bikercarl

Junior Poster
Mar 11, 2013
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Aloha Jason,


Thanks for the heads up. I am able to pick up a used 36" BML Dutch if needed. I had heard that they have shifted focus away from the planted tanks, but before I took a break, I kept hearing that they were "the cat's meow"!!! Would have, Could have, Should have, right? LOL! I greatly appreciate you letting me know BML's status. Had I not known any better, I would have been beating my brains out trying to find one!


Mahalo (Thank you in Hawaiian)!


BikerCarl
 

bikercarl

Junior Poster
Mar 11, 2013
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Aloha strungout,


Yeah, I so totally want to get some of them little sea urchins!!! In the mean time, I figured I would start with Syngonthanus Tonina Belem since I came across some locally. Once I get this all sorted out, I'll be on the hunt for the Rats!!!


Mahalo!


BikerCarl
 

Jason King

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Spectrum wise i believe Ecotech Radio G4 15 and 30 new Freshwater light, 95W are the best at the moment but you could also look into kessils aswell.
 

Tom Barr

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I'd go with the Ecotech. But I do not think in terms of PAR you get THAT much of a savings difference with T5 vs LED.
 

bikercarl

Junior Poster
Mar 11, 2013
9
2
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Aloha Jason and Tom,


WOW! Mahalo for the heads up!!! I greatly appreciate the information. I hadn't even heard about the Radion Echotech systems. I guess I've got more reading and research to do now! LOL!!! On a side note, you guys (strungout as well) are up really LATE!!!


Happy Hump Day!


BikerCarl
 
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Dennis Singh

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May 5, 2013
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Your not going to want to go radion or kessil, well you might really want to but when you see prices, ooooo....You'd get more out of your t5's personal opinion


micmol aqua air, twinstar, are both good leds at a decent price


finnex is cheap, will get the job done


I'm a night owl, vampire, insomniac


watch fight club, thats me.
 

bikercarl

Junior Poster
Mar 11, 2013
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Aloha strungout,


Mahalo for the insight! I really do appreciate all the kokua (help in Hawaiian)! I learned the hard way that experimenting with equipment can be a VERY expensive venture! I've been trying to help a few locals that expressed interest in starting planted tanks up and one of the key take aways has been to try not to re-invent the wheel when you don't have to!


Is it safe for me to also assume that the micmol, twinstar and finnex will sustain Erios, Syngonthanus AND maintain red coloration (I know it's a lot to ask of a light, especially in the "affordable" bracket)? If it doesn't sustain the red coloration, I'm okay with that as well. I just thought it would be the "frosting on the cake"!!! LOL!


AS always, I appreciate all the kokua!


I USED to be the night owl! Bar tending was right up my alley. However, with change in professions comes a change in work shifts. Now I work the other end of the spectrum and have to get up early. Doesn't mean the insomnia has disappeared, it just means more and more cases of exhaustion!


Happy Thursday!


BikerCarl
 

Gnikwoc

Junior Poster
Jan 10, 2014
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Somewhat related, anyone used the Chihiros RGB? On paper it looks like a cheap and reasonably specced LED option
 

tinkerman

Subscriber
Dec 8, 2007
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I am not a big led guy but do try to keep up with the new tech. Where are people finding the info on par data, optics, can you replace a led chip if one burns out, does the light just die if one led burns out, ect....... I know you can find this kind of info easy with radion and kesil but what about these cheaper lights you are recommending? I have a 120 and know that 0.5w leds will not reach the bottom. Sorry to side track but thought there are some good questions.
 

Dennis Singh

SynKing!
May 5, 2013
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bikercarl said:
Aloha strungout,

Mahalo for the insight! I really do appreciate all the kokua (help in Hawaiian)! I learned the hard way that experimenting with equipment can be a VERY expensive venture! I've been trying to help a few locals that expressed interest in starting planted tanks up and one of the key take aways has been to try not to re-invent the wheel when you don't have to!


Is it safe for me to also assume that the micmol, twinstar and finnex will sustain Erios, Syngonthanus AND maintain red coloration (I know it's a lot to ask of a light, especially in the "affordable" bracket)? If it doesn't sustain the red coloration, I'm okay with that as well. I just thought it would be the "frosting on the cake"!!! LOL!


AS always, I appreciate all the kokua!


I USED to be the night owl! Bar tending was right up my alley. However, with change in professions comes a change in work shifts. Now I work the other end of the spectrum and have to get up early. Doesn't mean the insomnia has disappeared, it just means more and more cases of exhaustion!


Happy Thursday!


BikerCarl

Haha


I don't see it possible with the finnex's, maybe the monster ray's / ray2's? might give up reds going finnex i do not know, it really depends too on which red plants you want red and want to grow


some are heck of easy and automatic, others like pantanal like me struggle getting it red


micmol and twinstar will produce nice reds, got good reds out of mexicana red


but yes reds are frosting on the cake


i think it was the tuna suns that didn't produce good reds in kessil brands
 

bikercarl

Junior Poster
Mar 11, 2013
9
2
3
Aloha strungout.


Okay. Thanks. I was thinking that the Finnex would show its deficiencies sooner or later over the course of these conversations. Perhaps I'll look to pick one up to supplement another light. Since they're going to have to go over a 40 breeder, I notice that there are areas where I don't get good enough (in my opinion) light.


I was looking at the altenanthera reneckii (mini?) and possibly a few others. Also wanted to give the ludwigia pilosa another shot. Always get them tall and leggy. I suspect, not enough light to keep them pushed nice, low and squat! We'll just have to wait and see.


Sorry for the amateur questions. I know that you concur that reds are frosting on the cake, but I was thinking to myself, "Self, if the price is right (affordable), I LIKE frosting on my cake"!!! LOL!


Happy Thursday!


BikerCarl
 

bikercarl

Junior Poster
Mar 11, 2013
9
2
3
Aloha All,


First of all, I just wanted to say Mahalo (Thank you in Hawaiian) for all of your valuable input and insight! Just thought I would provide some follow up to my situation. I managed to pick up not just one, but TWO (2) of the now discontinued BuildMyLED Dutch lights! I've got them over my 40 Breeder tank. I've got a 30" over the back half and a 36" over the front half. I'm still trying to figure everything out with my lighting cycles and the fert cycles to the water column (and, of course, the growth of algae when I made the switch over), but am looking forward to appreciating my new set up!


Mahalo and Happy Thursday!


BikerCarl