Using LED strips to add more light for plants?

I've had an Interpet Fish Pod 120litre tank for over a year now and it is quite an awkward tank to grow plants. It comes with two 15W compact fluorescent bulbs that screw in (E27 bulbs) and won't fit traditional tubes. I have managed to successfully grow a variety of crypts but not much else has really thrived

I want to start growing some different plants, so I'm thinking of ordering a 2m strip of LEDs that I plan to stick under the lid of my tank to help boost the lighting. They're 5050 LEDs 60 lights per metre and 5000k colour.

Does anyone have any experience with LED strips for growing plants? Do you think this will work, or am I wasting my time and money....

For substrate I'm using organic compost capped with gravel. It's worked really well for me with the roots of some of the crypts being very impressive.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the matter.

Thanks

I did try my hand with the 5050 LEDs and failed gloriously! There are some people who had success with them, but mine started to warp because of the heat produced, the covering silicone dried and the LEDs started to lose their luminosity, all this in less than two months. While I had them, I didn't notice any change in the plants, so I'd say they're good enough if you get them set up right.

Hi Grgeorge, I have two 1 metre long LEDs in my 330 clearseal planted tank for over 2 years now. I was told these are better or just as good as T5 or T8 fluorescents for a planted tank by my LFS when I got my tank. It's only recently I've read a few reports on the internet where they say LEDs are nowhere near as good (Check out the "the green machine" ) great site for planted aquarium inspiration. They refuse to sell LEDs.
Due to my plant eating fish I'm limited in what plants i keep but I have loads of different anubius, Vallisneria Americana and mosses which grows fine and had for two years. Did have trouble with java fern, Bolbitis heudelotii which only lasted about 5 months.
I have recently got Pressurised Co2 and the java fern that I thought was dead has suddenly started growing great. Would be interested to hear other people's thoughts on LEDs.

I think LEDs are only really suitable for low level light plants or for shallower tank where the light can penetrate further. They good too for fish only tanks where lighting levels aren't so important.
That being said, the plants do need CO2 and other nutrients so if your overcrowded they could be using up everything available. Some will look ok while others might fade.
The lights you described though have been recommended to me previously, my only concern with them would be the 5oook colour output. I think plants need 6 or 6.5 ?

Mike, is all you have in your tank two strips of LEDs for lighting, or is that along with T5 or T8 bulbs?

I might give it a go despite the reports saying they're not as good. There's not much else I can do to add more light that wouldn't involve a big DIY job.

I just ordered a big shipment of plants and planning on gutting the tank out and scaping it nicely. I'll definitely have to check out "the green machine" for some inspiration.

I'll let ye know how it goes and I'll try take some pics along the way.

m4r10 wrote:

I did try my hand with the 5050 LEDs and failed gloriously! There are some people who had success with them, but mine started to warp because of the heat produced, the covering silicone dried and the LEDs started to lose their luminosity, all this in less than two months. While I had them, I didn't notice any change in the plants, so I'd say they're good enough if you get them set up right.

+1 i had the same problem, bright at first and faded within a few months,silicone cracked and some of the leds failed too. its really up to yourself if ya want to chance it mate? after all they're not that expensive and you could get lucky!!!

wayne

Yes, I just have two LEDs bought with my tank which is a very deep clearseal. They cost me a pretty penny at the the time, I think around 180 and were recommended by my LFS (well known sponsor on this site). Told they would last 5 times longer than the T5/T8 . I' ll take a pic and stick up a photo later.

SMD 5050 was the important part when looking for them.
Digging out an old book on lighting while the kettle boils.
Plants reflect green light which is 500nm. I dont the conversion factor ?
They use light from 650-680nm
human eyes like 550nm
Another gives lighting in Lux which is lumens per square metre of water surface.
Subdued, less than 500 lux , cryptocoryne
Moderate 500 - 1000 lux Anubias Echinodorus Sagittaria
Quite Bright 1000 - 1500 lux Bacopa Ludwigia
Bright more than 1500 lux Cabomba Hygrophila Vallisneria

I`ve also had the same problem with the LED strips, getting very dull and brittle after a few months
So I put some GU10 LED lights into one of my tanks, these fittings can be bought very cheaply and then it`s just a matter of replacing the standard Halogen lamps with LED lamps, these lamps are a few Euro more expensive but the extra cost is well worth it

[video][video]


Regards

Chris

Chris,

That was brilliant, thanks for that. The tank looks great.

Is that a DIY sugar and yeast CO2 setup?

George

Hey George

Glad the vid was of some use, are you going to give the GU10s a go?
The co2 system is homemade with sugar and yeast and works well for me, I dont use any ferts in the tank at all
Let us know how you go with the tank

Regards

Chris

Hey Chris,

I might give the GU10s a go in the near future. It looks like a pretty straightforward setup. I've gone ahead and ordered 2.5 metres of LED strips (like the ones in my original post). I've also ordered a lot of plants from an online supplier. When the plants come I'm going to gut out my tank and start again from scratch. I'll use a DIY CO2 setup and hopefully that plus the added LED strips will help the plants thrive.

I'll take some photos of the process and let you know how it goes. If it goes horribly, I'll be looking at the GU10s definitely.

George

I would stay away from the LED strips i got some from Ebay and have to say they didn't go down well were not very good at all.

As for the GU10s LED Chris very good video but i can not stress enough that if you go down this route please have them fixed very good so that if they get moved or anything like that doing water changes if anything that they don't fall into the tank

Sean

Best of luck with it George and keep us posted with pics or vids

Chris

No bother sean I have the mounting plates for the lights siliconed into place as well as the springs which support the light fittings, also made sure the piece of wood with the lights on is too big to fall through the gap but as with all things to do with our hobby you can never be too careful we all know we should switch everything off before we put our hand into the tank but in reality how many of us can say we do this every time, still I would always recommend the 12v option and I will be going down this road myself soon

Please be careful

Chris

Here's a few pics of my Led's and tank. Threw the box away so don't know the make. Have had these two lights for 2 years and no probs so far.

Hi mike,
What volt are your lights is there a volt converter between the lights and socket?
jim

Hi Jim, not very electrical minded but yes I think I have a volt converter: this is what I have (written on the back)
Arcadia Eco aqua led 
Model ETD 1000  ETT 1000 ETML 1000
Input 120-240 volt 50/60 HZ
Output 24volt DC 1.5A
Power 24W (max) 0.85P

Did a web search and it came up with this:

The Eco-Aqua LED aquarium lamps from Arcadia represent a huge step forward in aquatic LED lighting.
 
Designed from the outset to provide the same spectacular colour rendition as our fluorescent lamps, Eco-Aqua lamps blend multiple coloured LED sources, bringing out the vivid iridescent colours of fish and providing far more natural colour rendering than other LED lamps.

Unlike fluorescent lamps, whose even light distribution can flatten the look of an aquarium, the multiple point sources of the Eco-Aqua lamps create light and shadow giving a dramatic three-dimensional look to the aquarium with far more visual impact.
 
Features:

•    Sized to replace T8 fluorescent lamps
    - Lamps are sized to fit between existing T8 lamp holders
•    Available in six sizes to suit the majority of freshwater and marine aquariums
•    Low energy consumption
    - Typically 40% of that of a similarly sized T8 lamp and ballast
•    Long life span (average of 50,000 hours normal use)
•    Uses 40% less electricity than T8 lamps and will last between 2-3 times as long
•    Contains no mercury
•    2 Year Guarantee
•    Supplied with fixing clips suitable for wood, plastic and glass* installation

Yeah mike thats it alright 24volt it must be very economical. Can i ask where you bought them and how much they cost?
jim

Jim, got them in Fins Furs Feathers, now Artane aquatics. Can't remember the exact price, about 130 each I think but not sure, could have been more but got a deal with the tank. Based on 50,000 hours they should last at least 10 years each so should get my money's worth.
Do you know what sort of wattage/ light intensity you require for a planted tank and how do you work this out for LED ?
i.e Are two of these sufficient for my 330 litre tank ?
Mike

Jeeezz mike i don't have a clue on conversion i'm sure if you start a new topic some of the ppl on here will have an idea. As i tend to match the plants to the lighting i have more trough trial and error of what works and what doesn't.
jim

This is my very new nano tank with DIY led lamp.

I finished just 1h ago.