# Planted+, how to get into high light?



## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

This thread should give you the info you need to calculate where two planted+ would land you roughly. 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=546785&highlight=


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

thanks i've been looking everywhere for a chart for planted plus pars.. cant find it.. but looks like i have to go the ray 2 route for more light


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

The only chart I've seen for the Planted+ is the 24". They don't have a tester any more for some reason.


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

Okie after reading some more I am unsure again =.= Sorry this is my first real planted tank..

Anyhow Suggestions.. another planted+ or ray2 ?? I read that the red LED is good for plants because they use that light spectrum to photosynthesize. But With additional planted plus that would take me to medium?

My goal is to grow a nice carpet for my tank and I currently planted Glosso's.. 



prighello said:


> The only chart I've seen for the Planted+ is the 24". They don't have a tester any more for some reason.


Do you have a link to the chart??


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## jrman83 (Nov 22, 2010)

Why does everyone want high light?


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

jrman83 said:


> Why does everyone want high light?


some plants require high light vs low light, depending on the plants you want to grow. I'm sure there are more factors to it too. There are more people that know more then me sense i am somewhat new to this hobby. but thats my understanding of how strong you want your light to be


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## jrman83 (Nov 22, 2010)

llayz said:


> some plants require high light vs low light, depending on the plants you want to grow. I'm sure there are more factors to it too. There are more people that know more then me sense i am somewhat new to this hobby. but thats my understanding of how strong you want your light to be


It also depends on where you read and how much you believe it. "Some" as in very few plants require a higher light level. Maybe you should decide on your plant list first. I have higher light levels, but most of my plants don't require it.


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

jrman83 said:


> It also depends on where you read and how much you believe it. "Some" as in very few plants require a higher light level. Maybe you should decide on your plant list first. I have higher light levels, but most of my plants don't require it.


Well according the plant im trying to carpet, it requires high light to spread horizontal. if i have low light it will grow vertically


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

Here's the thread on the planted plus:

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=338114

Good luck.


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

prighello said:


> Here's the thread on the planted plus:
> 
> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=338114
> 
> Good luck.


thanks!! this will help me out =0) trying to order by tonight!!


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## honest (Dec 17, 2013)

so 2x finnex planted plus on a 29gallon tank(18inch from substrate) isn't too much light right?? i have 2 on it right now but it kinda looks too bright, when i have 1 powered on it looks a bit too dim.. am i at like super high light right now with 2 lights?


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

honest said:


> so 2x finnex planted plus on a 29gallon tank(18inch from substrate) isn't too much light right?? i have 2 on it right now but it kinda looks too bright, when i have 1 powered on it looks a bit too dim.. am i at like super high light right now with 2 lights?


Well no par data on the planted+ but using 30" fugerays you'd be roughly 54 par across the tank with both of them with even spacing. With both on you've probably entering high light. With one on probably low to medium; more on the low side.


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

prighello said:


> Well no par data on the planted+ but using 30" fugerays you'd be roughly 54 par across the tank with both of them with even spacing. With both on you've probably entering high light. With one on probably low to medium; more on the low side.


Hmm if I knew that I would have used another planted +. I ended up getting a ray2. I'll be posting pictures when I get home in a few hours. I tested it a little before going to work. It is a lot brighter but doesn't seem too bright.


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## Chris_Produces (Feb 19, 2014)

llayz said:


> Hmm if I knew that I would have used another planted +. I ended up getting a ray2. I'll be posting pictures when I get home in a few hours. I tested it a little before going to work. It is a lot brighter but doesn't seem too bright.


Just chiming in with an example...There was someone I saw on youtube with two of the planted+ fixtures on a 75gallon and they were having tons of pearling with their plants. I could only imagine the intensity with a ray2 and a planted +.


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

here is a photo of my planted+ and Ray2 I couldn't take a comparison picture cause it just auto adjusted.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

I wasn't or am not sure that just doubling with the same light really increases the par that much. I don't know, i imagine it adds some but I wouldn't imagine it is a significant increase. Sort of like doubling your video card, the increase in performance is often only like 10%.

A Planted+ is just a Fugeray with red lights instead of blue right? So it would be on the lower end of medium light IMO.

If you want to get into high light, you need a Ray2. But from what I also understand getting into high light means you need CO2 and ferts or you are just going to grow algae.

Someone correct me if I am wrong.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

llayz said:


> Well according the plant im trying to carpet, it requires high light to spread horizontal. if i have low light it will grow vertically


Last I knew Glosso did not require high light.


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

The formula came from Hoppy who appears to be an expert at this stuff; even making PAR meters and such. The PARs stack thus it would be entering high light. A Ray 2 is definitely high light. The Planted + is a Fugeray with additional Red LEDs. How much more PAR the red adds is unknown at this time. It is not just a Fugeray with blue LEDs swaped for red ones. The blues are still there and the reds are added...more LEDs in total.


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

llayz said:


> here is a photo of my planted+ and Ray2 I couldn't take a comparison picture cause it just auto adjusted.


Better get some more plants and CO2 fast or algae's acoming. :wink:


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## Chris_Produces (Feb 19, 2014)

prighello said:


> Better get some more plants and CO2 fast or algae's acoming. :wink:


+1 on that


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

prighello said:


> The formula came from Hoppy who appears to be an expert at this stuff; even making PAR meters and such. The PARs stack thus it would be entering high light. A Ray 2 is definitely high light. The Planted + is a Fugeray with additional Red LEDs. How much more PAR the red adds is unknown at this time. It is not just a Fugeray with blue LEDs swaped for red ones. The blues are still there and the reds are added...more LEDs in total.


Do you have a reference for this? I imagine it does add but my thinking is it is not a double but maybe a small percentage.

And I was unaware they kept the blue lights, good to know. I thought it was like the Fugeray-r.


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## omgwhiskey (Jan 6, 2014)

prighello said:


> Better get some more plants and CO2 fast or algae's acoming. :wink:



+2 on that. I have a 30" planted+ and battle algae with way more plant stock than that.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## scx (Sep 8, 2013)

Getting a second planted+ will put you to med to high light. Lights aren't graphics cards, so they will give you more results than a 10%. PAR is a measure of photons/area. I'm sure there are some losses but it wouldn't be significant. Look at the planned charts; you can see that as you are moving away from center line, you lose a lot of par. Having 2 fixtures will even out the spread of light and will add onto the par value. In your case, I would even add on a fugeray 2. 

Glosso's don't need high light., but if you want it to be a short dense carpet, that's what you will need. 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## Smeagol (Mar 4, 2013)

Oi! A Planted+ and a Ray2! That sounds like super high light to me. I run a Ray2 and MonsterRay with pressurized CO2 and I'm already battling algae. I'm thinking of reducing my light by switching out my Ray2 with a Planted+.


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## DefStatic (Feb 19, 2013)

scx said:


> Getting a second planted+ will put you to med to high light. Lights aren't graphics cards, so they will give you more results than a 10%. PAR is a measure of photons/area. I'm sure there are some losses but it wouldn't be significant. Look at the planned charts; you can see that as you are moving away from center line, you lose a lot of par. Having 2 fixtures will even out the spread of light and will add onto the par value. In your case, I would even add on a fugeray 2.
> 
> Glosso's don't need high light., but if you want it to be a short dense carpet, that's what you will need.
> 
> Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


That was my problem, this whole time I have been trying to grow my plants with my nVidia card. Sheesh!

All I was saying is I think there is only a percentage not a double. And compared it to people going with SLI or Crossfire and expecting double the FPS. LOL.

So a light that only achieves X par at point A at 18" is going to have a higher par with the same light doubled? I am seriously interested in this because I have been thinking of adding another light, but just to get a better spread not because I thought it would increase the PAR rating.


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## scx (Sep 8, 2013)

Haha well I thought you were using monitors as your lights. You're right that you won't get double, that is mainly because you can't "stack" the light in the same exact place. However your light will put a certain amount of photons in a certain area. 

So lets say light A, has a par of 50 6" directly below it. Then deviating 3" from that area, it has a par of 30. If you get another light "B" and you put it 3" away from light A. The Par rating below light B will be near 80. Just remember is it photons/area. 

Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

So should I return the ray2 and get the planted+?? I would love to add more plants but I have no idea what other plants to add since this is my first planted tank. But I have seen a big improvement after adding the ray 2. the plants that were starting to die are now bright green and growing. But as u guys said.. algee is building up on the back glass of the tank


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## scx (Sep 8, 2013)

I would keep the ray 2 in the front to help make a dense carpet for the glosso'. Algae is building up because you don't have enough plants to out compete the algae for nutrients. Add more plants! And adjust co2/ or light duration

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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

oops posted twice


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## llayz (Feb 21, 2014)

scx said:


> I would keep the ray 2 in the front to help make a dense carpet for the glosso'. Algae is building up because you don't have enough plants to out compete the algae for nutrients. Add more plants! And adjust co2/ or light duration
> 
> Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


thanks, any suggestions on plants.. my dumb a** made the hardscape but didnt think about plants lol I have no clue what plants would compliment my scape


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

scx said:


> Haha well I thought you were using monitors as your lights. You're right that you won't get double, that is mainly because you can't "stack" the light in the same exact place. However your light will put a certain amount of photons in a certain area.
> 
> So lets say light A, has a par of 50 6" directly below it. Then deviating 3" from that area, it has a par of 30. If you get another light "B" and you put it 3" away from light A. The Par rating below light B will be near 80. Just remember is it photons/area.
> 
> Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk


Thanks for putting it out there. 

Defstatic, this was all explained in the link on my first post. The PARs add but are not double since they are not in exactly the same spot. You factor in the offset and add the results. See the link for details


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

llayz said:


> thanks, any suggestions on plants.. my dumb a** made the hardscape but didnt think about plants lol I have no clue what plants would compliment my scape


You can throw in some weeds (stems) for now to keep algae at bay until you decide. Some floaters could help too by cutting down the par a bit. Good luck.


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