# Lighting comparison: BML, Finnex, Current USA



## Texan78 (Nov 17, 2013)

Since there are so many threads about what this or that looks like in comparison to the other. I decided to snap some pics since I have all three of these fixtures. I really don't think the camera justifies the pictures very well but you can at least get an example of what each one might look like as far as color temp goes. 

These are 48" fixtures on an empty 90G that I am currently working on. The tank is 25" tall and the fixtures are resting about 2-3" above the tank so a total of 27-28" from bottom of fixture to bottom of tank. Wish I had a par meter handy to take par readings with these pics but you can leave that up for discusion. 

1. BML 48" 10K Planted
2. Finnex 48" Planted+
3. Current USA 48" Sat+

BML 48" 10K Planted










Finnex 48" Planted+










Current USA 48" Sat+


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## prighello (Aug 19, 2007)

Thanks for the comparison. The current looks brighter than the finnex which is not what I expected.


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## Texan78 (Nov 17, 2013)

prighello said:


> Thanks for the comparison. The current looks brighter than the finnex which is not what I expected.


Picture is kind of deceiving with those two. If you look at the back wall you can tell the Finnex is a little bit brighter. In person the Finnex Planted+ is brighter than 2 Sat+ but the camera has a hard time picking that up. You can clearly see it though in the BML.


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## nofearengineer (Mar 20, 2013)

Respectfully, one more thing to consider:

When we perceive these fixtures as brighter than one another to our eyes, we are judging it wholly by lumens, which while important for viewing and enjoyment purposes, isn't important for plant growth. PAR is.

And both the camera, post-processing (whether by poster or web compression), and the monitor on which you are viewing this thread also further "distort" the true "look" of the fixture even further.

As a lighting specifier, I always sort of roll my eyes when lighting reps try to show me photographs of how well their products perform.


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## Vepr (Jan 30, 2009)

Texan is that BML a standard or XB?


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## Texan78 (Nov 17, 2013)

That is the Original, I talked to Cara about getting the XB but it would be more light then I needed. Pictured is only 1 48" 10K. I will be running two 46" 10K Originals.


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## UDGags (Sep 13, 2009)

I find the red cloth on the right the most interesting. The more blue's in the BML should help red plants more.


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## Vepr (Jan 30, 2009)

Texan78 said:


> That is the Original, I talked to Cara about getting the XB but it would be more light then I needed. Pictured is only 1 48" 10K. I will be running two 46" 10K Originals.


Thanks. Would you consider the standard 10k planted high light at 12 inches? I have one coming in this week.


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## Texan78 (Nov 17, 2013)

UDGags said:


> I find the red cloth on the right the most interesting.


Ha ha! That is a bag with my old Jet Ski cover I gave to my brother-in-law that my mother-in-law is suppose to be taking back home with her to give him if she ever decides to leave. :help:




Vepr said:


> Thanks. Would you consider the standard 10k planted high light at 12 inches? I have one coming in this week.


Yes, that should put you in the high light range. What size tank?


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## acitydweller (Dec 28, 2011)

Nice photos. We're probably pointing out the obvious here but a true comparison relies on the camera settings to be static with the light being the only variable.

Were these shots taken with a digital camera set on auto?


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## Vepr (Jan 30, 2009)

Texan78 said:


> Yes, that should put you in the high light range. What size tank?



It will be going over a 17 gallon Mr. Aqua.


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## TomsTank (Dec 2, 2013)

*Current USA LED adequate?*

I just received a Current USA Satellite LED 24" fixture. It's got cool effects and I like the look of the LED's I have on my current little 4gal tank. 

This new fixture is for a Mr Aqua 17.1 gal tank, which is approx 24x12x14. 

My question is do you think this fixture has enough PAR power to support live plants in Mr Aqua? The specs say that it has a 120 degree spread and has 1000 lumens and, more importantly, 36 PAR at 12"… Is that enough? It uses 18 watts, by the way (not sure if wattage really matters with LED's - everything I've read here so far deals with the fluorescent gro lights… I can't find recent discussions about LED's)

Thanks in advance!!


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

TomsTank said:


> I just received a Current USA Satellite LED 24" fixture. It's got cool effects and I like the look of the LED's I have on my current little 4gal tank.
> 
> This new fixture is for a Mr Aqua 17.1 gal tank, which is approx 24x12x14.
> 
> ...


If you have 2" of substrate, and the light sits right on the top of the tank, it will be 12 inches from the substrate, so you would get 36 PAR. That is more than enough to grow plants. If you have it on 2 inch high legs, you get about 30 PAR, still plenty to grow relatively low light plants.


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## vraev (Apr 13, 2012)

I have a single current usa satellite LED+ and 2 x ray 2 + 1 planted plus. I found the current usa is a bit dimmer than the finnex fixtures, but that has to do with the quantity of LED on each fixture. However, the current is perfect for fine tuning the colours. However, in a combination with 2 x ray2, the currentusa is actually useless in effecting the colour. Those two ray 2 drown out everything. The planted plus is the only one which manages to get some dent into the colour. Yet..its still not as red as one would like. I think a monster ray would accomplish that. Yet with plants, I found these all lights work fantastic. I have blood red plants (terrestrial) which is what I was looking to achieve.


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## TomsTank (Dec 2, 2013)

*Thanks!*

Thanks Hoppy (and vraev, too). I am lucky to have stumbled across this website last month - I'd have been a fish out of water, as they say...


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## anastasisariel (Oct 4, 2009)

I'm debating either buying a finnex or buying another current for my 75. I'm worried that if I buy a finnex and use it will my sattelite I will have too much light for my needs and be algae prone. But if I buy a second current I'm worried I will not have enough.. decisions decisions...


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## fearsome (Feb 16, 2013)

I wish the pictures would have had various items put in the tank for comparison like some plants, something red, blue, green etc...


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## Texan78 (Nov 17, 2013)

These pics are from my 90G build I am currently working on. It was easier to get pics of them one at a time since the tank wasn't set up and was easily accessible. Give me a couple days and I can get some pics with it set up. I do have some with the Sat+ and Finnex on my 55G that I will have to dig up and I can post. Not the best pics but can give you an idea. 

As far as if you should go with another Sat+ or a Finnex. I would go with the Finnex hands down. Just put it on a time and you can use it as your noon burst fixture to run for a few hours.


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## MamaJu (Jun 4, 2013)

*Updates?*

Hi Texan78,

I am glad that I stumbled upon your post  I was wondering if you don't mind sharing your first hand knowledge and experience with these lights? As you can see, I wasn't able to get much feedback from others 

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/showthread.php?t=550113

How do you like your BML fixture? Do you have updated pictures? Any second thoughts? Was the extra $$$ worth it?

Thanks in advance for your advice


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