# Marineland Aquatic Plant Lighting System



## scottwww (Jan 22, 2012)

Marineland is going to be offering a new LED light for planted tanks.

http://www.marineland.com/sites/marineland/products/Detail.aspx?id=4653

I'm looking for a third light for my new 37 gallon column tank. I'm concerned that the two Marineland Double Bright LED lights just are not enough light to grow the dwarf hairgrass at about 24 inches down. Really, just one of the lights illuminates the hairgrass. One light illuminates the background plants, and the mid-ground gets just spillover light from the foreground and background.

I like the low-profile styling of these two lights, but I think it is just insufficient to meet medium to high light requirements.

Really, this thread should be more about the new LED from Marineland, than about my tank specifically, but what I am asking could apply to others who might consider this light.

There isn't that much information that I can find on this new LED light. I want to see a light spectrum graph and specs for PAR/PUR. This picture of the box is too small:










Also, would two of these be too much lighting for one tank? What I am thinking is that one of these would likely not illuminate the whole tank. I may want to have one for the background and one for the foreground, and use one of the ML Double Bright LEDs for the mid-ground.

Any thoughts or information?


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

There have been a couple discussions here on the forum about it over the past couple months. Remains to be seen if it'll be a solid fixture.

Though, I have a few Double Bright units that I use on low light tanks and am really happy with them. The ones shorter than 36" aren't that great.

Whether or not these fixtures are adopted well by the community? That all depends on price point. If you have to use two of them to adequately light your tank and maybe a third fixture to really balance things out? I think that's honestly wasted money. You could DIY your own LED fixture that will likely look better, perform better and cost less.


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## scottwww (Jan 22, 2012)

In reading the Q&A on Marineland's website, 



> ...our light has 1 watt, 6,500K white leds and 3 watt RGB LEDS (RGB means 460 nm blue, 660 nm red, and 660 green). Each type is a different spectrum and serves a different purpose for plant growth. PAR/LUX at a depth of 12" would be 172/10530 and at 24? would be 83/4810. These numbers are for all four models


If that produced 83 PAR at 24" down, and if it was was the right spectrum, I guess that would be good PUR and enough light to grow anything?

I asked Marineland's contact us: "My question is about the Marineland Aquatic Plant Lighting System. Since Lumens and Lux are specifications more for the brightness to our eyes, and less about Photosynthetically Usable Radiation, do you have some specs that might be more useful? Perhaps even just the spectrum charts that are printed on the box? And for aesthetics, how about the Color Rendering Index?"


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## scottwww (Jan 22, 2012)

somewhatshocked said:


> There have been a couple discussions here on the forum about it over the past couple months. Remains to be seen if it'll be a solid fixture.
> 
> Though, I have a few Double Bright units that I use on low light tanks and am really happy with them. The ones shorter than 36" aren't that great.
> 
> Whether or not these fixtures are adopted well by the community? That all depends on price point. If you have to use two of them to adequately light your tank and maybe a third fixture to really balance things out? I think that's honestly wasted money. You could DIY your own LED fixture that will likely look better, perform better and cost less.


DIY may be a good way to go. But then it would require even more time learning what to use, and how to build it. Maybe it would give the better result. I'll have to consider that.

But if these new LEDs are priced about like the Reef Capable LEDs, I could probably get a couple of them and be done with it. Apparently they even have built-in timers for the lights, with moonlight run independent of the rest.

Still need more info... I'll search for those other discussions.


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## somewhatshocked (Aug 8, 2011)

I plan to buy a couple once they hit the market to test out.

I'm sure everyone will be tired of my ranting about them the second they hit.


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## scottwww (Jan 22, 2012)

This morning I called them at Marineland to ask my questions about this light.

I wanted to know the specification for Color Rendering Index. Also asked about the light spread angle of the LEDs. I wanted to get a better picture of the light spectrum graph from the box. And I asked if the RGB LEDs are individual red LEDs, blue LEDs, and green LEDs, or somehow to have RGB in one LED. Maybe they could provide a picture of the LED side of the fixture.

They couldn't answer any of these questions. Apparently they don't want to release these details before the product release. (I wonder if they will not release some of it at all, like the CRI.) He had mentioned that the 6500k LEDs were 0.6 watts. The Marineland website says:

1 watt 6,500K White LEDS
3 watt RGB LEDs​
The guy I spoke with explained that the product was supposed to be released March 15. But there was a flaw that needed to be corrected before product release. It's expected to be on the market in June.

This had me thinking that I may not want to wait, but instead to find a different light that is already known to be a good one.


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## samamorgan (Dec 31, 2011)

I would suggest checking out the TMC tile lights. Perfect form factor for a column tank. The 1000 ND puts out 52 PAR at 25". Plenty to grow anything you want. GLA has them available. Spendy, but very high quality products, compatible with aquarium controllers for sunrise/sunset dimming.


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## NyteBlade (Aug 19, 2006)

Interesting. I've held off buying all T5HO units because the new LED fixtures that have been coming out. But the truth is, at this point, all of them seem to be underpowered compared to their fluorescent counterparts, or just significantly more expensive.


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## nvladik (Jan 12, 2012)

In case anyone is interested in the price, found one site taking pre-orders:


18" - 24"
Available for Backorder.Expected on 5/28/2012	47433006	
$189.99

24" - 36"
Available for Backorder.Expected on 5/28/2012	47433007	
$264.99

36" - 48"
Available for Backorder.Expected on 5/28/2012	47433008	
$359.99

48" - 60"
Available for Backorder.Expected on 5/28/2012	47433009	
$459.99


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## madness (Jul 31, 2011)

For people with smaller tanks (24" or less) who don't want to spend a fortune on an LED light the new Finnex Ray II DD (daylight) fixtures appear to be a great option.

More low medium - medium light but 40-50 mmol of PAR is a great range to be in.


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## Linsanity (Feb 23, 2012)

I am glad that I didn't took advice from the people here and didn't wait for this LED light, it didn't come out early to mid May as they said and they also said it's about the same as their reef LED but look at those prices, it's way more expensive than their reef LED.


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## nvladik (Jan 12, 2012)

Linsanity said:


> I am glad that I didn't took advice from the people here and didn't wait for this LED light, it didn't come out early to mid May as they said and they also said it's about the same as their reef LED but look at those prices, it's way more expensive than their reef LED.


I am sure as more firms start selling them, prices will drop, but I am too very unhappy. Price is outrageous.


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## zonamav (Feb 27, 2004)

Maybe that site is trying to gouge early adopters. Dissapointing if thats the real price.

Sent from my VM670 using Tapatalk


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## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

Ebay will probably be selling Chinese copies for $50 in a few months

And that reminds me: I was looking at one of the Chinese copies of something yesterday and noted that the description said that the buyer has to pay the import duties for it, as they will not cheat by assigning a super low value to it, or calling it a gift. I wonder how long before some of us get into problems buying Chinese copies?


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## nvladik (Jan 12, 2012)

Hoppy said:


> Ebay will probably be selling Chinese copies for $50 in a few months
> 
> And that reminds me: I was looking at one of the Chinese copies of something yesterday and noted that the description said that the buyer has to pay the import duties for it, as they will not cheat by assigning a super low value to it, or calling it a gift. I wonder how long before some of us get into problems buying Chinese copies?


Could be another trick? Say they pay import fees, thus price is a little higher, but in reality they still list it as a gift?


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## CrazyCatPeekin (Aug 15, 2011)

PetSolutions.com has these available for sale today at the prices listed above. They are pretty spendy. I ordered the Finnex lights for a couple of 10 gallon tanks the other day. I am glad I didn't wait for these.

I am curious to see what the price ends up at once they have been out a while and it starts to drop.


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## burtonman (Feb 15, 2012)

i just bought a pair of these at the 24" size for use on a planted 37 gal hex to replace some reef capable models.

Some thoughts:
- Color is better for freshwater. Things are plenty bright with two of these on a 24" high hex tank
- Timer is nice, though distracting if you face it toward the room
- Timer loses it's programming if you unplug the fixture. It's not a big deal to reset. It defaults to thinking that it's 3PM and sets up a default program so you won't wreck your tank if there's a power outage
- Too early to tell if the plants like it, but with CO2 injection I have plenty of pearling already
- I'm hoping the spectrum will be better for plants and help manage algae a bit better than before.

- Anyone want a 24" reef capable light? Only a couple of months old. Let me know before they go on ebay


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## II Knucklez II (Oct 31, 2011)

any other info on these lights now that they have been out for some time?


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## styxx (Jul 2, 2003)

samamorgan said:


> I would suggest checking out the TMC tile lights. Perfect form factor for a column tank. The 1000 ND puts out 52 PAR at 25". Plenty to grow anything you want. GLA has them available. Spendy, but very high quality products, compatible with aquarium controllers for sunrise/sunset dimming.


I agree! Check out my 90P thread to see their use in action and some up-close photos. They are very expensive, but IMHO, well worth the cost. roud:


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## molechi (Sep 27, 2012)

*4 x 24-36" doing great*

Hi all,

First time poster here and I have to be brief. I have a 150 gal (550 L) tank with 4 of the Marineland Aquatic LEDs that I just started 2 days ago. It had been mostly a fish tank previously with gravel substrate and one plant that refused to die despite my lack of light or nutrients. I added the ADA Africana, CO2 and the lights. My LFS guy was dubious about the amount of light and that they are LEDs so I wasn't sure what to expect. I set it all up on timers and when I came home yesterday (the first day running) the plants were pearling like crazy. I'm sorry I don't know all the names yet - I'll get those but I do have some Red Cabomba (cool purple flower popping out) and several others. I'll post picture after I get home. Anyway, IMO the lights are doing great and though they were expensive, I'm looking forward to the next 50 000 hours with them (if you believe the packaging  ).


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## Cerieslend (Aug 31, 2012)

Well, I was also looking for such kind of LED light to help my plants to grow completely... thanks for posting about this new product. I am going to buy for the better future of my plants.


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## molechi (Sep 27, 2012)

*One light was baptized*

Well, my second week with the Marineland lights was interesting - I knocked one into my tank and without thinking I grabbed for it. My electrician friend says the reason I'm alive is due to the Birkenstocks I always wear. The light flickered - some when out and others showed just red colour. I dried the whole thing, opened it, let out more water and then gave it to my friend to dissect (he wants to put together his own version from ordered parts). A couple days later, he called me over and asked if I needed to borrow a light which of course was mine in working order. I guess I had pulled it out before it shorted, etc. The only issue is that the 'AM' LED light on the clock doesn't light up. Got away lucky.

They are doing well but I turned off the blue lights for night b/c I was starting to get algae (and added Excel and K). Going well, but I do think that any deeper than 18" and the lights wouldn't be strong enough.


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## Knotyoureality (Aug 3, 2012)

Dunked mine in the tank the first week I got it--took a couple days drying out but it came back with no malfunctions. 

Been running it almost two months now, 37g tall, with depth to substrate sitting right around 21" with no adjustments to the provided supports. Has pretty good penetration, though the spread is slightly problematic--with such a high tank I don't get great coverage back to front, but two units would push my light levels higher than I want to go---and likely would generate too much heat. 

The LEDs might not push much heat down toward the tank, but the top of the unit gets bloody hot. Won't be an issue come fall/winter--but in Arizona summers that extra heat is as troublesome as a standard unit generally is. 

This unit replaced a nova extreme T5HO. Plants were struggling under it with hygrophilla bold losing leaves at the bottom faster than they were growing up top, poor color on my sword and next to no growth on the dwarf tears up front. With the new unit, "bold" leaf drop diminished, my straggling stem of hygro "sunset" took off like crazy--it's now the dominant hygro as I've been able to prune and replant several times. Gets a nice pink about half way up the tank. Dwarf tears just about doubled their growth rate. Overall growth perked up enough that I had to up my fertilization to keep up.


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