# Screw In LED - A19 or PAR20 or PAR38



## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

I may be one of the few, if not the only one here doing this, and I've had the lights in for only a few weeks.

I've just recently also been doing more macro-fertilizers.

I'm using the a A19 5000K bulb, over my two nano tanks. So far this light seems to be doing well, I can make an anecdotal call on brightness as I'm replacing a 23watt 5000K CFL in one of those 8.5" aluminum 'shop light' clamp-on. They seem to match the 23 watt bulbs in brightness.

Anecdotal observations at best here, but it also seems to be working as well as the 23 watt lamp it replaced, which was well over a year old. The TCP lumen output is calculated at about 900 lumens.

Plants in my tanks are Crypt Undulata, C. Parva, Java Fern 'normal', narrowleaf and Windelov, Java moss and Willow moss. Pretty much a mixed bag of lower light plants, 'cept for maybe the Parva, which is growing, but at a glacial rate.


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## chan1011 (Mar 17, 2014)

May I ask what bulb you used? (LED Wattage, rated Wattage, PAR?, etc?, link if you have to something similar) Thanks!

I tried using a 9.5w (75w equivalent apparently) PAR30 bulb on a 8" reflector yesterday and it seemed very dim.


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

chan1011 said:


> May I ask what bulb you used? (LED Wattage, rated Wattage, PAR?, etc?, link if you have to something similar) Thanks!
> 
> I tried using a 9.5w (75w equivalent apparently) PAR30 bulb on a 8" reflector yesterday and it seemed very dim.


This ordered through Amazon. You need to use it with a 8.5" reflector.

TCP LA1050KND6 LED A19 - 60 Watt Equivalent Daylight (5000K) Light Bulb - 6 Pack - - Amazon.com


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## chan1011 (Mar 17, 2014)

GrampsGrunge said:


> This ordered through Amazon. You need to use it with a 8.5" reflector.
> 
> TCP LA1050KND6 LED A19 - 60 Watt Equivalent Daylight (5000K) Light Bulb - 6 Pack - - Amazon.com


Ahhh thanks! Interesting, you're using a standard A19 bulb and not a PAR one, I thought the PAR would be better, I guess not!


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

chan1011 said:


> Ahhh thanks! Interesting, you're using a standard A19 bulb and not a PAR one, I thought the PAR would be better, I guess not!


For it's 8 watts of power consumption it really blasts a lot of light. We replaced two 60 watt incandescent bulbs in our kitchen with one of these.

Like I said I'm using it with the 8.5" work light clamp on reflector.


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## MtAnimals (May 17, 2015)

everything I've been able to find says plants want around 6500k range.Not sure anyone makes an LED that color.With CFL's that's what they always say to go for.I have one in a clamp on reflector over my plant holding tank.


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## GrampsGrunge (Jun 18, 2012)

MtAnimals said:


> everything I've been able to find says plants want around 6500k range.Not sure anyone makes an LED that color.With CFL's that's what they always say to go for.I have one in a clamp on reflector over my plant holding tank.


I've used 5000K high CRI fluorescents since 1992, and have had great luck with them. 6500K means more blue color, generally we need more deep red color. 6500K I think looks more like sky and is a little too blue-ish for my tastes. YMMV.


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## Wheels Of Confusion (Jan 3, 2016)

MtAnimals said:


> everything I've been able to find says plants want around 6500k range.Not sure anyone makes an LED that color.With CFL's that's what they always say to go for.


Really you can go for anything between the 4000 K and 1000 K range, but 6500 K is a good compromise that also tends to produce good color to our eyes and it's readily available in CFLs. But it has a somewhat blue tint. 5000 K is a slightly more neutral, less blue-ish light that's still perfectly acceptable to freshwater plants. 
They do make 6500 K LED bulbs, but those are more popular in the A19 ("lightbulb") shape than in the floodlight shape.


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