# 55 gallon low tech tank LED light?



## cowgirluntamed (Jan 13, 2016)

I have a 55 gallon project that I will be starting soon. As in, taking a used tank completely apart to redo all the silicone...yay.....lol. Also building the stand for it as well. 

Anyway, this will be as low tech a tank as I can make it. I believe it has an 18" depth(just the tank itself, no substrate included in that). The substrate I will have is going to be play sand. 

I have been looking at a bunch of different "plant" LED lights and I'm not sure which would be a good fit for this tank. I already have a 10 and 20 gallon tank with just a Marineland LED strip light on them and they grow anubias very well, but nothing else really(well, 20 gallon has some java fern but not the growth expected). I figured this was mostly due to the Marineland's not being actual "plant" lights, so not the full color spectrum it seems plants need.

My plant list for the 55 gallon is this...
A bunch of different types of Anubias(including the taller ones)
dwarf sag
corksew val
itallian val(maybe)
water sprite(floating and planted)
frog bit

Those are the main ones I want. I may add Moneywort or some other kind of stem plant in there as well, just not sure what it would be. And maybe a sword or two though not sure.

The light I had been looking at is the Finnex planted plus 24/7. But the further I research it I've seen that it is on the low end of the HIGH light range. I don't want to create an algae bloom like I now have in my little 5 gallon tank(hair algae, finnex stingray light-have dwarf sag, corscrew val, anubias nana, crypt wendtii, wisteria(if it didn't get all chocked from the hair algae)-I also put in 5 root tabs so that could be a source too, not sure how to fix problem). I was also looking at the new Fluval Fresh & Plant 2.0 Full Spectrum Performance LED light too. 

I don't think price wise I can go higher than that(for a 48" light)(Something under $200). I know there are other LED plant lights out there but I don't know what could be right for this tank at the depth it will be for the plants that I want? Or if that is even a factor too much? I can always add liquid ferts and get root tabs as needed as well. Other than that I don't want to do CO2 or Excel(because I want the vals and I've read that vals don't like Excel). I just don't want a major algae bloom to take over and kill the plants since most of these are basic low light plants.

Any suggestions are welcome!! Even if it's not being able to find a good LED light that would work and getting a T8 type of light instead(The tank came with two fixtures for those that I'd have to set on my glass canopy as their original canopy was broken). Thanks again!!
Kristen :smile2:


----------



## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

I suggest the planted+ 24/7. You MAY be able to get away with the 24/7 mode, but if not, it is dimmable! 

My suggestion is as follows:

Read up on the 24/7, particularly the full review here. Go to the hardware store and look into gray electrical conduit. Make a hanging mount for the light that is adjustable. This will allow you to slightly raise it up. Start with minimal lighting, 6 hours a day, until the plants settle in. You want a decent plant mass to be established and bounce back from wilting. Then you can try the 24/7 mode for a few weeks. If you notice algae, you can raise the light with the hanger or going back to a standard light and dim the 24/7.

It is definitely a good light and very pretty. I am CONSIDERING them myself.


----------



## goodbytes (Aug 18, 2014)

The Planted 24/7 would be a good choice as it is dimmable and can be lowered to an appropriate level for a low tech 55. The Current Satellite Freshwater Plus would also be an excellent choice. 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/1...-satellite-freshwater-plus-bright-enough.html

However, if you really meant what you said here:


cowgirluntamed said:


> Anyway, this will be as low tech a tank as I can make it. I


Then the Finnex Stingray would be the way to go. That's what I use on my 55 and it grows the vast majority of low tech plants just fine albeit more slowly than the above options would.


----------



## cowgirluntamed (Jan 13, 2016)

I'm not sure if a hanging mount is an option. I'm renting this place from my parents. I already had my dad rip up the floor to put in extra support where I want the tank.....lol. Then again, I was ripping out the carpet and putting in laminate anyway..so it was a good time for it!  Oh, and my tank is just a standard glass tank with a rim too. I've noticed with the little stingray I have on my 5 gallon that it doesn't sit quite right on it either with or without those plastic legs. (They wouldn't screw on over the rim.) That's one of the reasons I was also considering the Fluval one. Nice and slim design. And I've learned they actually make timers that will ramp up/down the lights for a sunrise/sunset to help the fish cope better. So other light options are also available because of that too. Any experience with the fluval one? Or would it be too much light too? They also have just made a WiFi thing as well so you can control all the lighting options with an app and can dim it down and stuff too. 

There is also a Marineland plant light and a light from aquatraders that I've asked about how they work since they don't have RGB lights. I'm just trying to find out the best options. Lol. I'm still new to plants and trying to learn what I can about best growth and such. I know there are also knock off lights out there too but I don't know anything about those either and how well they'd be.


----------



## cowgirluntamed (Jan 13, 2016)

Ok, just found another light from Fluval, the AquaSky. It has a remote like the Current USA. And it has RGBs and 6500K White lights. For the 48 inch size it's only 105.99 from DrsFosterSmith. Here are the specs for it. What do you think?

Super bright 6,500°K white LEDs with tri-colored RGB LEDs offer a fully adjustable light spectrum
3,000°K to 25,000°K color spectrum
SKYpad remote control - Choose from up to 11 preset sky effects and infinite color blends
Waterproof IPX7 engineering protects the light from splashing and submersion
Wide-angle 120-degree light dispersion for full area coverage with no dark spots
Extendable mounting brackets allow easy installation on a variety of aquarium widths
German-engineered
For freshwater and saltwater aquariums

Specifications
Model Wattage # of LEDs Lumens
24-36" 
(Mfg# A3997) 18 White (28) RGB (14) 1,250
36-48"
(Mfg# A3998) 27 White (42) RGB (21) 1,850
48-60"
(Mfg# A3999) 35 35 White (56) RGB (28) 2,400


Also I've been looking up the ramp timers and some have had success with the Current USA ramp timers(I'd go for the single one for this light). I believe it's compatible with it as someone on YouTube had a video using a different Fluval light but plugged this timer right into it. And I've read others have done it as well. What do you guys think of this light?


----------



## tahoesnowed (Apr 5, 2012)

I have both this light and a fresh plant 2.0. The lights are very well made and can be placed right above the water as they are water tight. The Fresh Plant 2.0 is a dimmable but strong light that would be mostly too much for a low tech. While not specifically designed as a grow light the aquasky is still bright enough to grow plants, I did for some time on a 60 tall all though I did supplement diy CO2. The controller is very easy to use and lets you adjust any combination of w/r/b/g light with nice sun presets.


----------



## cowgirluntamed (Jan 13, 2016)

Thanks for the replies everybody! I think with what Tahoesnowed said I will try the AquaSky. If it can grow in a 60 tall it should be fine for mine. And I can always dim it if I need to so that's a good option as well. I wonder if it will work with my 20 gallon tank to grow the same plants....Lol. I may just try a T8 grow light with it for a time but who knows.  Thanks again for all the great information!


----------



## goodbytes (Aug 18, 2014)

cowgirluntamed said:


> I've noticed with the little stingray I have on my 5 gallon that it doesn't sit quite right on it either with or without those plastic legs. (They wouldn't screw on over the rim.)


Part of those legs is removable. In the configuration they come in out of the box they're designed to screw onto the edges of a rimless tank. For a rimmed tank like you're using the inside part slides forward and drops out. 
Like this:


----------



## Freemananana (Jan 2, 2015)

This is what I meant as a hanger:










It stands behind the tank, mounted to the stand, and lets you suspend the light from it. It is actually ideal for an apartment/rental. Furthermore, it would allow you to possibly use the 24/7 mode without algae since you can adjust the distance to the substrate and dial in the par you need for your plant mass and photoperiod. 

But good luck with whatever you chose.


----------



## cowgirluntamed (Jan 13, 2016)

Goodbytes, I'm not sure what you mean? Did you intend to put a picture? If so one didn't come up for me. I know the clear plastic legs come off, which is what I did at first. I also have a glass canopy over it(betta tank) so that could be why without those legs it just wasn't quite sitting right, nothing for it to catch on really. Right now I actually added the legs to make it a bit higher due to a hair algae problem in that tank. And I wanted a bit more light through out the tank itself so I have it sitting diagonally over it too.

Freemananana- I see what you mean now! I thought it just had to hang from the ceiling. Lol. Didn't even think about mounting it on the stand....duh.....Sorry! Anyway though, after thinking about it...I do think I'm still going to go with the AquaSky even though I would love the 24/7 feature on the other light. I work night shift, so on my nights off I tend to have a lamp or two on where my tanks are just so I can see to move around. Lol. So, I keep my tanks covered anyway. I mean sure I could have my lamps off some to look at the tank in those cool night time colors and such....but....I do want to be able to see in my house! And at least with the AquaSky I can still play around with the moonlights some if I want to or the cloud covers and such since it has those features as well.  I'll get a ramp timer to do the "sunrise/sunset" feature(well, the fade in/fade out...lol. I know it's not the true feature that the 24/7 has). But at least that would be nicer on my fish. And I think I'll get the same light for my 20 gallon as well to update it so I can grow plants in that one too. I think they'll work out pretty well! At least..hopefully! Lol. Thanks again for the great insight on how to mount a light...I'll remember that for future use if I ever want to get a better light to do different plants with.


----------



## goodbytes (Aug 18, 2014)

Sorry, that's odd that you aren't able to see it. For some reason I can only see it when I'm logged in even though I can see Freemananana's photo just fine. What I'm trying to say is that there is a removable piece on those legs for your Stingray. There are two plastic lips--one with the screws in it and one that goes on the inside of the rim---and the inside lip that goes inside the rim of the tank is removable. Remove the inside plastic lip and remove the screws and it'll sit just fine.


----------



## vanish (Apr 21, 2014)

I was going to suggest the Current USA Sat+, but its more expensive than when I bought one almost two years ago. Doesn't make much sense to me since LED tech continues to progress.


----------



## cowgirluntamed (Jan 13, 2016)

Goodbytes- It says I'm logged in but I still can't see your picture for some reason. Oh well, I do think I understand what you are saying though! I'll go play with it soon and see what I can do.  Thanks for the tip!


Vanish- I also looked at the Current Sat+ too. It seems it and the AquaSky(at least to me) are pretty comparable for the most part. They have the same "Sky" type features with the remote. The only difference I could see on the information given for them is that for the size I want, the Sat+ has more LEDs but is only 2000 lumens, where as the AquaSky has less LEDs but is 2400 Lumens. I don't know if the number of LEDs and the Lumens makes any difference...I haven't studied what that all means towards planted tanks at all. Still new to all this for the most part! Lol.


----------

