# Fluval 3.0 vs Finnex PP 24/7 CC Seneye



## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Hello all!

I just wanted to post some measurements of PAR taken at the substrate with a Seneye PAR meter.

I purchased a new Fluval 3.0 because I wanted to see what all the hype was about, and the stems in the rear of the tank weren't growing as well as I wanted them to. They had a habit of shedding their lower leaves. I knew the Finnex fixture's PAR output fell sharply at distance, as I had measured it before. After doing some reading, many sources indicate that shedding of the lower leaves was a sign of a lack of light - and thanks to posters like @Seattle_Aquarist, it gave me the itch to try the Fluval light!

Well, it didn't disappoint - I actually suspect it may have to be dialed back a bit, but for now I'm going to leave it and see what happens.

The Finnex Planted Plus 24/7 CC light sits about 16.5 inches from the substrate and it gave me a reading of 40 PAR at the substrate.

The Fluval 3.0 sits about 14.5 inches from the substrate and it gave me a reading of 114 PAR! Nearly three times what the Finnex is capable of.

PUR was relatively equal - the Finnex @ 62% and the Fluval @ 60%.

Hopefully this helps with the ailment of shedding bottom leaves. The tank is on an EI dosing regimen with an 8 hour photoperiod. I frontload macros and dose micros 3x a week with a 50% water change performed religiously, adding NilocG's GH booster.

Anyways, thanks for looking. If there are any questions, comments, or criticism, please don't hesitate to post. The top screen shot is the Finnex Planted Plus 24/7 CC and the bottom is the Fluval 3.0 at 100%. All measurements are taken in water in an established planted tank.


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## gustercc (Dec 30, 2013)

I've been looking to upgrade my 2012 BML light. It's been a great light for me. I purchased a dimmer to use with it. It has helped me grow some really great plants, however I've been looking to upgrade to something with more customization without breaking the bank. So far, I've read reviews by people who have purchased the 3.0 and wrote a blurb a week later to basically say, "works like the ads say..." But the real question is, how effectively can it grow all types of plants? None have been as informative as yours. So thank you! 
Granted it's efficacy is just one piece of the puzzle and many MANY factors go into having a tank go gangbusters. 
Thanks for taking the time to do your testing and posting it here. 
Please keep us updated. Pros, cons, etc..
Cheers! :smile2:


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

gustercc said:


> I've been looking to upgrade my 2012 BML light. It's been a great light for me. I purchased a dimmer to use with it. It has helped me grow some really great plants, however I've been looking to upgrade to something with more customization without breaking the bank. So far, I've read reviews by people who have purchased the 3.0 and wrote a blurb a week later to basically say, "works like the ads say..." But the real question is, how effectively can it grow all types of plants? None have been as informative as yours. So thank you!
> Granted it's efficacy is just one piece of the puzzle and many MANY factors go into having a tank go gangbusters.
> Thanks for taking the time to do your testing and posting it here.
> Please keep us updated. Pros, cons, etc..
> Cheers! :smile2:


Thank you! I appreciate your kind words. One thing to note is that the Finnex's light is more subdued and mild, whereas the Fluval 3.0 is bright. They gave similar PAR readings much closer to the fixture, so in a shallow, long tank, I'd suspect the difference wouldn't be as great.

If there happens to be any other measurements you'd like me to take, don't hesitate to ask!


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## Gelums (Mar 27, 2019)

varanidguy said:


> Hello all!
> 
> I just wanted to post some measurements of PAR taken at the substrate with a Seneye PAR meter.
> 
> ...


I've been looking for information like this! I wasn't too satisfied with my Finnex and was looking for additional reasons to switch to Fluval besides the warranties. This helped with my decision. I just returned my Finnex and bought a Fluval 3.0 from Aquarium Co-Op. Can't wait.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Gelums said:


> I've been looking for information like this! I wasn't too satisfied with my Finnex and was looking for additional reasons to switch to Fluval besides the warranties. This helped with my decision. I just returned my Finnex and bought a Fluval 3.0 from Aquarium Co-Op. Can't wait.




Glad to help! Also, the customization for the Fluval rocks pretty hard. Too much light? Just dial it back in less than a minute. Not enough? Pump it up! It really is a good light. I’d still be willing to run the Finnex in a low tech tank or on a shallow rimless. But for high light, co2 injected tanks, it just isn’t up to snuff.


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## cl3537 (Jan 28, 2019)

The PAR of lights is heavily dependant on the vertical distance from the substrate.
You can have a 130W light with low/med light if its hung too high. 
That is what makes a PAR meter so important your eyes may be deceived.

My old Chihiros A601 light was only 36W and was 100+ par at the substrate on max and it was a $40 light with short 3 - 4 inch legs.

The fluval 3.0 is 59W and looks like it has very short legs (inch or two?), it likely has to be moved when doing maintenance but I would imagine on max 100% you should be able to easily get 150 - 200PAR at a height of 12 - 13".


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

cl3537 said:


> The PAR of lights is heavily dependant on the vertical distance from the substrate.
> 
> You can have a 130W light with low/med light if its hung too high.
> 
> ...




I believe the 36” model is listed @ 46 watts but I’ll have to double check.

It does sit about 2” lower than the Finnex light but even at an apples to apples distance, the Fluval really outshines it, PAR wise, until you get a lot closer then the numbers aren’t as far apart. However the features of the Fluval, mainly water proof and the Bluetooth app, really are superior in every way to the Finnex.

I have a Chihiros RGB that’s on hold for an upcoming nano tank. I’ve already measured the par from it and it’s definitely a beast!


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## Mike A. (Jan 6, 2018)

Thanks. I've been wondering what the actual output was from my 36" 3.0.

I like it much better than the Finnex too.


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## Kayak83 (Apr 18, 2017)

I had the 24" Fluval 3.0 on my 29g tank but returned it. I think Fluval made an oversight when designing the lengths of the fixture for "standard" tank sizes. In my 29g (30" long), there was an obvious dark pattern at the top left/right corners, since that actual fixture length was only 24". I now have the newest Finnex CC 660nm reds version (model # LT-FX-VL-CRV30 for those interested), and I'm very happy with it. Wondering if this is the model you tested? Finnex has a really convoluted model # system and it's hard to really know which is the newest.

Otherwise, the Fluval app to control the light was helpful in initial setup vs just the controller on the finnex.. Also, I believe the Fluval loses it's time setting when it loses power, unlike the Finnex. A minor thing, but some like to rely on timers.


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## Gelums (Mar 27, 2019)

Kayak83 said:


> I had the 24" Fluval 3.0 on my 29g tank but returned it. I think Fluval made an oversight when designing the lengths of the fixture for "standard" tank sizes. In my 29g (30" long), there was an obvious dark pattern at the top left/right corners, since that actual fixture length was only 24". I now have the newest Finnex CC 660nm reds version (model # LT-FX-VL-CRV30 for those interested), and I'm very happy with it. Wondering if this is the model you tested? Finnex has a really convoluted model # system and it's hard to really know which is the newest.
> 
> Otherwise, the Fluval app to control the light was helpful in initial setup vs just the controller on the finnex.. Also, I believe the Fluval loses it's time setting when it loses power, unlike the Finnex. A minor thing, but some like to rely on timers.


I had one CRV36 - Series and a 30" Finnex SE on my 40B. I think the KL and CRV models are the newest one has more white LED's and one has 660nm LED's. I returned my CRV for a Fluval 3.0 36".


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Kayak83 said:


> I had the 24" Fluval 3.0 on my 29g tank but returned it. I think Fluval made an oversight when designing the lengths of the fixture for "standard" tank sizes. In my 29g (30" long), there was an obvious dark pattern at the top left/right corners, since that actual fixture length was only 24". I now have the newest Finnex CC 660nm reds version (model # LT-FX-VL-CRV30 for those interested), and I'm very happy with it. Wondering if this is the model you tested? Finnex has a really convoluted model # system and it's hard to really know which is the newest.
> 
> Otherwise, the Fluval app to control the light was helpful in initial setup vs just the controller on the finnex.. Also, I believe the Fluval loses it's time setting when it loses power, unlike the Finnex. A minor thing, but some like to rely on timers.


Hey, ultimately in this hobby it winds up being what works best for your tank. I don't necessarily hate the Finnex fixtures, so I apologize if this post seemed demeaning. This was mainly to show the difference in potential light output for what are probably two extremely popular fixtures. I'd totally use the Finnex on a low tech 40 breeder with low light plants. 

One thing I can say is that since adding the Fluval 3.0, my pogostemon yatabeanus is shedding less and less leaves, hopefully it helps that stop altogether. I also believe the boost in plant growth is helping to outcompete some pesky algae I've been battling, new algae growth seems to have significantly slowed.


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## Kayak83 (Apr 18, 2017)

Gelums said:


> I had one CRV36 - Series and a 30" Finnex SE on my 40B. I think the KL and CRV models are the newest one has more white LED's and one has 660nm LED's. I returned my CRV for a Fluval 3.0 36".


Yeah, I ordered the KL model not too long ago thinking it was the newest/best and returned it for the CRV with the 660nm reds. I'm happy with it.

- I'll say again that had Fluval made a 30" 3.0, I would have kept it. 24" is too short for a 29g.


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## FishRFriendz (Dec 21, 2016)

Kayak83 said:


> Yeah, I ordered the KL model not too long ago thinking it was the newest/best and returned it for the CRV with the 660nm reds. I'm happy with it.
> 
> - I'll say again that had Fluval made a 30" 3.0, I would have kept it. 24" is too short for a 29g.


I've been running my new 36" tank for months on a 24" and have been putting medium/low light stuff on in the corners. Finally got a deal on Fluval 3.0.

$140 for the 36" free shipping from Petco last week. 

But this week's deal is even better... coulda saved $4.80 lol. Did the math with the new promo they're offering and its $135.20 for the 36". The 48" is about $150. Beats a Finnex 48" on Amazon was $160, but I haven't shopped a deal on the 24/7s. Been waiting months for these sales at Petco. (additional 9% off via discounted gift cards from cardpool)

There are ways around MAP (minimum advertised price) mwahaha. More light, less money, sounds good to me.


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## Wobblebonk (Feb 13, 2018)

If figuring out how to use petcos sale stuff is too much effort like it is for me kensfish still does 15% off the 3.0s with coupon code "fluval" but it doesn't apply to the nano anymore


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## FishRFriendz (Dec 21, 2016)

Wobblebonk said:


> If figuring out how to use petcos sale stuff is too much effort like it is for me kensfish still does 15% off the 3.0s with coupon code "fluval" but it doesn't apply to the nano anymore




Where were you with that code last week!? 

Looks like they don’t add on tax. Comes out to the same price as my big work around since they don’t do tax, tho that’s with my local sales tax rate at 9.25%. Which I was using discounted gift cards to negate, but if my local sales tax were less my work around saves a few dollars. Well... like $1.40 for each percent.


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## Gelums (Mar 27, 2019)

FishRFriendz said:


> Kayak83 said:
> 
> 
> > Yeah, I ordered the KL model not too long ago thinking it was the newest/best and returned it for the CRV with the 660nm reds. I'm happy with it.
> ...





Wobblebonk said:


> If figuring out how to use petcos sale stuff is too much effort like it is for me kensfish still does 15% off the 3.0s with coupon code "fluval" but it doesn't apply to the nano anymore





FishRFriendz said:


> Wobblebonk said:
> 
> 
> > If figuring out how to use petcos sale stuff is too much effort like it is for me kensfish still does 15% off the 3.0s with coupon code "fluval" but it doesn't apply to the nano anymore
> ...


Petco has 20% right now. Code Spring20. $134.99 for the 36" plus free shipping. Loving this light, it is a lot brighter than the finnex I had!


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

I just ordered one of the 36" 3.0s for my 40b low tech. Right now its got one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F6XD2FH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and its just not cutting it. Ive got the smaller version on my 10g and it works great considering low tech. The algae is very controllable with the current live stock. The 40b however is not very controllable and the plants arent doing very good IMHO. 

Hopefully it works out.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Quint said:


> I just ordered one of the 36" 3.0s for my 40b low tech. Right now its got one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07F6XD2FH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 and its just not cutting it. Ive got the smaller version on my 10g and it works great considering low tech. The algae is very controllable with the current live stock. The 40b however is not very controllable and the plants arent doing very good IMHO.
> 
> 
> 
> Hopefully it works out.




It will help a lot because you can fine tune it! Figure out that “sweet spot” for low tech and it’s all gravy. And the beauty is if you ever want to go high tech, you don’t need to replace it, just ramp up the intensity. However you may need to get a second light to cover the full spread of the tank, but that’s the 40b’s fault, not the light.


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

varanidguy said:


> It will help a lot because you can fine tune it! Figure out that “sweet spot” for low tech and it’s all gravy. And the beauty is if you ever want to go high tech, you don’t need to replace it, just ramp up the intensity. However you may need to get a second light to cover the full spread of the tank, but that’s the 40b’s fault, not the light.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



Appreciate the input. With the 24" light its just too short, hoping the 36 will take care of the dead spots on the end. The front to back could use a little bit currently but its doable. 



I still need to silicone the glass top to get rid of the black center strip. Its very annoying.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Quint said:


> Appreciate the input. With the 24" light its just too short, hoping the 36 will take care of the dead spots on the end. The front to back could use a little bit currently but its doable.
> 
> 
> 
> I still need to silicone the glass top to get rid of the black center strip. Its very annoying.




It’ll help a lot. And for low tech and low light plants, you’ll likely only need the one light.

Yeah I just removed that stupid thing and left it as two glass plates lol. 


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## FishRFriendz (Dec 21, 2016)

Gelums said:


> Petco has 20% right now. Code Spring20. $134.99 for the 36" plus free shipping. Loving this light, it is a lot brighter than the finnex I had!


Ken's fish has a 15% discount and they don't charge tax ... since they have a lower advertised price then Petco the 15% still works out to more or less the same price as Petco... until you add the sales tax that Petco collects (Kensfish does not).

The workaround to the tax is 9% discounted online-only giftcards. For me all that does is negate the tax. If you live in a state that has no sales tax... then the savings is $12-13 via discounted gift cards.

The saving grace for Petco for me, since sales tax here is the nighest in the nation... pals points. In the end Petco gives me another $5.

And technically/legally, you're supposed to pay your state's sales tax on purchases from sites that don't collect the sales tax for you. The site isn't obligated to collect the tax if they have no presence in your state, but YOU still have the obligation to do so. There was a case involving the state of Connecticut(?) and Newegg and that in the end resulted in Newegg handing over data to the state so the state could send out tax invoices for the past 3 years + interest on sales tax that they didn't collect from buyers in the state.


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## Quint (Mar 24, 2019)

Yep tricky situation. I know WA state and a few others passed laws last year that require the non tax collecting (out of state company) to submit a yearly form to WA state showing the total expendeture for the customer. The company is then required to send a form to the customer showing the same amount (yearly non taxed expendeture totals). In WA state I have to then go online and plug in the total amount where it prints out a form to pay the 8.7% "use tax". 

Fun stuff.


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## Gelums (Mar 27, 2019)

FishRFriendz said:


> Gelums said:
> 
> 
> > Petco has 20% right now. Code Spring20. $134.99 for the 36" plus free shipping. Loving this light, it is a lot brighter than the finnex I had!
> ...


The code is still active, but the light doesn't qualify anymore..


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## Wobblebonk (Feb 13, 2018)

Which code? Spring20 @ petco?


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## Gelums (Mar 27, 2019)

Wobblebonk said:


> Which code? Spring20 @ petco?


Yeah it worked on the Fluval 3.0 light for a day, then the next day it said that it didn't qualify for it anymore. Only working on certain other things.


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

Hello varanidguy! I just stumbled appon this thread while researching the finnex which I own for my 29 gallon. I am trying to figure out how much the par drops off on either side of the fixture. And also what the par rating would be in the white setting at different percentages (10-100) I think this info would be so helpful for someone like me trying to fine tune the light in a low light setup! It happens that your tank depth is exactly the same as mine (16.5")! Have you taken any of these measurements with your light? Would you be willing to share the results? You would be my hero! Lol, I've been searching for hours!


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> Hello varanidguy! I just stumbled appon this thread while researching the finnex which I own for my 29 gallon. I am trying to figure out how much the par drops off on either side of the fixture. And also what the par rating would be in the white setting at different percentages (10-100) I think this info would be so helpful for someone like me trying to fine tune the light in a low light setup! It happens that your tank depth is exactly the same as mine (16.5")! Have you taken any of these measurements with your light? Would you be willing to share the results? You would be my hero! Lol, I've been searching for hours!


I can definitely take those measurements for you. Give me a day or two and I'll post here.


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

THANK YOU!!! I'm so excited to find out what it puts out at the different percentages (10%, 20% etc up to 100%) I've got it set at 60% currently, and it will be so awesome to know what each setting gives so that I can fine tune it! You are amazing for doing this! Thank you so much!


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> THANK YOU!!! I'm so excited to find out what it puts out at the different percentages (10%, 20% etc up to 100%) I've got it set at 60% currently, and it will be so awesome to know what each setting gives so that I can fine tune it! You are amazing for doing this! Thank you so much!




Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I haven’t forgotten about you. Things just have been busy in these parts. I’m going to try to get the data to you as soon as I can.


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

Thanks so much! I really appreciate you doing that. It's so kind of you to be willing to take the time! I'll keep checking back every so often 🙂 Do you know if there's a way to get notifications when people reply to posts? I don't know how to do that, so I just check my posts every few days, haha. I emailed admin to ask, but I haven't heard back...


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> Thanks so much! I really appreciate you doing that. It's so kind of you to be willing to take the time! I'll keep checking back every so often 🙂 Do you know if there's a way to get notifications when people reply to posts? I don't know how to do that, so I just check my posts every few days, haha. I emailed admin to ask, but I haven't heard back...




I can send you a DM when it’s done, that should give you a notification. [emoji16]


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## Patric (Jun 14, 2019)

I have looked extensively at all lights available for my new six foot, 125G tank and I will go with the 3.0.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> Thanks so much! I really appreciate you doing that. It's so kind of you to be willing to take the time! I'll keep checking back every so often 🙂 Do you know if there's a way to get notifications when people reply to posts? I don't know how to do that, so I just check my posts every few days, haha. I emailed admin to ask, but I haven't heard back...


Here is the ladder test that you requested! I apologize, with the way the plants have grown in, I had to do these measurements about 14.5 inches away from the face of the fixture. Also, these measurements were taken without a glass lid, just water between the sensor and the light.

Every % was taken with white only, and the final "max" was taken with every color setting set to 100%.

I would subtract at least 10% from each value to account for an extra 2" + lid.


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

THANK YOU SO MUCH!! These measurements are incredibly helpful to me, as well as many others, I'm sure!
I really appreciate you taking the time to do this! Now I just need to figure out what my light diffuser screen deducts. Lol! Long story short, I bought a diamond light diffuser (the kind that go over florescent ceiling fixtures) in an attempt to reduce the shimmer/strobing effect caused by the leds. It works amazing, and really calms things down visually, but I have no idea how it affects par values. (If anyone else hates the shimmer effect like I do, give that a try - it works great) For now I have removed it though so that I can guess at my par based on varadidguy's numbers 😃. Thanks again Varadidguy! You rock!


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> THANK YOU SO MUCH!! These measurements are incredibly helpful to me, as well as many others, I'm sure!
> I really appreciate you taking the time to do this! Now I just need to figure out what my light diffuser screen deducts. Lol! Long story short, I bought a diamond light diffuser (the kind that go over florescent ceiling fixtures) in an attempt to reduce the shimmer/strobing effect caused by the leds. It works amazing, and really calms things down visually, but I have no idea how it affects par values. (If anyone else hates the shimmer effect like I do, give that a try - it works great) For now I have removed it though so that I can guess at my par based on varadidguy's numbers 😃. Thanks again Varadidguy! You rock!




Glad to help in any way that I can! Given the extra 2”, lid, and diffuser, you could probably run it 100% without having to worry too much about having too much light.


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

Thank you for the advice. I was running it that way, but got tons of algae, so I thought maybe it was still too bright. But it could also have been the fact I was using the custom 24/7 settings. I had it at 100% at 12:00 & 3:00, 50% at 6:00, and then off for the rest. I've read that the long 3 hour ramping up and down could cause problems. With my settings it would actually come on in the 9:00 time slot and then slowly ramp up to the 12:00 setting - and vice versa, ramping down from 6:00-9:00. I'll try it again on a wall timer now that I have that super helpful par data 😃.
Did you notice much par dropping off toward the front and back of the tank? (mine is 12 inches fron front to back)


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> Thank you for the advice. I was running it that way, but got tons of algae, so I thought maybe it was still too bright. But it could also have been the fact I was using the custom 24/7 settings. I had it at 100% at 12:00 & 3:00, 50% at 6:00, and then off for the rest. I've read that the long 3 hour ramping up and down could cause problems. With my settings it would actually come on in the 9:00 time slot and then slowly ramp up to the 12:00 setting - and vice versa, ramping down from 6:00-9:00. I'll try it again on a wall timer now that I have that super helpful par data 😃.
> Did you notice much par dropping off toward the front and back of the tank? (mine is 12 inches fron front to back)




What does your dosing regimen look like? Are you running co2? Depending on the setup, you could actually be running too little light which can also cause an algae bloom. Increasing the PAR in my tank actually helped curb algae by getting the plants to grow much better.

The ramping could be contributing too because, as I’m sure you know, algae can utilize far lower light intensities to grow. Balance isn’t only fertilizers and water parameters, it’s also balancing that against light. Try connecting it to a timer so it’s on and off with no ramp.

Unfortunately all measurements are taken right under the light, but I did move the sensor around and yes, PAR does drop off towards the front and back. But 12” front to back with this light shouldn’t be too bad.


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

I am dosing tropica plant growth daily (weekly dose divided). I run diy co2 through a ceramic diffuser and can see the plants pearlng. I think you are right about the light. With all the ramping up and down, there were a lot of low light periods. I suspect that was contributing to the algae problem. But my plants have had good growth, even with the 24/7 setting, so it's really confusing. I honestly can't decide if I have too much, or not enough light, lol! Here is a pic of my tank when I started it on April 14th and another taken today (two months later). It's definitly been doing better since I added the co2 and set the lights on a wall timer. But I'm still getting a fair bit or algae...


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/nrFIsSH' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/nrFIsSH.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>

<a href='http://i.imgur.com/fUDIgVN' title=''><img src='http://i.imgur.com/fUDIgVN.jpg' alt='' title='Hosted by imgur.com' /></a>


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> I am dosing tropica plant growth daily (weekly dose divided). I run diy co2 through a ceramic diffuser and can see the plants pearlng. I think you are right about the light. With all the ramping up and down, there were a lot of low light periods. I suspect that was contributing to the algae problem. But my plants have had good growth, even with the 24/7 setting, so it's really confusing. I honestly can't decide if I have too much, or not enough light, lol! Here is a pic of my tank when I started it on April 14th and another taken today (two months later). It's definitly been doing better since I added the co2 and set the lights on a wall timer. But I'm still getting a fair bit or algae...


I mean, I think it looks really good! What kind of algae are you getting? Any close up shots of it and the plants?


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

Thanks! I think the algae is getting better since I put the lights on a wall timer and started the co2 😃. It's mostly on the older leaves, wood and rocks now. Here are some pics.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> Thanks! I think the algae is getting better since I put the lights on a wall timer and started the co2 😃. It's mostly on the older leaves, wood and rocks now. Here are some pics.


Your algae issue looks very mild, actually. I wouldn't worry about it much on the hard scape, unless you simply don't like the look of it. It is beneficial in that it will consume some nutrients and feed some fauna.

As far as the algae on the plants, most of what's already there will not go away without manual removal. I'd suggest a good pruning/trimming and see how the new growth fares. I think you've got it, though.


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## Nocturnal Flower (May 25, 2019)

Thanks so much for all the support and advice! I think I sort of panicked when the algae first started because it was spreading so quickly. I've already removed most of the affected leaves, so it looks better in the pics than it did a few weeks ago. I don't mind it on the hardscape, but I was so worried when it started covering all the plants! I'm going to take your advice and trim away the rest of the affected leaves and see how it goes. Thanks for being so kind and willing to help me (a total stranger) out with the par measurements and friendly feedback!


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Nocturnal Flower said:


> Thanks so much for all the support and advice! I think I sort of panicked when the algae first started because it was spreading so quickly. I've already removed most of the affected leaves, so it looks better in the pics than it did a few weeks ago. I don't mind it on the hardscape, but I was so worried when it started covering all the plants! I'm going to take your advice and trim away the rest of the affected leaves and see how it goes. Thanks for being so kind and willing to help me (a total stranger) out with the par measurements and friendly feedback!




No problem! I’m no pro like a lot of the people on here, but I’ve learned a lot and am still learning. Please don’t hesitate to PM me if you need anything. [emoji16]


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

@varanidguy

What length fixture did you use for the 24/7 CC PAR numbers. Only reason I ask is that I'm running the 36" one on my 3-foot tank. Right now the plants I have are mainly low-light, but I bought the light since my tank is only 10" deep so I figured it would be non-limiting if I want to change it up. Right now it's hanging around 15" off the top of the substrate.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Asteroid said:


> @varanidguy
> 
> What length fixture did you use for the 24/7 CC PAR numbers. Only reason I ask is that I'm running the 36" one on my 3-foot tank. Right now the plants I have are mainly low-light, but I bought the light since my tank is only 10" deep so I figured it would be non-limiting if I want to change it up. Right now it's hanging around 15" off the top of the substrate.


Hey Asteroid!

This would be the 36" model. Testing is done on my 40 breeder.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

varanidguy said:


> Hey Asteroid!
> 
> This would be the 36" model. Testing is done on my 40 breeder.


Great, same one I have. Glad my tank is only 10" high LOL. Thanks much for the info!


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Asteroid said:


> Great, same one I have. Glad my tank is only 10" high LOL. Thanks much for the info!


No problem! Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

varanidguy said:


> No problem! Let me know if there's anything else I can do for you.


Thank you!


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## Asteroid (Jul 26, 2018)

Is there a lot of confusion about this light or is it me? If you set one 3-hr time slot for max, your not getting 3 hrs of max since it slowly transitions to what the next time period is after it. So for example if 12pm is set to max and 3pm is set to 50% then from 12-3 it's transitioning to the 50%. So in order to get 3 hrs at Max both the 12pm and 3pm time slots need to be set to max. I didn't realize this initially.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Asteroid said:


> Is there a lot of confusion about this light or is it me? If you set one 3-hr time slot for max, your not getting 3 hrs of max since it slowly transitions to what the next time period is after it. So for example if 12pm is set to max and 3pm is set to 50% then from 12-3 it's transitioning to the 50%. So in order to get 3 hrs at Max both the 12pm and 3pm time slots need to be set to max. I didn't realize this initially.


Yeah, this is one issue the light has. Say you want sunrise to start at 9 AM, and set by 3 PM, you're only going to have maybe 15-20 minutes of max light I'd wager. To have a decent amount of time at maximum light, you would need to start the sundown process at 3 PM and have it finish by 6 (or later). It's one of the reasons why I put it on an on-off timer before taking it out of commission. The Fluval's app does not have this limitation.


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## AboveBeyond (Aug 31, 2015)

I bit the bullet and just ordered the Fluval 36" to replace my aging original Finnex Planted+ 24/7. My concern with the original Finnex is the lack of light intensity control so it looks like the Fluval will solve that.

Is there PAR data if the fixture is 18" or 20" above the substrate? I have a standard 50g tank.


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

AboveBeyond said:


> I bit the bullet and just ordered the Fluval 36" to replace my aging original Finnex Planted+ 24/7. My concern with the original Finnex is the lack of light intensity control so it looks like the Fluval will solve that.
> 
> Is there PAR data if the fixture is 18" or 20" above the substrate? I have a standard 50g tank.




I measured about 14.5 inches off the substrate and at 100% intensity.


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## Cobrien96 (Aug 30, 2018)

I currently have a fluval nano and upgraded from a finnex planted plus 12 inch model. I have a 4.5 gallon tank. My only complain is that I definitely have some dark spots but I might rescape to adjust and tray to eliminate that. Has anyone run the fluval nano 3.0 with co2? I'm considering switching to high tech, I would like to do some more advanced plants and try to get a carpet going.

-Chris


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Cobrien96 said:


> I currently have a fluval nano and upgraded from a finnex planted plus 12 inch model. I have a 4.5 gallon tank. My only complain is that I definitely have some dark spots but I might rescape to adjust and tray to eliminate that. Has anyone run the fluval nano 3.0 with co2? I'm considering switching to high tech, I would like to do some more advanced plants and try to get a carpet going.
> 
> -Chris


I am also interested in more info regarding the Fluval 3.0 Nano.


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## Wobblebonk (Feb 13, 2018)

varanidguy said:


> I am also interested in more info regarding the Fluval 3.0 Nano.


I have 3... no co2 on those tanks, but https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/843353-immortal1-75g-journey-pics-seattle-52.html#post11219005 that tank is a 14g (15" cube) with a 3.0 nano and then 2 12" cubes where 1 is full of shrimp and eriocaulon, and one is full of... plants mostly cycling and water level is low / I am starting more eriocaulon from seed in some solo cups full of aquasoil... (needs to be emersed/damp/low ph to sprout right)


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Wobblebonk said:


> I have 3... no co2 on those tanks, but https://www.plantedtank.net/forums/12-tank-journals/843353-immortal1-75g-journey-pics-seattle-52.html#post11219005 that tank is a 14g (15" cube) with a 3.0 nano and then 2 12" cubes where 1 is full of shrimp and eriocaulon, and one is full of... plants mostly cycling and water level is low / I am starting more eriocaulon from seed in some solo cups full of aquasoil... (needs to be emersed/damp/low ph to sprout right)


Thank you! Did you use a Seneye? What was the distance to the light?


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## Wobblebonk (Feb 13, 2018)

Yeah seneye, approximately 13" for the 74 par but it's offset about an inch in front of the front edge of the light and the other reading was about 15" height but offset by about 6" from the front edge of the light?


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## varanidguy (Sep 8, 2017)

Wobblebonk said:


> Yeah seneye, approximately 13" for the 74 par but it's offset about an inch in front of the front edge of the light and the other reading was about 15" height but offset by about 6" from the front edge of the light?




That’s actually not bad at all. Thanks for the info!


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## Streetwise (May 24, 2019)

I just discovered this thread from @varanidguy's signature. For anyone catching up, make sure to update to the newest Fluval firmware for Pro mode, with ten set points in the light schedule. I love these lights!


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