# Finnex Fugeray Planted+vs 24/7



## electromango (Jul 22, 2015)

Which LED fixture is better in terms of light power, plant growth, and overall functionality? Also, is the 24/7 feature an effective light setting for plants or do you need to just use max settings anyway? 

I'm trying to figure out which I should use for my 40g breeder. I'm planning on making it medium tech, MTS substrate, Flourish Excel dosing every other day/day. Also trying some moderate care plants and some easier red plants, so which light do you guys think would be better for me? 

Thanks for your help!


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

I'm pretty much in the same boat, just picked up a 40 breeder and trying to decide on lighting..

I have the planted+24/7 on my 29 gallon, had to put it towards the back half of the tank over the stems as I was getting algae on the s repens in the foreground when I had it up front regardless of co2. Also had to add a fluval aquasky right next to it at the very back to get better lower stem growth out of my stems, only on for a 4hr burst in the middle of the photoperiod. I do use it in the 24/7 mode which I absolutely love.

Par wise between the standard planted+ and the 24/7, I believe its basically the same, maybe ~%5 difference, and cost isn't much different either so I'd say go with the 24/7. Literally set it to your time in 24/7 mode and forget it, love it.

The catch is at 16" both will definitely be upper level of medium to high light and absolutely require co2. And you'd need two of them for the 18" spread of the 40 breeder. You can dim the 24/7 if you don't use the 24/7 mode, but you can't dim the planted+ without voiding your warranty and some solder work. Kinda sucks. Only other options are 50% more expensive or they only put out 30 par at best. 

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk


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## electromango (Jul 22, 2015)

Thanks for the quick reply HolyAngel! So, are 660 reds of the fugeray not that better than the 24/7? Also could I lower the 24/7 light intensity to make it a lower light setup? In your experience, what light intensity would the 24/7 mode be anyway (low medium high)?


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## HolyAngel (Oct 18, 2010)

electromango said:


> Thanks for the quick reply HolyAngel! So, are 660 reds of the fugeray not that better than the 24/7? Also could I lower the 24/7 light intensity to make it a lower light setup? In your experience, what light intensity would the 24/7 mode be anyway (low medium high)?


At 16" the 24/7 is at 65 par at max setting, or 3pm in the 24/7 mode. Should be medium to high lighting depending on who's scale you follow, used to be anything over 60 was considered high light but I've seen 80. Either way at that par you have to have co2. No way I could run mine in my 29gal at 18" without pressurized co2 or it'd be serious algae fest. 

The 24/7 *is* dimmable tho, just can't use the 24/7 mode if you want to dim it. With pressurized co2 in the 40 breeder the 24/7 mode should be fine.

The 660 reds in the fugeray planted+ are definitely better than the rgb's in the 24/7, but you cant dim the fixture or anything. Again with the co2 it should be fine. But no co2 or just diy co2 I'd go with the 24/7 and dim it.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk


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## MtAnimals (May 17, 2015)

I have both lights,a 48" 24/7 on a 55,and a 36" planted+ on a 45.The 55 has a few floaters,heavy fishload(platies),and the 45 has 3 otos and a betta.Both tanks are non co2,and no ferts yet,though I'm about to begin dosing the 45.the 24/7 is on an 18" tall tank,planted+ on a 24" tall.

I like the 24/7 better,less algae,in fact very little,and a greatly increased viewing time,whereas the planted+ is down to 6 hrs a day to prevent algae,and it's pretty well planted.

My future lights will all be 24/7's.I think the 24/7 grows plants as well as the planted +,and we get to look at the tank many more hours a day.


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## antoniopereira (Jul 28, 2015)

MT,but to red plants is it being good?


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## electromango (Jul 22, 2015)

I'll probably go with the 24/7 for all the reasons you guys mentioned. One more question though: is the lighting of the 24/7 good enough to grow some easier red plants like rotala rotundifola red and alternatheri reineckii and show their intense red color? The 660nm reds in the fugeray seems like it would be better, but overall the 24/7 seems better for me but would it still grow red plants well? Thanks again everyone!


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## mattinmd (Aug 16, 2014)

AR is not an easy low tech plant IMO.. in low-tech it tends to keep some red under the leaves, but the tops turn green. It grows slow and attracts algae like a magnet in low tech, which tends to kill it off if you're not careful.

I've not had much luck growing rotala in my main tank where the 24/7 is, but that's mostly because my mollies seem to enjoy eating it. Every time I put it in, there's bare stems about a week later :/. R. Colorata is doing well and keeping color at its tops in my 10 gallon which has similar light levels from a stingray.

Other low-tech red options include Ludwigia sp Red, which really keeps red color well, and ludwigia repens, which tends to be a green/pink mix in low tech.


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## electromango (Jul 22, 2015)

Would a capful of seachem flourish excel everyday be a good substitute to pressurized co2 in order to use the 24/7 feature? Also how should I start off for when I set up my dirt tank to avoid algae problems (should I start at max mode for 6 hours a day, should I start with 24/7 mode etc.) while using excel daily? Thanks!


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## mattinmd (Aug 16, 2014)

The 35 par rule of thumb assumes you are using excel at twice the daily dosage (and ignoring their advice to do a 5x starter dose)

edit:

So the general take away here is that Excel is absolutely no comparison to real CO2 injection.. Is it helpful in low-tech? Yes.. Is it anywhere near as effective as the real thing? No. Not even close.

Excel really seems to mostly be acting as an algecide.. It does contribute some extra carbon to the tank, which in most cases eventually converts to CO2 that can be used by the plants... but the amount of carbon added is rather small. Someone ran the math once, and if I remember the numbers right, it's something like adding 4ppm of CO2... 

but that's only if it was all available all at once. Excel it really releases that carbon slowly. So it doesn't maintain the equivalent of 4 extra ppm of CO2 all day, it's more like you took enough CO2 to add 4ppm to your tank and slowly dissolved that in a bit at a time over the course of the day... 

None of that holds a candle to a CO2 injection system, even one set to something modest like 15ppm.


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## MtAnimals (May 17, 2015)

antoniopereira said:


> MT,but to red plants is it being good?


I don't have any red plants in the tank with the 24/7.It isn't a planted tank yet,I just have hornwort,guppy grass,anacharis,frogbit and dwarf lettuce in that one.When I get time I'm going to convert it to a planted tank.

If you have red fish,the 24/7 really makes them glow in the sunset/evening mode! I would think all that red light would be good for red plants,if that's what they need.


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## mattinmd (Aug 16, 2014)

IMO, red plants need blue light for growth and color development, but you need red light to see the color.


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## howardgorinson (Dec 3, 2016)

:-(The other problem with Excel is some plants, such as Cryptocoryne wendtii, will suffer from "melted leaves" on occassion with Excel- based on my personal experience.:-(


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## emielrol (Nov 1, 2021)




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## Niftyhussle (10 mo ago)

HolyAngel said:


> I'm pretty much in the same boat, just picked up a 40 breeder and trying to decide on lighting..
> 
> I have the planted+24/7 on my 29 gallon, had to put it towards the back half of the tank over the stems as I was getting algae on the s repens in the foreground when I had it up front regardless of co2. Also had to add a fluval aquasky right next to it at the very back to get better lower stem growth out of my stems, only on for a 4hr burst in the middle of the photoperiod. I do use it in the 24/7 mode which I absolutely love.
> 
> ...


I literally just canceled my fugeray planted+ and got the 24/7 because I just found out about the adjustment not being available lol. Thanks for the intel!


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## dcutl002 (Apr 8, 2014)

Just thought I would share this.


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