# Better LED lights Recommendation?



## micheljq (Oct 24, 2012)

Hello, i did use Beamswork, Finnex, Zetlight, in the past, and i was disapppointed with them. I must say i had a 24" high tank and those lights did simply not cut it for me.

My prefered are the TMC Grobeam for freshwater. They are quite effective for the wattage, IP67, passively cooled and the best warranty that i know, 5 years. This company is in business in the leds since 2008.

However for carpets i don't do any, i am not in the high light tanks right now.

Michel.


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## Ddrizzle (Jan 30, 2019)

Just backing them up as they are not "garbage". My current led pro hits 70 par at the base of my 20gal long. That is considered high light and plenty enough for any plant, particularly dwarf bay's tears. I also never have to replace the bulbs, barely a knick in the electric bill and it also fits perfectly over the length of the tank.

I'm always open to different lights and would love to hear people's thoughts on others though, particularly par per dollar.


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## frog111 (Feb 13, 2006)

Likewise, the finnex planted+ on my 40 breeder did great. 

Just started experimenting with this bulb on my 140 gallon tall tank

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07BRKG7X1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Plants seemed to like it, quick uptick in pearling on that side of the tank


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

damgyeah said:


> So I'm discovering that there are so many better lights other there (AI, Twinstar, ADA, Kessil etc.) mostly from Saltwater brands.
> 
> I've been using fluval, finnex, current usa, the typical garbage you would find on the marketing/review sites in google and amazon. :frown2:
> 
> Trying to grow a high light demanding plants including carpeting plants.


I just bought 3 AI Prime lights. I think they're decent lights but I certainly wouldn't classify the others as garbage. What is it about those lights that you don't like. Maybe tell a little more about what you're trying to do and what issues you're having. There's more to growing a carpet than light. That being said, you do need good light, the depth of your tank is going to make a huge difference what kind of light you should go with.


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## damgyeah (Apr 7, 2018)

I really like the clip-on type of lights (mostly used for saltwater)
I think they are better quality and higher PAR and brighter
Using the typical bar like lights (fluval, finnex, etc.) doesn't seems to bring out the true colors of plants.

Any recommendation on LED lights?


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

damgyeah said:


> I really like the clip-on type of lights (mostly used for saltwater)
> I think they are better quality and higher PAR and brighter
> Using the typical bar like lights (fluval, finnex, etc.) doesn't seems to bring out the true colors of plants.
> 
> Any recommendation on LED lights?



Depends.. Radion xr15 freshwater is prob, arguably the best LED but the most expensive..
It's little brother .. the AI Prime freshwater is cheaper but half the power.


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## Immortal1 (Feb 18, 2015)

jeffkrol said:


> Depends.. Radion xr15 freshwater is prob, arguably the best LED but the most expensive..
> It's little brother .. the AI Prime freshwater is cheaper but half the power.


As an owner of (3) of the Radion XR15 Freshwater lights I can confirm they render much better plant color than my former Satellite Plus Pro lights. The PUR of the Radion's, as listed on my Seneye meter is also significantly better than the Plus Pro lights. With that said - the Radions are significantly more expensive.

As for the AI Prime lights - I have no personal experience.


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## cl3537 (Jan 28, 2019)

damgyeah said:


> So I'm discovering that there are so many better lights other there (AI, Twinstar, ADA, Kessil etc.) mostly from Saltwater brands.
> 
> I've been using fluval, finnex, current usa, the typical garbage you would find on the marketing/review sites in google and amazon. :frown2:
> 
> Trying to grow a high light demanding plants including carpeting plants.


Do your homework, you don't need to spend a pile of money on a light to grow carpeting plants.

Carpet plants need medium light in general 50-60 par is usually enough. High light would be 80+ par and depending on the size of your tank and height a lot of cheaper lights are perfectly adequate.

I have a cheap Chihiros A601 (60 cm in length), you used to be able to pick one up on Aliexpress for $40. Definitely powerful enough but its very white 8000k and tends to wash out the colors a bit. Incredible bank for your buck.

I just bought a Twinstar 600s, for $220. What did I get for 5X the price? not much more.

I was disappointed in the PUR of my A601 at 60% well the Twinstar is only 68% and PUR is a gimmick to sell Seneye anyway, it has been shown that +/- 20% plants use and benefit from all wavelengths similarly.

I got better spread, I got a lot more PAR, the A601 could give me a max of 120 PAR and 100 par at the corners. (I ran it at 60%)
The Twinstar I can get 200 par and 180 at the corners. But I can't run either on full so they both have to be dimmed to about the same PAR.
Twinstar has a lot more red but I'm not even sure I love the red cast, I'll let you know when I get more red plants.

*Does Spectrum Matter?* Nope not for the plants, but visually choose a light whose color preference matches your own. 
*Does Spread Matter?* Yes, unless you want to plant to suit your light, good coverage and a light powerful enough that you can raise it to cover our whole tank is ideal.
*Does Par Matter*? Yes. but most expensive lights are way more par than we need and getting one with a dimmer is crucial.


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## damgyeah (Apr 7, 2018)

cl3537, this is very good, but where can I buy chihiros x400?
Not even showing on aliexpress


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## Couesfanatic (Sep 28, 2009)

https://shop.glassaqua.com/collecti...nature-systems-titan-1-led-rgb-aquarium-light


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## OVT (Nov 29, 2011)

Heavy Current USA user here. Calling their (and similar entry to mid level) products junk is rather harsh, IMO. They do have their issues but so do my AI Primes. There are always better (and more expensive) products out there and it is up to you to decide what works for you as a consumer.

High light demanding plants. Like what? There is a lot more that goes into growing "high light" plants then just lights. Once you cross, say, the 50 PAR line, you'd better be on top of your game in other areas of tank management before you spend yet more LED $$$ to get a plant 2 shades redder.


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## Kubla (Jan 5, 2014)

A lot of recommendations for lights so the OP can grow carpeting plants. Hopefully this isn't a 30" tall tank.


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## cl3537 (Jan 28, 2019)

damgyeah said:


> cl3537, this is very good, but where can I buy chihiros x400?
> Not even showing on aliexpress


Why would you even want one?
At that price range, I'd rather have a Titan 1 or actual Chinese ADA RGB Solar Clone or if you have a small tank 600s or 900s.

I can't find any info about that X400, spectrum, par etc.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

cl3537 said:


> Why would you even want one?
> At that price range, I'd rather have a Titan 1 or actual Chinese ADA RGB Solar Clone or if you have a small tank 600s or 900s.
> 
> I can't find any info about that X400, spectrum, par etc.



Stronger than X300.. 




https://green-chapter-shop.myshopify.com/products/chihiros-led-x400-90w-60-90cm-tank-cobx2-silver


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## Wobblebonk (Feb 13, 2018)

I think X100/200 is 1 or 2 white cobs, X300 is white & red channel and X400 is separate RGB channels w/no whites but not actually available yet? Or so google image search seems to indicate but all the pics are on facebook or chihiros.cn and neither of those will load for me at work.


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

Wobblebonk said:


> I think X100/200 is 1 or 2 white cobs, X300 is white & red channel and X400 is separate RGB channels w/no whites but not actually available yet? Or so google image search seems to indicate but all the pics are on facebook or chihiros.cn and neither of those will load for me at work.





> Chihiros LED X400 (90W / 60-90cm Tank / COBx2 / SILVER) is backordered. We will ship it separately in 3 to 7 days.


.....
Yea they are all over the board in fixtures.. 

X Series LED lighting system - X series LED lighting system - Shanghai Ogino Biotechnology Co.,Ltd



















http://www.chihiros.cn/upload/image/201903/14/20190314151243614361.jpg

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1685/8749/files/Screen_Shot_2018-08-17_at_2.31.24_PM_1024x1024.png?v=1534487530


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## cl3537 (Jan 28, 2019)

jeffkrol said:


> .....
> Yea they are all over the board in fixtures..
> 
> X Series LED lighting system - X series LED lighting system - Shanghai Ogino Biotechnology Co.,Ltd
> ...


Well if anyone wants to buy one and then measure PAR and spectrum with a Seneye I'd love to see how it turns out.
Those marketing materials don't tell me much.


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