LED lighting

[Hayden]

So i scored a couple of these bad boys from work they are super bright i was wondering if they are suitable for plants

[Ira]

Possibly. But if you want something more specific you'll have to provide some kind of details.

[blueether]

They look very wide angle so there could be a lot of wasted light

[David R]

What are the specs? Colour? Wattage?

[Hayden]

Tank is 1500mmL 600mmW and 500mmH tank currently has java fern ,twisted vail , dwarf sag and some crypts in it but im looking at pulling down as and replanting and adding co2 . This is whats written on the light

[rabid]

those are great for fish lighting mate

[SamH]

and adding co2

That's probably your top priority if you're using lights like these. I'd get onto it before you install these lights.

[Hayden]

That's probably your top priority if you're using lights like these. I'd get onto it before you install these lights.

Cool I have all the gear to set up the co2 but i just need to get the bottle retested and away we go

[David R]

Where did you get them from? It's the kind of thing I'm looking for to light my big tank. I'll be interested to see how you find the colour given that it just says "white", hope it isn't too yellow.

[Hayden]

I got two from work Ive been making new light towers and the sparkies have been upgrading lots of the lights these two where small and looked like they might make good tank lights so I asked if I could take them and boss said sure . Ive plugged the in and they are very bright and the light emitted is basically totally white

[Ira]

Where did you get them from? It's the kind of thing I'm looking for to light my big tank. I'll be interested to see how you find the colour given that it just says "white", hope it isn't too yellow.

Unlikely it would be yellow. Most cheap white LEDs, which this one looks likely to be, are much more towards the blue end of the spectrum.

[Hayden]

sooooo good for plants?

[the-obstacle]

sooooo good for plants?

Any light will be good for plants but usually you want it closer to yellow than blue on the spectrum but you will get growth with these, you just might not get fully efficient growth. I doubt you'll notice the difference though. I look forward to the results.

[livebearer_breeder]

Unlikely it would be yellow. Most cheap white LEDs, which this one looks likely to be, are much more towards the blue end of the spectrum.

My experience with the cheaper LED's listed as "white" so far is that they do tend to the yellow spectrum slightly, sitting around 6000k, which is basically daylight but more toward the flowering end of the spectrum as 6500 is best for growth IMO. I have experimented with very similar lighting and find it tends to cause algae to grow, however over my aquaponics system I have a series of white LED bulbs producing over 1800lumens each and that does well for my herbs and veges, just not great for aquatic plants. If i were you id go to bunnings and buy a Cool white 20-24watt CFB for $5 and a clip lamp for $10 and add Co2. Have had alot of success this way.

[livebearer_breeder]

Any light will be good for plants but usually you want it closer to yellow than blue on the spectrum but you will get growth with these, you just might not get fully efficient growth. I doubt you'll notice the difference though. I look forward to the results.

Disagree, some light like, halogen, which has a very low kelvin rating and often referred to as "dirty light" is highly unproductive for plant production an growth. Closer to the yellow spectrum is only good if you actually have plants flowering and even then i would only suggest it in conjunction with some type of daylight or blue/green spectrum leaning toward vegetating, partner lighting.

[the-obstacle]

Disagree, some light like, halogen, which has a very low kelvin rating and often referred to as "dirty light" is highly unproductive for plant production an growth. Closer to the yellow spectrum is only good if you actually have plants flowering and even then i would only suggest it in conjunction with some type of daylight or blue/green spectrum leaning toward vegetating, partner lighting.

We both said the same thing.

Hayden posted

sooooo good for plants?

and I said 'Any light will be good for plants' as opposed to the opposite of any light being no light. We both then went on to explain that it may not be ideal - in our own special way.

I still stand by the fact that light is better than dark and I also believe that these particular LEDs may surprise us all by producing great growing plants in the right (probably hi-tech) environment.