# Starting the move to LED



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I have been thinking of eventually making the move over to LED for my six planted tanks for some time now and wanted to start with my shrimp tanks to start slow and easy. They are relatively small and with all of the fixtures out there now and the planted aquarium world driving the design and price drop, I figured now was as a good as a time as any.

So today I ordered a Finnex Ray II for my 29g and a Finnex Fugeray Planted + for my 20g tall. The Ray II is much higher light and I am prepared to add CO2, if necessary (have enough pieces laying around to set it up). I don't really want to add CO2. Will see how these work first before deciding what to do for my 20g long.

The bulbs in the 2 fixtures I have, have been running for nearly 3yrs without replacement and are the original bulbs. They are T5HO fishneedit lights, 2x24W. The Giesemann Powerchrome bulbs that are in my other fixtures are $20 each. That would have been $80, the cost to replace one with a LED fixture. 

Eventually going to change out my lights on my 75g and my 125s. I spent a lot of money on these fixtures (all custom built), so it may still be a little while still before the thought doesn't upset my stomach. I plan to go with buildmyled brand for these tanks.

I will post pics of before and after once I get them.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

It's nice to have one less thing to do keeping up so many tanks(replacing bulbs $$$).saving elctricity is nice too$$! Someday they will make DC pumps for all our filters,and that will help too.(can't wait and always looking{dreamer})
I know you know what you're doing so can only look forward to hearing how much you enjoy your new lights.The extra added insight from you in future is already appreciated.
I'm so glad I have mostly LEDS (especially after getting Dec. electric bill!)


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Not too long ago if you wanted LED for your planted tanks you mostly had to make yourself. I used to spend a lot of time on the planted tank forum and that just seemed like it dominated discussion sometimes. But now it really does dominate discussion. 

What's cool is I have my own PAR meter and plan to test and compare my results to what the company advertises before I put them on the tanks.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Good choice on the lights. I have heard nothing but good on them. Will be awaiting your personal preference and experiences on them.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Yeah, same here. A lot of people like them on TPT. I watched a youtube video earlier on a guy who put 3 Ray 2s on his 90g. Looked pretty awesome. I know I will need at least two 48" on my 75g, if not 3 and the same for my 125s in a 72" version. I liked the BMLs because you can get a dimmer added in.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The LED fixtures came in today. Very impressed with the quality and love how tiny these things are. Both old fixtures only had 1 bulb going. The 29g didn't do so well with it, the 20g never missed a beat and has awesome growth. Never really had a problem with either of the old fixtures, it was just time to move on to newer technology.

These are just shrimp tanks and nothing special in way of plants. I like to get plants that they tend to spend a lot of time in or on.

Here is 29g with old T5HO:









29g with Finnex Ray2 (huge difference here...may drive the need for CO2):









20g with old T5HO, single bulb









20g with Finnex Fugeray Planted +


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

I like how much greener the plants look!


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## Threnjen (Jan 10, 2013)

Those look great! They really brighten up your greens.
You won't regret getting a Build My LED for your bigger tanks. We just got ours last week and it's pretty much the best thing since sliced bread. It's absolutely gorgeous and the color is amazing.
I'll have to take some pictures for you how it looks on the 90 since it will be similar on your 75. I'm actually still running my back shop light of 2x T8 to provide some fill lighting to the back of the tank, because a single fixture a few inches above the center of the tank provides very different light distribution from 4 t8 bulbs suspended a foot above and I can't quite get used to it.
I've only had it for a week though so can't comment much on the plants... plus last night I went on a huge shopping excursion for new plants.
The Finnex was my next choice, I just got lucky to convince the hubs to go for the bml.
Glad you're making the LED move! I am really banking on their long lifespan to even out the costs over time.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Ordered a single BML (10000K) for my 75g. Not ready to tackle the 125s just yet. They recommend 2 fixtures and they will cost about $600. Moving fairly soon and may end up going down to only one 125g tank or may have to get rid of both. Just depends on space.

Need to decide what to do with this (20g long shrimp tank)









I like that plants grow sort of slow in there. With the exception of the one stem plant that seems to grow exceptionally well and fast in low light, all others barely creep. My shrimp love the stems that grow fast, what you mostly see in the pic. Don't know the name of the plant. Just wondering what higher light levels will make it do.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Toss a current LED+ over it. 

Also, do I see water spots on the back of the 29? * fred krueger


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

you would see those! They are not water spots, they are water stains. If you look closer you can see the stain all the way around. Doesn't bother me. They weren't caused by me either. The tank is over 10yrs old and I refuse to waste my time trying to scrub out somebody else's negligence. FWIW, before I put it in there I let straight vinegar soak in the tank for 3-4 hrs. None of it budged. If I do a substrate change in the next couple of months I may throw out the tank and put up a new one. 29s are cheap.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Hahaha! Gotta give you a hard time about it since you give us all a hard time for ours


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Here is my 75g with the old T5HO:









Here it is with the BuildMyLED setup:


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

What a difference!
What is the plant second from the left in back with red on top?I got some of those from Kehy as a bonus and love them, but have no clue what they are.And any special care you know or do for them would be greatly appreciated!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The pic of the 75g is about 10-12 days old now. The tank is still recovering from treating the tank with some pretty strong meds that nearly wiped out a lot of plants. The long stem plants that are in there have already grown enough to be trimmed.

I ordered a dual 72" BML today to replace the lights on one of my 125s. Not sure if I will be converting the other 125 yet or not. All said and done with accessories was a little over $800. Hopefully, I will be able to sell the 2-36" fixtures with little problem to recoup some of the cost. Will post pics in a couple of weeks when I get them in and installed.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

coralbandit said:


> What a difference!
> What is the plant second from the left in back with red on top?I got some of those from Kehy as a bonus and love them, but have no clue what they are.And any special care you know or do for them would be greatly appreciated!


Limnophila Aromatica. No special care that I am aware of. It does need pretty good CO2. Yours is growing pretty good? I expect this plant to take off pretty good with this higher light. These all came from one stem that survived after my timer reset while on vacation.


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Ya mine is doing well!It seems like a very low maintenance plant ;it seems to "trim itself" regulary?I constantly find 4-6" pieces floating around that I am sure is just the tops comming off.I replant them!Expect to have as much of it as the willow hygro that I have no control over right now!Thanks!


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## TroyVSC (Aug 29, 2012)

Great looking tanks. I absolutely love my Finnex. I have the the reg FugeRay on my 40b and I get really good growth on my plants.

Any algae problems with the Finnex FugeRay2? I think they would be too much light if not using CO2.


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## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Looks great!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

TroyVSC said:


> Great looking tanks. I absolutely love my Finnex. I have the the reg FugeRay on my 40b and I get really good growth on my plants.
> 
> Any algae problems with the Finnex FugeRay2? I think they would be too much light if not using CO2.


Thanks. Starting out I got a little algae. I lowered the period down to 6hrs and started adding ferts again. After that, no problem for now. I'm going to put some screen material on mine to knock it down a notch. It is a little more than I really wanted. I have thought about getting the Planted + to replace it.


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## Threnjen (Jan 10, 2013)

The 75g with the BML looks absolutely outstanding! I can't believe the difference


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I rcvd my new LEDs for one of my 125g tanks. It is two 72" fixtures, 10000k and 7000k, both on top of the tank. I have ordered a dual hanging kit but it has not arrived yet. The LEDs will look a tad brighter as they sit now. This change was never about getting more light as you can see I could have lowered the lights that I already had. New fixtures will be about 5" above the tank I think. Love the look of the LEDs.

Now that the tank appears to be fully recovered from the devastation some med treatments caused I can get back to growing plants.

Old T5HO


















New LEDs


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## jccaclimber2 (May 6, 2012)

The tanks look nice. I'll be watching this as I've been going back and forth on what to do for my 300. I'm still leaning T5HO since I know it and have the fixtures, but the LEDs are appealing. A semi-local LFS has been trying to talk me into their in-house LEDs, but I'm not quite there yet.


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## rtmaston (Jul 14, 2012)

very nice tank.i like my marineland leds with bluelights.it have a digital timer for leds and bluelights.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Just updating with new pics. Recently hung my BML fixtures on two tanks.


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## Threnjen (Jan 10, 2013)

Looks outstanding. Do you love them?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Threnjen said:


> Looks outstanding. Do you love them?


Yep! Diggin' it!


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