LED advice

Need some LED advice. Looking to light up 180g tank, no plants. Trying to save some power. Currently have 2 T8 fixtures with 2 bulbs each.
Was looking at 2 aqueon 48" modular fixtures with 5 daylight LEDs and 1 color max strip. Will this be enough to light up the tank? How much more energy efficient would this be? Are there better LEDs out are around the same price?

Thanks in advance

Will

look at beamswork LEDs I didnt like mine at first but now I love it, so much better than the heavy florescent fixtures.

MorganEA wrote:look at beamswork LEDs I didnt like mine at first but now I love it, so much better than the heavy florescent fixtures.

Have any pics? I've really liked the aqueons as you can actually change the strips out if they ever go out. This will save you from buying a whole new fixture.

im actually just now trying to sell some of my beamsworks fixtures, havent even posted it. 2 36'' single brights. more then enough to light a tank just not the right spectrum for plants. i dont have a power cord for one (dang cat) but they both work just fine. PM me if maybe ur trying to save money. be happy to work out a deal. GL to ya

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10g version
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I have the modular Aqueon on my 72g bow and HATE it! The fixture came with my tank when I bought it so no complaints about that. The problems? Adding tubes gets expensive and the fixture itself is big and bulky.

I also have the Current USA Satellite +, these are awesome! The effects are gimmicky but the full spectrum and rose settings really make the fish pop. I love how my fish look with these.

Ive also had Beamsworks which I think are great budget lights at a pretty good price.

I have one 48" aqueon with a daylight and a color max bulb . With only these two lights my tank is super bright (125). I think 6?bulbs may be too bright. Unless you went 2 daylight 2 color max and 2 of the new blue bulbs then you'd have a great spectrum to being out color

Thanks or the input everyone!

I've been looking into the Beamworks LED's. There are 2 models that catch my eye. Need some help here, sorry not to knowledgable about LED's.
Models

48" double hi lumen
280 LED's x .2 watts

48" quad double bright
72 LED's x 1watt

Since the quad is using higher watts, will this be brighter than the double high lumen even though this has 280 LED's on this fixture?

Thanks I'm advance

Will

If it were me on a budget I would go for these:
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The only issue I had with them on my 210g was that I used the old single bright and my tank looked dim. Also I had to remove the extendable legs to fit my tank properly. I then used some of the little silicone pads (the king you use to prevent cabinet doors from slamming) on the corners of the fixture so that would not slip around on the top of the tank.

I really would like the clean look of the 72" fixtures but not sure on the light output, might be too much.
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The two 36" would fit on the top of the 6ft tank nicely and those fixtures should give plenty of light for a fish only set up. If you want plants, you might consider a different fixture.

Thanks for your input DMD!
Will the fixtures with lesser LED's but higher watts be brighter than a fixture with more LED's running lesser watts?

I would look at the Lumen rating on the fixture for that answer. Beamswork used to make a 'single bright' style which was adequate if your tank was not too deep or wide and you had no plans for plants. These were just OK. I you were dealing with a wider tank (ex. 24") I would be looking for the 'double bright. type instead. The single bright usually had more LED's but at a much lower lumen. The double bright style had less LED's but much higher lumen rating. Hope that make sense.

Will, I was looking at your original post and you are trying to light a standard 6ft 180 gallon. Were you wanting to do a single 48" light or dual 48" and overlap/offset? Not sure what you had meant.

Two 36" fixtures in a double bright configuration would work out great.

DMD123 wrote:Will, I was looking at your original post and you are trying to light a standard 6ft 180 gallon. Were you wanting to do a single 48" light or dual 48" and overlap/offset? Not sure what you had meant.

Two 36" fixtures in a double bright configuration would work out great.

Was looking for the best light output for the 180. I don't want it dim but well lit. Was looking at a 48" fixture bright enough to light the tank well. I was thinking of having 1ft on each side of the tank darker then the rest. Just unsure about all the power output of the LED's. It sounds like the double brights might be the way to go. Trying to stay around $120, hoping to not have to buy 2 fixtures.

Thanks

Will

A single 72" would be perfect but they tend to sell out of those pretty quickly and a lot of times the only ones left have the 6500K for plants. Just me but I like the whiter look of the 10K lighting instead.

A single 48" might do it if you dont mind the darker look around the edge but two of the 36" at $54 each would still keep you on budget and then you would have no regrets about a dim tank.

I have 2 of these on my 8ft 240 tank and they do a great job.   I did have a transformer go bad, but that's been it.   Higher watt= higher lumen I believe.   For a 180 I would go reef bright but that's me with Tropheus.   I know some dis the beamworks but I have been very happy with them.  

These are the ones I have
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A look from a couple of months ago.


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That lighting looks great! Nice tank too! I'll keep an eye out for 1 watt fixtures! Thanks!

Will I am wrote:Thanks or the input everyone!

I've been looking into the Beamworks LED's. There are 2 models that catch my eye. Need some help here, sorry not to knowledgable about LED's.
Models

48" double hi lumen
280 LED's x .2 watts

48" quad double bright
72 LED's x 1watt

Since the quad is using higher watts, will this be brighter than the double high lumen even though this has 280 LED's on this fixture?

Thanks I'm advance

Will

I run a Beamswork 4ft 1810 Lumen doublebright which works great for my fish with out being too bright

We have led lights on nearly all of our tanks at this point and they are all nice for different reasons. Our 72 bow Geophagus Tapajos tank has the Aqueon modular with one daylight and one pink and the fish look great. Our 75 goldfish tank has the finnex monster ray, it suits the goldfish but a bit too red for my taste. My 110 Tropheus Duboisi tank has the finnex planted , I love this light and it is bright so it grows lots of algae. Now my favorite led light so far is the Current Satellite + on my 210 Tropheus Kasakalawe and Petrochromis tank, this light is perfect. The thing I really like about it is the options, I mainly keep it on the gentle fade setting as I prefer more ambient lighting it and provides that perfectly. However when I do want brighter light I also have a supplemental led to increase the white spectrum.
It's nice that we have so many affordable choices now for led lights !

Ordered 2 4ft gen 4 - 10k LED fixtures for $92! They should be here by Tuesday. I'll update once they arrive