Cheap Lighting For Low Tech Tank

[Munroco]

I'm setting up a "new" 30*12*15 tank. Trying to do everything cheap or for nothing but the led lighting I planned to use isn't suitable.
 
I'm going to use light coloured sand substrate and a load of red rocks (worn down bricks) and driftwood that I collected from the beach along with some anubias, java fern and java moss.
 
The LED I have just now gives of a predominantly blue light that make the bricsk look grey. I want something that will show up the red. The original plan was to buy nothing but just use spare equipment and plants from my other tanks. Now I have to spend some money but want to try to keep it cheap.
 
Any suggestions?

 

[cooledwhip]

I'm assuming it will be low tech? Get a T8 or T5 shop light. If that doesnt work you can get a incandescent fixture made for the cheapy aquarium bulbs and put in a flourescent bulb. I did that wit my 2.5g and it is full spectrum. I have sand in that and it isnt a cool color.

 

[Byron]

I agree.  I don't know what lighting is available in the UK, but over here in NA it is getting very difficult to find aquarium fixtures with T8.  T5 is available, but that is very bright, and then the LED but that is very expensive and you need to know what you're getting.
 
My 20+ year old fixtures have not surprisingly been giving out of late, and I end up taking the works out of the housing and using the shop light like John mentioned.  I have always used T8 fluorescent over my tanks, so I have a good understanding of the issues and I can make T8 work over any tank.  I only have natural or low-tech planted tanks.  If you are good with carpentry, building the housing is not difficult.  I used the existing housing as I am not at all competent when it comes to such work.  Replacing the innards was enough of a challenge, but I managed for four fixtures now.
 
Two tubes will give you the option of different types, which can help with colour hue.  I use one 6500K and one slightly warmer, with two tubes.  With just one, always a 6500K which is high in the red, blue and green for the truest colour rendition.
 
Byron.

 

[Munroco]

The LEDs I'm seeing on Ebay don't seem expensive. The problem is I don't really know what I need as far as wattage etc. I think I probably want RGB instead of blue/white but I'm not sure.
 
BTW to say I am NOT good at carpentry would be a huge understatement.

 

[Byron]

The LEDs I'm seeing on Ebay don't seem expensive. The problem is I don't really know what I need as far as wattage etc. I think I probably want RGB instead of blue/white but I'm not sure

 
I have tried several LED units, and they all went back (or stayed in the store, those that I was able to see over a tank there).  The trick is to get units that have each LED the correct spectrum.  The units with individual white, blue and red diodes in my view are useless; you get red streaks through the water, and the red turned the black substrate purple.  Those who have LED locally told me you need the expensive units.  But you still need to know what the light is, and I'm lost on that.  The cheap units that were no good were all close to $200, whereas my shop lights were $40 plus the tubes of course.

 

[Munroco]

Yeah I suppose you get what you pay for. The last unit I bought was LED for a 4 ft tank, I'm very happy with that but it was about £90. Not sure what that is in $ but its probably a lot more than it was last week.
 
You and Cooledwhip mentioned Shop units. They sound like they will need some extra bits to fit on a tank and I am no handyman. I checked on Ebay and there are all sorts of shapes and sizes.

 

[Byron]

Yeah I suppose you get what you pay for. The last unit I bought was LED for a 4 ft tank, I'm very happy with that but it was about £90. Not sure what that is in $ but its probably a lot more than it was last week.
 
You and Cooledwhip mentioned Shop units. They sound like they will need some extra bits to fit on a tank and I am no handyman. I checked on Ebay and there are all sorts of shapes and sizes.

 
Shop lights are complete units that originally were used over work benches, hence the name (the "work shop" lighting).  People also use them over counters and in dark closets.  They are just basic, the bar with the ballast inside and the tube sockets at either end.  They lack a housing, so that is where you need the housing from an old light, or have to make one.
 
We have Home Depot home improvement stores in NA, and at my local store they have these lights in 2, 3, 4 and 6 foot lengths, in both single and dual tube.  Over my two 3-foot tanks, I have used a dual tube 2-foot unit, which gives me more light than a single 3-foot, but not too much, and I can use two different types.  

 

[AshGillott]

I was just about to post a thread on near enough the same thing, my tank light unit is creating dark spots within the tank so I was considering getting myself a 3 bulb LED unit, after reading this I now wont bother.
 
So next up will be a DIY twin bulb unit, im no good with carpentry either but you have to try these things dont you 

 

[StevenF]

 
 
RGB instead of blue/white but I'm not sure.

RGB leds emmite  one wavelength of blue, one of green, and one of red.  Plant s use most of the visble spectrum even green.  Plants work best with blue and red,  and due use yellow and violet less effectively.   Generally many peoplebelieve plants don't use green light but scintist have found that plants can use green light but at very low efficiency.   For my orchids  I made a blue and red grow lamp with LEDs it didn't work that well.  I later replaced it with another lamp that used blue red and a lot of white.  The results were much better.  Researchers did make a green house with special solar pannels that absorbed green and yellow light but let blue and red pass through to reach the plants.   While many plants did well in this light, there were a number that didn't do well.  So based on my expeirence and some science report,  White LEDs generally work better for plants. 

 

[Akasha72]

I normally stay out of these discussions as I don't get a lot of the jargon but I just wanted to say I got an Interpet LED light from MA for my little fry tank. Because this tank has a thin plastic lid I couldn't add anything too sophisticated to it ... I needed something that was light (in weight) and could be fixed in easily. This light came with suction cups and clips and screws so I had two options in fixing it. Currently the suction cups have stuck to the underside of the lid and the light quality is really good.
I have some cabomba plants in the tank and it's growing like a weed even though I'm adding no ferts