Led Light Strips - Ok For Plants?

[Mebster]

I have a 25 litre tank and I recently purchased 2x24 white LED strips as shown in the picture. They don't produce a lot to light to be honest but what I wasn't sure about is are they having any benefit to the plants in my tank at all. Do I need special lights for plants to get the whole photosynthesis working or will LEDS do the job? I ask because my plants don't seem to be growing at all.

 

[Mebster]

Anyone?

 

[Whitey_144]

Anyone?

I'm not sure, but im interested in the answer, because I was thinking of having 2 normal bulbs and then a blue LED strip for dawn and dusk...would be useful to know if these are just as good as T8 bulbs

 

[three-fingers]

Sorry, those LED may look bright but what we are interested in with plants is PAR -photosynthetically active radiation - which cheap LEDs dont put out much of. Expensive specialist aquarium LED's do though, short-term fluorescents are cheaper still atm.

You dont need special light, just ones a lot more powerful, if you had the entire hood totally covered in those lights without a cm to spare you could probably grow your plants, but youd be far cheaper and safer buying a single florescent tube.

 

[tanksalot]

I'm not sure, but im interested in the answer, because I was thinking of having 2 normal bulbs and then a blue LED strip for dawn and dusk...would be useful to know if these are just as good as T8 bulbs

I have these cheap LED strips in two of my tanks and use them for a couple of hours a night after the main lights are off to give a night time feel to the tank. As the poster above says, they are no replacement for a fluorescent tube, but I find they're a nice addition for a decorative effect.