New Tank 2 Choices...

[Piti]

I'm looking to purchase a 55gallon starter kit very soon and I am divided between two. They both contain the same filters and heaters and whatnot, but one has LED lights, and one is floresent tubes... I don't know if it is worth spending an extra $100 for the different lights. I need some opinions.

The LEDs have a built in "Night" light, 3 blue bulbs for nighttime viewing and looks sleeker then the square tubes... but im just looking for opinions.

I plan on having a planted tank, 6-7ph type of fish and such. Thanks and have a good one.

 

[Mark Z.]

I have had a flourescent tube light on my tank forever. I saw the new LED light bar in a pets store on a display tank and thought it looked really cool. I loved the way the water cast moving shadows over the bottom of the tank, so I bought it ($200!!)

When I got home, I noticed a few things that disappointed me. One, the light was visible above the tank, below the light bar, whereas the flourescent hood goes completely down to the tank lid and the actual light is not seen outside the tank. Also, I did not have that ripply effect that looked so cool in the store. I took the light bar back the same day. The tank was also not nearly as bright as the flourescent tube.

I think my tank did not look as cool as the store tank because my tank is in the basement and usually viewed with most of the room lights out. The bright store lights eliminated the visible light above the tank and I think also contributed to the ripply effect. It may look entirely different in a well-lit room.

Another thing...I purchased a LED light bar that was supposed to fit a 30-55 gallon tank, but the actual light bar does not extend all the way to the sides of the tank; there are extendable arms that reach to the sides of the tank, but in my case, the LED bar was about 6" in from each side.

It did make the colors of some of the fish stand out more than with the regular flourescent light. The neon tetras looked very good.

Just my experience. Good luck!

 

[OldMan47]

I have bought some LED night lights for far less than $100. I have a 4 bulb LED night light arrangement in my 6 foot long 120 gallon tank that gives a nice glow to the tank after the main lights go off.
If the LED main lights give a decent spectrum for plants, both the LED and fluorescent lights can be considered equivalent for lighting your tank. At that point I would look at the LED lights and try to decide whether or not the power savings of the LED lighting were worth the extra costs involved. If the pay off was only 3 or 4 years, it might well be worth the added initial costs. The night lighting aspect is a red herring in my opinion. Night lights can be purchased separately, as I did, and cost nowhere near as much as the LED fixture difference costs.

 

[KittyKat]

I prefer fluorescent tubes.

Good LEDs tend to be quite expensive to buy and are also expensive to run.

 

[Piti]

Wow, thats 3 for 3 on Fluorescent tubes! Good to know some downfalls and ups, but right now the LEDs need a bit more ups to be spending an extra 100-200 on them. Thanks guys.

 

[Aqua Tom]

I prefer fluorescent tubes.

Good LEDs tend to be quite expensive to buy and are also expensive to run.

Actualy LED's are about 5 times more efficiant than Flourescent lights.

I would go with flourescent as the technology isnt quite there yet with LED's

 

[KittyKat]

Good LEDs tend to be quite expensive to buy and are also expensive to run.

Actualy LED's are about 5 times more efficiant than Flourescent lights.

That is actually not the case good LEDs are almost equivalent to T5s with a good (electric) starter. Most affordable LEDs are not that good.. to the point where between an average (cheap) LED and an average T5 unit, the T5 unit is more efficient. Assuming we are counting efficiency in photons per electron.

LEDs definitely have the potential to be much better than flourescents, and one can buy them even now.. but what is actually available for purchase most of the time is not that great.

For example, many DIY marine lighting units which use LEDs are better than any fluorescent unit one can buy, but these usually use very nice individual LEDs which are not readily available. These units are excellent for anyone wanting over T5 lighting, but not wanting to dish out on the metal halides.