Heater Deal at Kensfish...

[Avatar]

Originally Posted by JasonC

So maybe I am misunderstanding your description, but how can they be called moonlights if they cant be on separate from the flourescents? Wouldn't they just be "LED's to add a blue tinge to the water"?

Easy, the manufacturer calls them moonlights and just like that they are. And while the moonlights/LEDs are on all the time, if the fluorescents are switched off (at night) they're all that's left on. They're not bright enough to "tinge" much of anything when the other lights are on (unlike actinics) and since they're installed on a freshwater fixture there's really no other point/purpose in having them.

As currently made/shipped the LEDs can't be switched off independently of the fluorescents, but the converse isn't true. One plug/power feed, three circuits, only two with on/off switches (for the T5 bulbs).

Anyway they're sweet, compact, cool-running, low-energy fixtures that grow plants (even in something deep/tall like a 55 or 29). Not bad at all for a mere 56Ws on a 4' fixture. The only potentially better option that I'm aware of are 100% LED fixtures that use very little energy, although they're still pricey and I haven't heard good reports on their utility for growing plants. Also skeptical about the immutable type of light a straight LED array emits as opposed to the modifiable 6700K/10,000K configuration in a regular T5 fixture. Am guessing that we're many years away from a 100% LED array that can throw light that's comparable spectrally and aesthetically to a 6700k/Colormax or Gro-light combination.

[JasonC]

Ah.. see, thats what I missed. So If I am reading you correctly, they are on as long as the unit is plugged in to the wall, and then you can switch the individual flourescents on/off w/ provided switches. Only problem I can see with that is using it with timers. But as long as the case is easily openable, May be interesting to see if the tubes and LED's can be separated to different circuits.

As far as LED looks are concerned, there is a growing base of fans on plantedtank.net who seems to like to DIY them rather than looking at the expensive ready made options. Cree LED's, I know, are available in increments from appx. 3200 kelvin to 10k kelvin. Granted, it is a *somewhat* 1 shot deal on getting it right. Been also seeing a number of threads with people using a mix of LED's on different circuits and then using an Arduino controller to mix to their liking, and also replicating sunrise/sunset. I also definitely like the fact that un-lensed, linear LED's give you a nice ripple effect, akin to what i hear MH lights give you and you cant get from flourescents diffuse light.

But I digress from the thread topic...

Originally Posted by Avatar

Easy, the manufacturer calls them moonlights and just like that they are. And while the moonlights/LEDs are on all the time, if the fluorescents are switched off (at night) they're all that's left on.
<SNIP>

The only potentially better option that I'm aware of are 100% LED fixtures that use very little energy, although they're still pricey and I haven't heard good reports on their utility for growing plants. Also skeptical about the immutable type of light a straight LED array emits as opposed to the modifiable 6700K/10,000K configuration in a regular T5 fixture. Am guessing that we're many years away from a 100% LED array that can throw light that's comparable spectrally and aesthetically to a 6700k/Colormax or Gro-light combination.

[Avatar]

By all means digress. Were I ever to get sufficiently wonky/obsessed to have time enough to start building my own LED units I will have effectively retired from the larger world. Nice thought, but I think I'd opt for gardening instead. But maybe someone will introduce decent sweetwater LED units sooner rather than later - perhaps it''s just the inexpensive aspect that will remain elusive.

[mchambers]

Must be something in the water. I just ordered from Ken's a week ago. Wish I had waited a few days!

[rich_one]

Got the heater and some more pellets. Shoulda got an AC110 though...

-Rich