low budget lighting help

[SRbettas]

I'm looking to upgrade the lighting on my 130 litre tank from T8 Bulbs to LEDs, however i dont have a huge budget. does anyone have experience with either the aquasky, popbloom or nicrew lights. I will be growing some stem plants, ludwigia repens, rotala roundifolia, rotala indica, a carpet of pearlweed, dwarf sag and monte carlo and various mosses and epiphytes. The tank is 80 cm long however the light cant be much longer than 60cm (the 61cm aquasky is my limit), so light will need a wide surface area coverage.
I also would consider the fluval plant 3.0 if i was able to get one second hand. What would you recommend?

 

[xxEMOxLIZZARDxx]

Someone can correct me, but would a rope light of LED's work? I've got a strip of them from Five Below in the US and they worked to grow normal plants but I don't know if they would work for a fish tank.
I also don't know where to get in the UK.

 

[seangee]

This is a basic nicrew classicled g2. I run it at 40% but this tank is only 30cm deep so it should be OK in a deeper tank. Absolutely no complaints from me about it.

If you are mounting inside the hood double check the specs, not all their models are waterproof. This one is not - but it sits above a transparent cover.

 

[sharkweek178]

This is a basic nicrew classicled g2. I run it at 40% but this tank is only 30cm deep so it should be OK in a deeper tank. Absolutely no complaints from me about it.

If you are mounting inside the hood double check the specs, not all their models are waterproof. This one is not - but it sits above a transparent cover.

Does your light have a built in timer?
Those plants look great.

 

[seangee]

No - I have the separate Nicrew timers/dimmers on all my tanks (the other 3 don't have Nicrew lights). Don't see them on Amazon now but there are others that look identical - obviously I can't vouch for those.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I started with lighting for planst about 22 years back, Initially it was t-12 and t-8. To date my favorite light was a no longer made full spectrum tri-phosphor T-8. From there I went to high CRI T-8s and then power compacts.

Recently I needed lighting for a 15 and a 20L and I got the Nicrew. They are OK and cheap. I have them on timers. They are more unsafe to get wet. I have dropped all my other lights into tanks over the years with no ill effects except they got wet. With the LED my understanding is if you wet them they may die. But for a cheap light they works fine and you get some control. I run mune with the lowest seeting for blue and brightness. I actually have white copy paper between the light and the water on the glass top. I wanted them less bright than I could set them.

 

[Slammin’ Aquascaping]

Nicrew is good, I like LED floodlights too

 

[sharkweek178]

No - I have the separate Nicrew timers/dimmers on all my tanks (the other 3 don't have Nicrew lights). Don't see them on Amazon now but there are others that look identical - obviously I can't vouch for those.

I've heard that Nicrew is a good budget light. I wanted something with a built in timer so I got Hygger lights. They cost a little more but they're still budget lights.

 

[GaryE]

I grew decent plants using Costco led tubes in a fluorescent fixture. I admit, I upgraded when I could, but you did say cheap....

 

[SRbettas]

I'm leaning towards a Nicrew light, any specific models anyone would recommend the skyled plus seems to have good reviews?

 

[connorlindeman]

I've got really nice growth with this cheap light:

https://www.amazon.com/AQUANEAT-Aquarium-Light-Spectrum-Multi-Color/dp/B07T9Y7LQ4/ref=sr_1_4?crid=32KWIROPJAWAE&keywords=aquarium+lights&qid=1679008467&s=pet-supplies&sprefix=%2Cpets%2C2950&sr=1-4

No control other than on and off, so I use a cheap timer with it.
No complaints.

 

[Uberhoust]

I use a Nicrew G2 with a Nicrew Ramp Timer. It has worked well for the last couple of years. I have to keep the light between 70 and 80% on a 20" tall tank.

 

[WhistlingBadger]

The aquasky is fantastic, but I wouldn't call it low budget.

 

[emeraldking]

does anyone have experience with either the aquasky, popbloom or nicrew lights

I don't know these kinds of lights but I use low budget lighting as well and it works all perfectly for years now.

 

[seangee]

I've heard that Nicrew is a good budget light. I wanted something with a built in timer so I got Hygger lights. They cost a little more but they're still budget lights.

@sharkweek178 what do you think of the Hygger? How long have you had it and is the unit directly over water? I noticed today that the output on my main tank is a bit variable (visibly changed colour several times while I was watching). Its 7 years old so I'm not upset about it . Light is part of the lid so it will be directly above the water...

Options are

1. new Aqua One replacement @ £200 - timer only no intensity control, and the timer is only on / off. Plants and fish have been thriving and I do have an external Nicrew controller for the intensity.
2. Aquasky 2. £130 and I need to use their app, but I know it will be waterproof
3. Hygger @£65 - does all I need and includes the controller. Blurb on Amazon says I can place directly over water and no reviews that contradict this. Similar output to the Aquasky
4. Nicrew @£47. Nicrew recommends not to place directly over water and several reviews back this up. Suppose I could use silicone and I already have the controller - but that's still a faff...

Currently leaning towards the Hygger unless someone says its a bad idea. Not paying twice the price to be forced to use a mobile app when all I am going to do is set it and forget it. Its for the tank in my signature.