New light

[AquaBarb]

Brought a new light for my son's tank this week. The one what come with the tanks not very old but its got a loose connection and plays up sometimes.

The light for this tank is basically just a LED blub with the power lead directly in the end of it. All i can seem to find simliar on Ebay and Amazon are these.....

There not too expensive so i ordered one to try and several modes later...

I placed it on the normal white setting
but it didnt seem bright enough and was worried my plants would suffer so i just put my old light back in for now.

Can anyone recommend a good replacement for this type of light?

 

[Colin_T]

if you don't have real plants then any white light will do

 

[AquaBarb]

Ive got the following plants in this tank so i do need a good light..

Amazon sword
Anacharis
Rotala indica
Crypocoryne wendtii
Crypocoryne beckettii
2 other stem plants
Water spangles

Looked into replacing my T8's on my bigger tank not long ago before i fixed them but found it a bit easier to find suitable replacements because of the retro fit lights they sell etc. LED's seem harder to find unless you have a tank without a lid

 

[Byron]

I can't help with LED suggestions as I still have T8 and CFL. But you need the right spectrum and none of those in the photos will work for live plants. You want light that is high in the red, blue and green, which is around 6500K (close to 100 CRI) and has the right intensity. Others have recommended Finnex (if I have the name correct), they can advise.

 

[AquaBarb]

Soon as i put the light in i knew it wouldnt be suitable for my plants, the white light looked good but way too dim. Its more of a gimmick than it is a light..

Ive heard of Finnex but i think they attach to above the tank (like below) so i wouldnt be able to fit my lid back on.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

I see, tough situation. The light looks good, except you say it doesn’t seem bright enough?

 

[AquaBarb]

I see, tough situation. The light looks good, except you say it doesn’t seem bright enough?

No you can see the difference between my old light and the new light here..

New
Old

Ive put my old light back in for now until i find a suitable replacement. The light effect on the new light looked good but it couldnt of been close to a 6500k rating i need to keep my plants healthy.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Wow, your old one definitely looks better. Why not just keep the old one in there?

 

[AquaBarb]

It plays up sometimes, i think it as a loose connection. when i do water changes i have to take the lid off and it takes a good while to get the light back on once ive done. When i get it on its fine until the next water change because its on a timer.

Just worry it wont come back on one day.

 

[Metalhead88]

Some of the finnex lights mount as you pictured and you can just have the brackets sit on top of your lid like legs....so it'll work. Others kinda just hug around the outside edge of the tank so it'll fit with any lid.

You can always just lay the light flat over your lid, although I think it doesn't look as good.

As far as lights go, LED is the way to go. Current and Finnex lights are some of the more popular lights as they are the cheaper of the "good stuff" Fluval makes good lights too but they quite expensive.

Nicrew sells great on amazon, is very cheap, and the people of the internet like it.

I have a Finnex Planted+ HLC and I like it a lot. I wish it was just a tad brighter.

 

[AquaBarb]

Some of the finnex lights mount as you pictured and you can just have the brackets sit on top of your lid like legs....so it'll work. Others kinda just hug around the outside edge of the tank so it'll fit with any lid.

Thanks for that @Metalhead88

I cant see how they would fit my tank the finnex with how my lid fits my lid would need to go above the light if that makes sense

 

[Metalhead88]

Oh OK. I didn't realize your lid was like that.... Idk if I'd feel comfortable with having the light fixture under the lid. Nearly all of them are designed to sit on top and wouldn't do well with the extra moisture it would be subject to.

I'd highly recommend picking up a glass lid and that way you can get the light that you actually want.

 

[Fishmanic]

Or you might try fixing the light that came built into the lid. Unplug the light fixture the try spraying wd-40 into the light’s switch and connection. Then rapidly turn the switch on and off and connect and disconnect the cord connection that goes into the light assembly several times. That might clean off any corrosion. If that doesnt work, then unplug the light and dissassemble the light assembly and look for rusting or bad solder joints. Resolder any questionable connections (if you have a soldering iron and are knowledgeable about soldering).

 

[AquaBarb]

I have had the power supply switch box open and looked at the connections. All did seem ok but sometimes when i put the lid on the switch box will give off a sparking sound so there as got to be a loose connection. Might give that ago

Ive tried purchasing a like for like replacement but i cant seem to locate one which is strange because there newish tanks by Tetra. Luckily the light still works, its just temperamental.

 

[dutto73]

This is the tri spec, it is bluetooth enebled( bought separately)

G.L Dutton

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