Which LED system is best

[Harry2]

Hi all looking for advice, I’m concerning changing lighting to LED, what are your thoughts?

American cichlids tank should I go the HeliaLux or Multilux?

want tank to look good but still good for the fish.
Looking forward to the responses.

 

[Essjay]

I'll let the lighting experts talk about these lights, but so that everyone knows what they are, here are the two lights in question

Helialux:

JUWEL Aquarium | HeliaLux Spectrum | purchase online

HeliaLux LED - HeliaLux Spectrum. JUWEL Aquarium

www.juwel-aquarium.co.uk

Multilux:

JUWEL Aquarium | LED Tubes | purchase online

MultiLux LED - LED Tubes. JUWEL Aquarium

www.juwel-aquarium.co.uk

The Multilux tubes appear to come in several types (day, nature, colour), which ones were you thinking of?

 

[Harry2]

I'll let the lighting experts talk about these lights, but so that everyone knows what they are, here are the two lights in question

Helialux:

JUWEL Aquarium | HeliaLux Spectrum | purchase online

HeliaLux LED - HeliaLux Spectrum. JUWEL Aquarium

www.juwel-aquarium.co.uk

Multilux:

JUWEL Aquarium | LED Tubes | purchase online

MultiLux LED - LED Tubes. JUWEL Aquarium

www.juwel-aquarium.co.uk

The Multilux tubes appear to come in several types (day, nature, colour), which ones were you thinking of?

I was thinking about the day and nature lamps, I can mix and match as there’s 4 individual lamps in the tank.
I’m in the hands of you with the experience.
Thanks.

 

[Tez_20]

I’m in the hands of you with the experience.

I've got Fluval Aquasky LED in both my Roma & shaker and the app you download to your phone and it gives you Man/Auto/Pro and you can adjust the lighting in the tank to several colours, set storms to go off etc

https://fluvalaquatics.com/uk/aquasky/

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Fluval and marine land both make excellent large-sized lights. You can look up reviews and such on YouTube or Google.

 

[Naughts]

I have to turn my LED day bulbs over as they are not dimmable - At 9000k the 'day' are very bright and encourage algae, for this reason, all other things being equal, I would choose the heliaLux which are dimmable.

 

[Essjay]

A thought occurs to me. You say you want to change to LED lights - what do you have now? The Juwel tank I bought in the mid 2000s had T8 fluorescent tubes. Shortly after I bought it, they changed to T5 fluorescent tubes. Nowadays they have LED tubes.

If your tank has fluorescent tubes, either T5 or T8, you can't just replace them with LED tubes. You will need to replace the whole lighting unit.

But if the tank already has LEDs and you just want to change the type, that can be done.

I have been assuming you have a Juwel tank, though as you have not mentioned this it could be another make. The other thing to bear in mind is that Juwel have historically used different sized tubes from other makes. There is one brand of retrofit LED tubes which makes two different sizes for each wattage. One of them is labelled J and is for Juwel tanks only as the size is different. Eg 18 watt and 18 watt J tubes.





Multilux tubes look like fluorescent tubes; in appearance the lighting unit looks the same as the older fluorescent fittings on Juwel tanks. A bar running from side to side over the tank with the tubes in tube holders at the sides of the bar and the lid flaps slotted into the light bar.
Helialux lighting has the individual LEDs in the light bar itself, there are no tubes at the side of the bar. The lid flaps slot into this bar the same way as the other type of light bar.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

The Juwel Aquasky range contain simple adapters to allow you to convert your old tube fittings to LED.
I'm with @Tez_20 in my support of the Aquasky range. I had an algae problem and was easily able to reduce my light duration and spectrum, without spoiling my viewing of the fish. It's not cheap, but I believe I got what I paid for and, in the long run, should (hopefully) be cheaper than buying a series of individual strips.
My experience of those strips is that, sooner, rather than later, one of the LEDs fails...and then another...and another.

 

[Harry2]

Hi All
Thanks for the suggestions, I should have said that the original lighting is T5 lamps, and it’s a Juwel Trigon 350.

I am considering between the Juwel Helialux and Smart Controller and the Fluval Aquasky.

thanks for the help so far.

 

[Slaphppy7]

I like these: https://current-usa.com/satellite-freshwater-plus-led/

There's also a "Pro" version with a lot more features, but a bit pricey...

 

[Tez_20]

Hi All
Thanks for the suggestions, I should have said that the original lighting is T5 lamps, and it’s a Juwel Trigon 350.

I am considering between the Juwel Helialux and Smart Controller and the Fluval Aquasky.

thanks for the help so far.

Harry i took shots of the Fluval Aquasky for you on my phone once you download the app if you go in that direction.

 

[Bruce Leyland-Jones]

Another shout-out for the Aquasky!

 

[Tez_20]

Another shout-out for the Aquasky!

Apparently they only had Man/Auto on the app when they was first done, then the app was updated when i brought my Roma and Pro was added.

 

[Essjay]

One advantage of the Helialux is that the lid flaps will fit. With others, they won't.

 

[kribensis12]

This is the best light I have ever owned.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07SCPK1X8/?tag=ff0d01-20