sarah Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 I have a very heavily-planted low-tech tank. It's been doing OK, and most of my plants are thriving. However, I'm just not getting enough light. Here's my setup: 20 gallon long with versatop glass lid, and a 24" Current USA Satellite LED Plus light. The light is positioned right above the back 1/2 of the glass. It's just not bright enough. Another issue is the position of the light over the glass top. The lid has a plastic hinge down the middle, so the light has to be positioned either over the back half of the tank or the front half. It can't sit right in the middle, so the back of my tank looks way brighter than the front. Looks very strange, and really limits what I can plant up front. Can any of you planted tank people share some suggestions for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vpier Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 I have a very heavily-planted low-tech tank. It's been doing OK, and most of my plants are thriving. However, I'm just not getting enough light. Here's my setup: 20 gallon long with versatop glass lid, and a 24" Current USA Satellite LED Plus light. The light is positioned right above the back 1/2 of the glass. It's just not bright enough. Another issue is the position of the light over the glass top. The lid has a plastic hinge down the middle, so the light has to be positioned either over the back half of the tank or the front half. It can't sit right in the middle, so the back of my tank looks way brighter than the front. Looks very strange, and really limits what I can plant up front. Can any of you planted tank people share some suggestions for me? I remove the hinge. sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pokeshrimp Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Two or three clamp lights with the bulbs of your choice would work. sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Hmm. I don't really want to remove the hinge if I can avoid it. Would adding a second light fixture to the front of the tank make any sense? Like one of the ones mentioned in this thread? And then I could just move it off when I need to open the lid once a day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimple minded Posted February 15, 2016 Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Are you 100% sure you don't have enough light? What are your plants doing or not doing that you want to fix/avoid? It's odd to me that the Current LED isn't enough light for the depth of a 20G long.......your light couldn't be more than a foot from the sub. I have cheaper lighting (and similar depth or deeper tanks) and I have to cut my lighting down with window screening. I would think that light on that tank would be overkill unless you brought the intensity down. The black strip on the glass versa tops should be offset from the middle enough that the spread from the light still gets most plants........that said you did say you are very heavily planted and you could have shaded corners and edges. Can you move your light to favor which side (front to back) you have the most heavily planted, or is it pretty even? sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Are you 100% sure you don't have enough light? What are your plants doing or not doing that you want to fix/avoid? It's odd to me that the Current LED isn't enough light for the depth of a 20G long.......your light couldn't be more than a foot from the sub. I have cheaper lighting (and similar depth or deeper tanks) and I have to cut my lighting down with window screening. I would think that light on that tank would be overkill unless you brought the intensity down. The black strip on the glass versa tops should be offset from the middle enough that the spread from the light still gets most plants........that said you did say you are very heavily planted and you could have shaded corners and edges. Can you move your light to favor which side (front to back) you have the most heavily planted, or is it pretty even? Yes, it's quite shadowy and dark in there. Perhaps the glass lid is also filtering out a lot of light. This light was a big splurge for me, so I am super disappointed in how little light I'm getting from it. It's very hard to see the inhabitants because it's so dim in there. It looks sort of backlit, with so little light in front. I'd like to see all my critters without having to stick my face up against the glass or whip out my flashlight The plants in the back (directly under the light) are doing OK but not great (except my giant hygro, which is currently trying to take over the tank). I have some corkscrew vals that have been there for about 9 months that are really sad and not growing. And a very very lackluster Amazon sword. The only algae I get is on a couple of my anubias leaves that are on a piece of wood halfway up the middle of the tank. Anubiases are doing great all over the tank. I have a golden creeping jenny right in the middle that is thriving too, but any cuttings I try to put elsewhere just die. Anything I put up front withers away and dies. I have tried mini pellia, creeping jenny, dwarf sword, bacopa. Nothing survives there. Here's a pic just to give you an idea. It's not exactly right with the color/brightness, but I think you can sort of see what I mean... Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted February 15, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2016 Here's another pic. Turned off room lights to try to get a more accurate photo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimple minded Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 That FTS is surprising........I would almost think you have a faulty light. I see that the Satellite Plus is dimmable.........I hate to ask you this, but do you have the light set to its brightest intensity in those photos? Look at my low-end Finnex Stingray in the photos from my journal http://www.shrimpspot.com/index.php?/topic/3440-shrimple-shrimping/?hl=%2Bshrimple+%2BshrimpingI realize the plants are barely planted, but the light seems SO much brighter. Seeing your photo, I also would be concerned about light intensity, but it also raises a lot of questions about Current Satellite Plus for me as well. sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted February 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 That FTS is surprising........I would almost think you have a faulty light. I see that the Satellite Plus is dimmable.........I hate to ask you this, but do you have the light set to its brightest intensity in those photos? Look at my low-end Finnex Stingray in the photos from my journal http://www.shrimpspot.com/index.php?/topic/3440-shrimple-shrimping/?hl=%2Bshrimple+%2BshrimpingI realize the plants are barely planted, but the light seems SO much brighter. Seeing your photo, I also would be concerned about light intensity, but it also raises a lot of questions about Current Satellite Plus for me as well. Hmm. Maybe I should reach out to the company. And WOW your light looks so much brighter. What the heck is going on with mine?! Yes, it is on the highest setting of white light. Tomorrow I am going to wipe down the glass top with some vinegar and trim that hygro, then we'll see what it looks like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crackhead Johny Posted February 16, 2016 Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 I have cheap finnex sting rays on 3 tanks. Here is a comparison of 55 and 10 gal (sorry about huge picture). So your lights by comparison look kind of dim. EDIT: OK I didn't find a button to put picture in so I tried drag and drop figuring it would not work. to my surprise the pic showed up in the box. after hitting post is it not there so umm. I guess my picture kung fu is weak. sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted February 16, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2016 Johny, if you click on the "More Reply Options" button, it will let you attach photos. I have been googling pics of people with the same light, and mine looks way dimmer than all the others. So strange. UPDATE: I emailed the company, and they want me to send it back for repair/replacement, but the whole thing may take weeks from the time I take it off my tank. So now it looks like I'm going to have to buy another light anyway. This really stinks. Soothing Shrimp 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crackhead Johny Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 OK here is a comparison of finex on a 55 vs a 10. Thanks for the help with posting pics! Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted February 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 OK here is a comparison of finex on a 55 vs a 10. Thanks for the help with posting pics! WOW. OK, now you've convinced me that mine is faulty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sarah Posted February 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Update: Contacted Amazon, and they are sending me a new one by 2-day mail. No questions asked. LOVE them. Louie 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shrimple minded Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Nice! Fresh pics when it shows up sarah 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crackhead Johny Posted February 17, 2016 Report Share Posted February 17, 2016 Found a pic of the 15. What I'm noticing on my fluvals is that the LEDs dim with age (especially on cheaper lights) the one on the left has ~2 months run time and the one on the right has ~3 months run time. You will have to pardon girl fish, she refused to hold still for any of the pics, so that is the best I could get. I think my Finnex are dimming the same way, the 10 gal is bright but no longer like starting straight into the sun. sarah and Louie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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