Discuss lights

[ILLUSN]

here you go.
the stands cost me $40 from Bunnings, each uses a 1.8m length of 25x25mm connect it aluminium, a 25x25x600 length and an elbow, the rail is a 16mm chrome steel rod 1.2m long and its held in place with a couple of 15mm saddles and 12mm screws. Still need to tidy the wires from the lamp holders.

The lamp holders are off ebay $15 each (I had to change the plugs to AU)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Studi...item234595faa3

The bulbs cost me $30 each from China and are 14000k full spectrum marine lights.

So for change from $200 its not bad, it looks darker than it is due to the camera phone, but I've already quantified the output of a single bulb at a height of 750mm and know it 100 PAR in a 40cm diameter dropping off to 20 par at 55cm plenty for plants.

I've angled the light to light up the back and darken the front for my L134's and L066's

[shakti]

here you go.
the stands cost me $40 from Bunnings, each uses a 1.8m length of 25x25mm connect it aluminium, a 25x25x600 length and an elbow, the rail is a 16mm chrome steel rod 1.2m long and its held in place with a couple of 15mm saddles and 12mm screws. Still need to tidy the wires from the lamp holders.

The lamp holders are off ebay $15 each (I had to change the plugs to AU)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/New-Studi...item234595faa3

The bulbs cost me $30 each from China and are 14000k full spectrum marine lights.

So for change from $200 its not bad, it looks darker than it is due to the camera phone, but I've already quantified the output of a single bulb at a height of 750mm and know it 100 PAR in a 40cm diameter dropping off to 20 par at 55cm plenty for plants.

I've angled the light to light up the back and darken the front for my L134's and L066's

Brilliant! Its enough for a lot of plants. Do your lights come with sunrise/sunset setting? Otherwise, would you be able to DIY?

[ILLUSN]

LOL these aren't for sale I only had a few units built up (10 each of the blue whites and 10 of the colour) to test concepts so I didn't waste all my time on full sized rigs (saves ALOT of resoldering).
Most have been given away to friends to replace single MH setups. I think I have 5 colours and 5 blue whites left.

Yes these are dimmable via a slide dimmer like the $20 ones from Ikea http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/10069070/. These no fancy dimmers or electronic functionality in the bulbs themselves, these are just plain par38s with a custom mix of cree and bridgelux chips and 60 optics. The units in the pic are 19w vs the 12w prototype I posted earlier (the bridgelux chips need a little more juice to match the intensity of the cree's and the dimmable driver is a little less efficient then the non dimmer version used in the blue whites).

Pran if you like I can get photos of different par38s that you can get off ebay. I've got some 6500k white only which would be the most common type you'd see. Most of the blue white ones are like my 18000k I would not recommend that type for discus or plants. Unfortunately the 14000k on the tank in the photos are a unique design so I don't think you'll be able to get them (the violet, royal blue, cool blue, red, green, cool white combo is not the best for freshwater anyway but it does work). hopefully this has given you some ideas on what you can do to light up your tank if you didn't want to sell a kidney for a conventional commercial led unit (I got quoted over $4000 for a maxspect mazarra setup for this tank, Great light, second to none, but no thank you!).

[pran]

Thanks all i am planning to go with 2 X Fluval Aqualife & Plant Performance LED with some anubias plants for now.
One more query regarding the background which colour will be good Black or Blue to show the colours of the Discus.

[ILLUSN]

both are fine, I like a black background but if you have any fish that are of pigeon blood origin it can exaggerate their "peppering".

if you want to keep pigeon based discus think about a lighter background and substrate.

[pran]

both are fine, I like a black background but if you have any fish that are of pigeon blood origin it can exaggerate their "peppering".

if you want to keep pigeon based discus think about a lighter background and substrate.

Thanks Illusn,
I am planning to keep red melons ,blue diamond ,Leopard Snake Skin and Super Chequerboard discuss.
thinking of black backgrounds.

[ILLUSN]

shouldn't be an issue, your melons will get black tails and black fins instead of clear, but this just makes them look even better!, try and get higher grade melons so the peppering is reduced.
watch your checkerboards, turquoise based will be fine, but some of the pigeon based ones haven't been as cleanly bred as the red melons.

[pran]

Hi All,

Please view the photos of the discuss where i am planning to buy this from a friend.Its total 19 discuss he got.Does this looks healthy and good?
The last picture is the breeding pair please have a look on them as well.
Comment please.

Thanks

[ILLUSN]

some of those pigeons in the top pic look a little thin in the face
when looking for healthy discus remember they store fat in the head and cheeks
when viewed from above look for this



from the front look for full cheeks and a broad full head

[pran]

Hi ILLUSN

do i need to go forward with this by your opinion