# LED.s my new best friend



## c81kennedy (Dec 24, 2010)

So back in February I decided to make the leap into LED lights after months of research I got in contact with todd from light your reptiles. He asured me that his screw in jungledawn LEDs would lower the heat in my tank(very important because I live in Florida) and would grew just as well as the t5s I was using. I was alittle skeptical It sounded to good to be true but todd seemed like an honest guy In the many email we sent back and forth. So I gave them a try on one 18x18x24 tank. Well this tank has gone nuts in the last 3 months. My orchids have grown huge roots and I just got my first bloom.








Also my tillasna Turned bright pink and bloomed and my broms colored up Here a pic of the tank now.








Anyway I decided to replace all my lights with LEDs and just finished setting them up today. It also gave me room on my rack to install one more 18x18x24 what do you guys think.
















Well I am super happy and if it wasnt for todd from light your reptiles I would never have made the LED leap. So Has anyone else had as much of a good experience with LEDs as I have?


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## carola1155 (Sep 10, 2007)

looks great! I'm considering taking the leap as well... which bulb did you use for the 18x18x24?


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## Nismo95 (Jul 30, 2011)

I have constantly had troubles lighting 40 Breeder verts. I had 2 side by side with a 4 t5 bulb fixture over it. lit them decent. I got rid of one vert after selling 2 of the frogs and went to a CFL Exo-terra canopy. I decided to take a 70 dollar gamble on the Jungledawn LED's got one 9w and a 13w and put them in. HUGE lighting difference, So bright now, I actually have one Strip directed towards the top rather than directly in. Now the heat, Eh, They do get pretty hot around the bulb, and I have not noticed a huge drop in tank temps, However my male Varadero does seem happier, he is calling more, a little more bold, and has actually started mating with his lady again.


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## mrfrogdude (Jun 26, 2011)

I used the jungle dawn 13W in my 12x12x18 and It is growing the plants a lot better than the three 20W CFLs on my 29 gallon. I will be using his products on all my setups from now on!

Mark


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## c81kennedy (Dec 24, 2010)

For my 18x18x24 im using 2 13 watt jungledawns and 2 9 watt jungle dawns Im using 2 zoo med 18inch hoods per tank and for my 12x12x18 im using one 11 watt jungledawn LED.


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## ndame88 (Sep 24, 2010)

Todd is super helpful and knows what he is talking about when it comes to LEDs


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## JacobP (Feb 21, 2012)

c81kennedy said:


> For my 18x18x24 im using 2 13 watt jungledawns and 2 9 watt jungle dawns Im using 2 zoo med 18inch hoods per tank and for my 12x12x18 im using one 11 watt jungledawn LED.


So for the top left 12x12x18 on the rack, that is only lit with one 11 watt led?

I have been considering switching and am trying to decide on how many of what wattage. I have the same size zoo med with a t-8 shoplight above and it is not cutting it.


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## c81kennedy (Dec 24, 2010)

Yeap just one I just got it so I dont know how the plant growth will go but its lit up pretty good.


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## JacobP (Feb 21, 2012)

Thanks. Exactly what I needed to hear. I am going to go with a 13 watt in a hood soon, then possibly add another later. But from the looks of your picture the 13w by itself might be overkill. Definitely better penetration than a 2 bulb t-8 shoplight.


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## randommind (Sep 14, 2010)

Do you think that 2 13W over an 18" would be good, or would you still run 4?


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## c81kennedy (Dec 24, 2010)

Im using 2 13 watts and 2 9 watts per 18x18x24 Im thinking a 13 watt over a 12x12x18 would be over kill 2 9 watts might be the sweet spot but im using one 11 watt right now and i am happy.


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## randommind (Sep 14, 2010)

c81kennedy said:


> Im using 2 13 watts and 2 9 watts per 18x18x24 Im thinking a 13 watt over a 12x12x18 would be over kill 2 9 watts might be the sweet spot but im using one 11 watt right now and i am happy.


Haha, I forgot the word "cube" on my last post. But, if you are happy with one 11w over a 12x12x18 and 4 bulbs over your 18x18x24....i think I will just try 2 13w over an 18 cube and go up from there if need be.


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## Venutus1 (Feb 13, 2010)

randommind said:


> Haha, I forgot the word "cube" on my last post. But, if you are happy with one 11w over a 12x12x18 and 4 bulbs over your 18x18x24....i think I will just try 2 13w over an 18 cube and go up from there if need be.


Try 2 and see if that works. 
As a rule, 1 watt of LED per "gallon" ... or approx. 8 watts of LED per cubic foot of tank space will be ample light for most medium light set-ups.

Go lower if you have any species of frogs that are light shy... or low light plants.

Go higher to 1.5 watts per gallon if you have tanks that are real tall, have high light plants... or if your tanks are really grown in, (like mine..LOL).
Quite a bit of light can be blocked out by lots of plants and a plant "canopy"... so adjust as needed. 

And...They are super easy to work with and the only LED product like it with mixed diodes of "warm & cool" diodes.

(Side note: Thank You too to all folks using them. I owe my success to you... and appreciate your business and support! )

Cheers!
Todd
[email protected]


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## c81kennedy (Dec 24, 2010)

How many gallons are the 18x18x24 and 12x12x18s?


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## goof901 (Jan 9, 2012)

c81kennedy said:


> How many gallons are the 18x18x24 and 12x12x18s?


multiply it out and divide by 231


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## Azurel (Aug 5, 2010)

c81kennedy said:


> How many gallons are the 18x18x24 and 12x12x18s?


Times the LxWxH and divide by 231 and you will get the gallon(volume)

18x18x24=7776/231=33.66.......gallons
12x12x18=11.22......gallons


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## Giga (Mar 31, 2011)

I've been using LEDs for a long time in my reef and have been using them on my viv from the start. I use two bridgelux 50w and some deep red,violet,royal blue,blue to fill in the spectrum and growth is pretty amazing and my viv isn't even done yet. Also my fireball brom. Has gone from green to red and these all the hardest to color up


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## nonliteral (Mar 26, 2012)

Giga said:


> I've been using LEDs for a long time in my reef and have been using them on my viv from the start. I use two bridgelux 50w and some deep red,violet,royal blue,blue to fill in the spectrum and growth is pretty amazing and my viv isn't even done yet. Also my fireball brom. Has gone from green to red and these all the hardest to color up


Awesome! What are you using for drivers for the bridgelux's and the color fill LEDs? Do you need to use any optics to get good lighting to the substrate in your tall build, or do the bridgelux's suffice without it? Also, any issues with cooling on those?


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## bobrez (Sep 10, 2011)

nonliteral said:


> Awesome! What are you using for drivers for the bridgelux's and the color fill LEDs? Do you need to use any optics to get good lighting to the substrate in your tall build, or do the bridgelux's suffice without it? Also, any issues with cooling on those?


Awsome would also like more info using 50w bridgelux


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## nonliteral (Mar 26, 2012)

bobrez said:


> Awsome would also like more info using 50w bridgelux


Or even some of the lower output bridgelux; what I'm really looking for is a cost-effective way to DIY clusters of around 20w of cool white and 10w of warm white (or neutral white) on a heatsink for rack use. 

(cost effective being cheaper than Cree XP-G or XM-Ls, preferably while still being able to use a simple constant current driver)


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## Giga (Mar 31, 2011)

I'll post some pics and info later I'm leaving for cancun tomorrow so I'll try and get it up before I leave


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## baita83 (Aug 29, 2009)

seems like a lot of light to me...... I used to do my mini reef I had a 14 gallon nano cube with a custom led fixture I made with 8 1w cree white and 4 1w cree blue it was 12w of light and I was able to grow montipora and acropora and all my soft corals had to be put in the shade under rocks. 

but if everyones plants are doing well I will have to be making the led jump soon I suck with keeping plants lol


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