Ok let's mix things up a bit, I'm currently a few months in on my Plasma LEP drivin cube tank. Some say LEP is just a halide bulb that lasts 10 years, they may be right, but it sure has spectrum and it sure has punch!
Over the last decade I've run halide, T5, DIY led and off the shelf led, so plasma had to be tested
Here's a few shots from my crappy iPad.
My light sits a good 18 inches above the water, my tank is 500mm deep and 1000mm square. The Gavita is good for a meter square for growing hydro, so I've based it on those stats, I'd love to get a PAR under it. LEDs are for evening viewing and adding blue when the plasma is on, gives an 8-10k appearance with plasma.
I've run 400watt 10k halide before and this looks similar, just without the heat!
One thing I have learnt with LEP is don't go by judge intensity by looks, it's way more intense, my corals initially couldn't take 4 hours a day, even with the light so high, I had to drop to 3 hours a day and the two little Ai lights for the rest, gradually I've taken it up to 4.5 hours. Also LEP is like a big LED, the bulb is the size of a tic tac, so it's very directional, even with the reflector, as such I've had to put some T5 at the back of the tank to help a little.
Next issue, algae This is the bloom version bulb, so less red, but it still likes to grow the green stuff so to compensate I run a 130w CFL grow light in the sump over cheato and caulerpa , it's worked a treat so far.
Anyway thought I'd chuck in Plasma as a topic twist, some may just say it's halide, either way I'll be testing for the next year to see how she goes.
Forgot to mention , my goniporas LOVE the plasma, don't know why but they expand out way more than under my other lights, even the 400w halide.
And a few tank shots with just the led on at night.
Over the last decade I've run halide, T5, DIY led and off the shelf led, so plasma had to be tested
Here's a few shots from my crappy iPad.
My light sits a good 18 inches above the water, my tank is 500mm deep and 1000mm square. The Gavita is good for a meter square for growing hydro, so I've based it on those stats, I'd love to get a PAR under it. LEDs are for evening viewing and adding blue when the plasma is on, gives an 8-10k appearance with plasma.
I've run 400watt 10k halide before and this looks similar, just without the heat!
One thing I have learnt with LEP is don't go by judge intensity by looks, it's way more intense, my corals initially couldn't take 4 hours a day, even with the light so high, I had to drop to 3 hours a day and the two little Ai lights for the rest, gradually I've taken it up to 4.5 hours. Also LEP is like a big LED, the bulb is the size of a tic tac, so it's very directional, even with the reflector, as such I've had to put some T5 at the back of the tank to help a little.
Next issue, algae
This is the bloom version bulb, so less red, but it still likes to grow the green stuff so to compensate I run a 130w CFL grow light in the sump over cheato and caulerpa , it's worked a treat so far. Anyway thought I'd chuck in Plasma as a topic twist, some may just say it's halide, either way I'll be testing for the next year to see how she goes.
Forgot to mention , my goniporas LOVE the plasma, don't know why but they expand out way more than under my other lights, even the 400w halide.
And a few tank shots with just the led on at night.
