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TMC AquaRay Flexi LED?
Posted on: 8/8/2012 18:48
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Evening!
I remember reading about these some time back, priced around £29ish. They caught my eye but have not seen any in any LFS, I wondered if anyone had any experience with them at all?

I quite fancied the blue variety as a night-time light for our newly tropical tank, quite a fair review on Practical Fishkeeping, though I've not seen any in situ yet...


Re: TMC AquaRay Flexi LED?
Posted on: 8/8/2012 21:18
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From: West Yorkshire
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I've had the TMC growbeam and really liked it. Nice quality, but not used this specific LED version before.

Lots of people here and other forums have bought blue LEDs from ‘Specialist Lighting’ on Ebay:
http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Specialist-Lighting-UK

They do x1, x2 or x3 strips depending on the length of the tank, you can also tell them how long you want the bit of joining cable to be between the light strips – measure the top of your tank. Make sure if you do decide to go for these, that the bit of cable that joins the sections you need, fits over any brace bars or the tank lids may not close properly. I’ve had two of these over the years (just siliconed with aquarium sealant onto the bottom of the light bar), but water did eventually get in and they stopped working.

Now upgraded to submerged ‘sealed’ tubes, like these:

http://www.aquariumledlighting.co.uk/fusion%20tubes.php

Completely waterproof and come with little suckers that you can angle down. Currently stuck on the top of the back pane but tilted down to the floor.

Worth a nosey perhaps?

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This saves so much time and unnecessary questions so it helps everyone here

The importance of QT when adding new fish to an existing tank, to avoid losses (and tears):
http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_84/fishkeeping_quarantine.htm

Re: TMC AquaRay Flexi LED?
Posted on: 8/8/2012 22:41
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Wooo! Like the look of those Violet. Do you have any photographs at all of your tank with the blue lights on? Are they the pure blue ones or the "Lagoon blue" ones with green in?
I like the idea of them being completely submersible and safe (I have been known to be somewhat accident-prone, even frying my hand on Christmas fairy lights once!).
Also that they are on suckers. I was not too keen on the TMC ones sounding a bit permanent.
I think I've read on here before people discussing their timetables of normal lights and evening lights. Out of interest, what do you do with yours, Violet?

...off to Google images...


Re: TMC AquaRay Flexi LED?
Posted on: 8/8/2012 23:20
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I opted for the true blue. Really lovely and gives loads of late night viewing. Given the tank is 3 foot, the larger version so a few more pennies!

No pics I'm afraid but you won't be dissappointed.

So not to shock the fish when main lights come on (all on timers) I run the blues 30 mins before main lights come on, little wake up a.m. and 30 mins thereafter. Main lighting is staggered to twice a day with siesta to assist with algae.

During the evening (main lights off at 9pm) I run the blues for another hour or so. All fish need sleep. So off for 10pm ish.

_________________
Please fill in your personal profile if you are posting on FK.

This saves so much time and unnecessary questions so it helps everyone here

The importance of QT when adding new fish to an existing tank, to avoid losses (and tears):
http://www.fishkeeping.co.uk/articles_84/fishkeeping_quarantine.htm

Re: TMC AquaRay Flexi LED?
Posted on: 9/8/2012 7:43
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I've got the TMC Blue fexi LED in my Amazon tank, and I was so impressed that I have a 2nd for my Marine if I ever get it up and running. Like Violet, mine comes on about 1/2 hour before main lights on, and stays on for couple of hours in the evening past lights out. Means I get a lot more viewing time at night.

I tried a few other types of LED strip - including the specialist lighting one from eBay detailed below and was disappointed with them. It started off well, but after about 6/9 months the quality went really down hill. LEDs stopped working and the brightness of the ones that were left was much less than first installed. On one of the strips, I would estimate it dropped to about 30% brightness. I may have just been unlucky, but had the same experience with another seller of these cheaper style strip lights from Amazon as well.

I have also been tempted by the sealed tube style as they seem to be good build quality, but so far have had no reason to move on from my TMC LED strip.

I think its the age old adage - you get what you pay for

Edit: This is where I got my TMC strip from


Re: TMC AquaRay Flexi LED?
Posted on: 9/8/2012 19:41
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I've got some sealed specialist lighting ones twhich have started to fail more quickly than the cheaper ones, not sure if there's a perfect solution yet ..


Re: TMC AquaRay Flexi LED?
Posted on: 13/8/2012 13:56
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Thanks for your views everyone, that was really helpful Psymon. Food for thought.

Does anyone have any photographs they would be willing to share?

Thanks as always!






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