LED light -- will be doing install to test

[Rik Kretzinger]

I will be working with this LED light to determine how effective it is on a 5 square indoor aquaponic system .  I will start out with duck weed and see what happens.

[LogicalHydro]

That's sounds like a good plan! Are you going to run any control groups or comparisons?

[Sahib Punjabi]

Great...:-)

 

Could you please provide some details re cost / output/ power consumption & where purchased (site link)?

 

God bless

[TCLynx]

Would be interesting to see comparison side by side with a T5 fixture.

 

Duckweed can be fairly happy in a shady situation so you might get a better idea of the light if you say use it over lettuce.

[LogicalHydro]

I agree with TC, duckweed is almost a super plant, so judging effects from the light source may be difficult.

[AJ Grottke]

Nice trial idea, LED's could be good. I do have a few suggestions:

1. try to run a side by side comparison as the others have stated (using T5's or HID) 
2. try other plants beside duckweed because of what Logical said; also when you do decide the plant to grow, say its lettuce for example, try at least 2 or 3 varieties that are very different because certain strains react differently to their inputs
3. i would say to try it with hydroponics first.  that way as many other variable as possible can be controlled and you can assure optimum and stable plant nutrition.  AP has much more variables, such as variable fish growth.  
4. also say for example you got lower yields using the LED than T5's but the quality of the produce form the LED was still high; do a cost analysis where you record the yields for how many watts were put in, you may actually yield more per watt with LED, but the overall yield will be less than T5 which uses much more electricity. Make any sense?
5. one other note about LED's, they are not standardized like T5 or HID.  Certain models just don't have the intensity because they are out-of-date due to the technology progressing so rapidly. IF you can purchase the best, most recent LED.  I have heard some old LED technology wasn't to good, but the new is starting to look bright.  For example, the new kid on the block for LED's is called "Dense Matrix Technology" which is far superior to the old LED technology.  The old LED's work, but nothing like this new style.  You normally will get what you pay for with lights, a cheaper LED is normally not as good as a more expensive.  Think like computers, the new are superior to old ones but they have a price tag that shows that superiority.

These are all suggestions, always do things your way because its your life.  Im just brainstormin' ideas :)

[TCLynx]

I think if the side by side beds are running from the same aquaponics system and suing the same technique, then a side by side test in aquaponics could be quite useful.  Not all people have hydroponic set ups to run tests with.

[AJ Grottke]

You are right TC, i do think you could do this within the same system.  But you can build nice hydro systems for very little if your handy :)  You may want to go the AP route if you are trying to see the value in adding that light to your AP system, but if you are trying to find the efficiency of a light, i personally think hydro would be easier to control the variables; the results would work for everyone.  One persons AP system could run very different than another's, but with a hydroponic nutrient everyone could replicate those results for sure.  I think that if Rik just wants to see if it works for his scenario go AP, but if he wants to see how valid LED lighting is a a light source, go the hydro route.

[Rik Kretzinger]

LogicalHydro said:

I agree with TC, duckweed is almost a super plant, so judging effects from the light source may be difficult.

LogicalHydro ----

I have no hydro set ups to do a controlled test would be hard for me as I am hydro free.  All I do is aquaponics.  I do have  a T5 setup, but growing other items.  I will just play for a while with the duckweed.  I will be looking at time and distance from the  plants.  I have done this before and not looking for peer reviewed science for publication.  I am after proof of concept.

[Rik Kretzinger]

Sahib Punjabi said:

Great...:-)

 

Could you please provide some details re cost / output/ power consumption & where purchased (site link)?

 

Sahib ---

 

Here are the details that I researched and helped me pick this light.

 

 

As I looked for a light source this unit got great reviews from sites that no one talks about, but always have information on cutting edge items that are very efficient,  There are a number of reviews as below for you to check out before you purchase.  But all considered everyone is in agreement to get a good quality LED's with the most current technology.  Here is what help me in my choice:

Here is where I purchased the unit:

Let me know if this helps  ----  rik

[Rik Kretzinger]

TCLynx said:

Would be interesting to see comparison side by side with a T5 fixture.

 

Duckweed can be fairly happy in a shady situation so you might get a better idea of the light if you say use it over lettuce.

 

 

TCLynx ----

I am OK with shady situations.  Part of my test will be to determine the light levels that I can get by with on shade loving plants.  I want to play with this unit to get a feel of how it worked and performed.  I was also looking for a good LED light source to use in the Tissue Culture Lab I am building.  The unit I am using this on will be to grow out KOI fry.  I pump solids from the tank into a grow bed with about 3 inches of water.  The duckweed will be grown on top of the water.  The gravel bed is about 18 inches deep and drains from the bottom at the opposite end of the inflows and back into the tank.  I will be looking to suck fry up through the pump to the grow bed with a layer of water and they should feed on the solids from the large take and as they mature can feed on the duckweed and I can then move them to other tanks once at a size that they can make it with larger fish.  This way I can control my stock and prevent all the problems with unclean KOI stock that goldfish do not have. 

[Rik Kretzinger]

AJ Grottke said:

Nice trial idea, LED's could be good. I do have a few suggestions:

1. try to run a side by side comparison as the others have stated (using T5's or HID) 
2. try other plants beside duckweed because of what Logical said; also when you do decide the plant to grow, say its lettuce for example, try at least 2 or 3 varieties that are very different because certain strains react differently to their inputs
3. i would say to try it with hydroponics first.  that way as many other variable as possible can be controlled and you can assure optimum and stable plant nutrition.  AP has much more variables, such as variable fish growth.  
4. also say for example you got lower yields using the LED than T5's but the quality of the produce form the LED was still high; do a cost analysis where you record the yields for how many watts were put in, you may actually yield more per watt with LED, but the overall yield will be less than T5 which uses much more electricity. Make any sense?
5. one other note about LED's, they are not standardized like T5 or HID.  Certain models just don't have the intensity because they are out-of-date due to the technology progressing so rapidly. IF you can purchase the best, most recent LED.  I have heard some old LED technology wasn't to good, but the new is starting to look bright.  For example, the new kid on the block for LED's is called "Dense Matrix Technology" which is far superior to the old LED technology.  The old LED's work, but nothing like this new style.  You normally will get what you pay for with lights, a cheaper LED is normally not as good as a more expensive.  Think like computers, the new are superior to old ones but they have a price tag that shows that superiority.

These are all suggestions, always do things your way because its your life.  Im just brainstormin' ideas

AJ Grottke ---

These are all good points and I wish I could test at this level of detail.  You know way more than I do about light technology an how it performs.  I am looking to learn from you and pick your brain on things I have only thought about.  You are a great resource of starting to understand this topic.  There is a lot to know and understand.  Thanks again for the great points.

[Rik Kretzinger]

TCLynx said:

I think if the side by side beds are running from the same aquaponics system and suing the same technique, then a side by side test in aquaponics could be quite useful.  Not all people have hydroponic set ups to run tests with.

TCLynx ----

As I develop this project I will post pictures and keep everyone updated on it.  Looking forward to your perspective and ideas on how to perfect the model for future development.