LED PAR bulbs vs Retro kits

[DonW]

I'd like to get some input on led lighting. I can buy a retro kit or be lazy and just buy the PAR bulbs ready to go. The tank is 10 x 10 x 10 thats inches.
What are the benefits of using a non dimmable retro kit vs just buying the bulb? Is anyone raising clams under this lighting?


Don

 

[keener1830]

I have the PAR 38 over my 12x12x12 and it works great grows everything under the sun from softies, to zoos to acros.

 

[cptbjorn]

I had a 1.5-2" maxima under LEDs in a 9x9x9 pico for almost a year, was doing great but I had to give it to my brother in law for a while when my tank crashed last month (heater failure while on vacation.) It's going back under LEDs here in a month or two when I have a good environment for it again, it likes LEDs just fine and kept great coloration.

My setup is 3 XR-E cool white, 3 XR-E royal blue and a 3W 410nm UV LED, and the clam was happy on the sandbed with the whites at 33% and the blues at 50%.

I wouldn't think there would be all that much difference between a non-dimmable retro and a PAR bulb, but I definitely recommend doing a dimmable setup if at all possible since it makes it so much more flexible with color temps etc. If not though I'd just do a PAR bulb.