Budget LED options for 72" deep tank (no SPS plans)

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bureau_13

Member
I have a 72" bowfront that's about 30" to the sand (Edit: NOT 72" deep! Yikes :-D) I've actually had this tank for years, but my rogue BTAs took out the few corals I had, then an extended electrical outage took out the BTAs. It's been fish-only for several years. I have those old Maxspect square lights but there's nothing left working but a handful of blue LEDs, and they don't support them anymore.

I've been thinking I should get it back to looking decent, and would like to add some softies and maybe some LPS higher in the tank at some point. For lighting, I was thinking about the 72" Current IC LED which I can expand with an additional light (basically turns it into the Pro, I think) when I add some corals. I like that it can mount to my tank and I don't have to hang anything, which I don't want to do.

A couple other options that I've seen are Nicrew 100W and SmartFarm 90W fixtures, which I'd likely need 3-4 of. However, my tank is acrylic with a "lip" on it, so I'm not sure how to mount these. They have the back-of-tank mounts that slip over the tank edge, which won't work here. Then there's the Viparspectra, but those look like they need to hang, which is a deal-breaker for me.

Any thoughts on any of these options? Any other, better options in that general price range?
 
I run halides and also the Smat Farm. Without hanging, I would do Smat farm or Noopsyche. I personally am not a fan of NiCrew but I haven’t used their reef lights. I don’t think the par rating on the current fixture will be strong enough for the bottom of the tank.
 
The Noop k7v3 seem to have plenty of power for 30” deep tank. My depth is 18” but only have them at 35%.
 
I just grabbed 3 Noo-Psyche K7 Pro III fixtures for a total of $550 bucks. They are passable… time will tell how they hold up compares to $3K worth of Radions that they are replacing. The app is quirky and I can’t get them in Wi-Fi, but they will likely do.
 
I use a combination of both Orphek and 21LEDUSA LED strips. They have lasted for quite some time now, and have excellent results with them.
 
I'm especially intrigued by the Noo-psyche k7 Pro III. I don't think those mounts that clip to the back of the tank will work on mine though, which is...well, I don't know what to call it. It's an acrylic bowfront, and I never really thought of it as "euro-braced," but maybe it's similar to that? There is in essence a top piece, but with two large cutouts, so the width of the top piece as you go around the tank is a couple inches. These mounts need to slip down over the wall of the tank and there's no way to do that. I'm thinking maybe some kind of "light stand" out of PVC pipe behind the tank, but not sure. Has anyone done or seen anything like that?
 
I just purchased $1k of Orphek OR3 to replace the 21LEDUSA.com LEDs to upgrade my lighting. The Orphek is so much more advanced than the 21LEDUSA.com. I have a 90g and a 150g
 
BeanAnimal said:
I just grabbed 3 Noo-Psyche K7 Pro III fixtures for a total of $550 bucks. They are passable… time will tell how they hold up compares to $3K worth of Radions that they are replacing. The app is quirky and I can’t get them in Wi-Fi, but they will likely do.
Click to expand...
Where did you get them for that price? Looks like $209 each on their website right now. I figure I will need 3 but I'm trying to figure out if I can get by with 2 for now. Not so worried about PAR yet because I don't have anything that needs it, and I can always add another one. However, I don't want an obvious dark section in the middle.
 
wildman926 said:
I just purchased $1k of Orphek OR3 to replace the 21LEDUSA.com LEDs to upgrade my lighting. The Orphek is so much more advanced than the 21LEDUSA.com. I have a 90g and a 150g
Click to expand...
Do you think 2 of the 68" Reefbar Pro strips would work for a 6 ft bowfront? I wouldn't have to figure out how to mount them, unlike the Noopsyche. Probably not as much light as the Noopsyche, but that's not too critical for me, at least not yet.
 
bureau_13 said:
Do you think 2 of the 68" Reefbar Pro strips would work for a 6 ft bowfront? I wouldn't have to figure out how to mount them, unlike the Noopsyche. Probably not as much light as the Noopsyche, but that's not too critical for me, at least not yet.
Click to expand...
Tanks like or is this one?
fishtanksdirect.com

Tsunami 245-Gallon 72"Lx30"Wx30"H Bow Front Acrylic Aquarium Setup

Custom Acrylic Bow Front Fish Tank by Tsunami Now Available. Buy Your Tsunami 245-Gallon 72x30x30 Bow Front Acrylic Aquarium Direct and Save. Free Shipping on Orders Over $75. Tax-Free.
fishtanksdirect.com fishtanksdirect.com

As a FOWLER tank this would fit good. Yea listed as freshwater but it's k temp is 14000K overall.
Droops a bit at 72",
Actually there is a timer and a timer dimmer available.
"Should" fit just fine.
What do you expect for $150?
Probably doesn't look much different than the 50/50 light but with red/green you will get better color.

A bit outside the box but...you aren't asking for much.. :)
PAR should be around 100+ close to the top, 20-30 at the sand bed.
This is the overall "tone". Note it really is sort of blue.
fspec3.JPG

Blue channel can be lit alone.
Spread (and par dilution) will be higher w/ the 120 degree diodes vs the 90-ish of the led21

102x 10000K, 32x Actinic 460nm, 22x Red 620nm, 26x Green 520nm
Click to expand...
 
Last edited:
bureau_13 said:
Where did you get them for that price? Looks like $209 each on their website right now. I figure I will need 3 but I'm trying to figure out if I can get by with 2 for now. Not so worried about PAR yet because I don't have anything that needs it, and I can always add another one. However, I don't want an obvious dark section in the middle.
Click to expand...
2 will give you plenty of light and coverage. I have 3 to reduce shadows a bit and because... well, I dunno.
 
oreo57 said:
Tanks like or is this one?
fishtanksdirect.com

Tsunami 245-Gallon 72"Lx30"Wx30"H Bow Front Acrylic Aquarium Setup

Custom Acrylic Bow Front Fish Tank by Tsunami Now Available. Buy Your Tsunami 245-Gallon 72x30x30 Bow Front Acrylic Aquarium Direct and Save. Free Shipping on Orders Over $75. Tax-Free.
fishtanksdirect.com fishtanksdirect.com
Click to expand...
That is either exactly my tank, or one very much like it (I bought it second hand). That shows perfectly why I'm struggling with a way to mount lights like the Noopsyche, which are supposed to slip over a vertical glass panel. I really do prefer those lights I think, but other than making a stand to put behind the tank, I haven't thought of a good way to mount them. I could possibly revisit the hanging idea.

From you pic, it does look like the reefbars could light it up well enough for FOWLR, I'm only pausing because I know five minutes after I install them I will be looking up what kinds of corals I can grow lol...
 
bureau_13 said:
That is either exactly my tank, or one very much like it (I bought it second hand). That shows perfectly why I'm struggling with a way to mount lights like the Noopsyche, which are supposed to slip over a vertical glass panel. I really do prefer those lights I think, but other than making a stand to put behind the tank, I haven't thought of a good way to mount them. I could possibly revisit the hanging idea.

From you pic, it does look like the reefbars could light it up well enough for FOWLR, I'm only pausing because I know five minutes after I install them I will be looking up what kinds of corals I can grow lol...
Click to expand...
2 Reefbar pros should be good for almost anything with the correct placement.

21ledusa.com

72" ReefBar Pro Full Spectrum Aquarium LED Light 66 x 3W Bridgelux LED reef saltwater salt water

72" ReefBar Pro Full Spectrum Aquarium LED Light 66 x 3W Bridgelux LED For saltwater coral reef
21ledusa.com 21ledusa.com

$360/2 not including "sunsetters".
4 colors to choose from..
 
Last edited:
bureau_13 said:
That is either exactly my tank, or one very much like it (I bought it second hand). That shows perfectly why I'm struggling with a way to mount lights like the Noopsyche, which are supposed to slip over a vertical glass panel. I really do prefer those lights I think, but other than making a stand to put behind the tank, I haven't thought of a good way to mount them. I could possibly revisit the hanging idea.

From you pic, it does look like the reefbars could light it up well enough for FOWLR, I'm only pausing because I know five minutes after I install them I will be looking up what kinds of corals I can grow lol...
Click to expand...
Is there not a wall behind your tank that a wood or 3d printed mount could be affixed and then the NooPsyches mounted to that? If not you could get someone to 3d print an adapter something like this to affix to your rear eurobrace and then mount your Noopsyche mount to that. (excuse the crudity, I literally drew it in 2 minutes. It would need adjustability and exact dimensions obviously but you get the idea hopefully).

mount_mod.png
 
kharmaguru said:
Is there not a wall behind your tank that a wood or 3d printed mount could be affixed and then the NooPsyches mounted to that? If not you could get someone to 3d print an adapter something like this to affix to your rear eurobrace and then mount your Noopsyche mount to that. (excuse the crudity, I literally drew it in 2 minutes. It would need adjustability and exact dimensions obviously but you get the idea hopefully).

View attachment 32378080
Click to expand...
I've thought about that. It is undoubtedly possible. I have no experience with the CAD work needed to create the part but one of my friends did just buy a 3D printer so maybe I can give him a challenge, if I go that route...
 
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