Can Someone Explain lighting

B

Billybatz9

New member
I would like to get a fish tank for saltwater, but do not know what to look for when buying. What kind of lighting do I need? I see a lot of tanks with LEDs, but how do I know if those LEDs are for reef or not? Also, do I ever have to replace leds?
 
You will need good LEDS for a reef tank. You do not need light for fish just for coral the kinds we use are metal halides, t5 or leds
 
That is up to you to decide. Everyone has their own opinion on which is the best.

All three will grow corals. I would suggest checking out some of the threads in the lighting, filtration, equipment section. There are a lot of threads on each kind with tons of info on each.

Happy Reefing.
 
LEDs are still in its infancy. Not to bash them, but there is a lot to learn still. T5's and MH, has a proven track record. But, it's all about personal preference. Happy reefing.
 
For just starting out look into T5 as it is the simplest to change later (different bulbs) and cheapest for the initial setup. Once you get better at keeping the tank stable you can explore the other options more.
 
Hilarous,

These grow corals great, and if we're talking PAR, they put Radions to shame.
Currently at $99 shipped each- no brainer.
Yes, they're full spectrum with dimmers.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GU0CHUU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Heres my 180 with 3 of them:



They'll pay for them selves in a few years when you talk bulb costs, no brainer.

Oh wait- I can't do thunderstorms, or impress my friends with dimming them form my smart phone, damn.
 
MidwesternTexan said:
Hilarous,

These grow corals great, and if we're talking PAR, they put Radions to shame.
Currently at $99 shipped each- no brainer.
Yes, they're full spectrum with dimmers.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GU0CHUU/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Heres my 180 with 3 of them:



They'll pay for them selves in a few years when you talk bulb costs, no brainer.

Oh wait- I can't do thunderstorms, or impress my friends with dimming them form my smart phone, damn.
Click to expand...

When do you have to replace them? How long do they last
 
MinnFish said:
LEDs are still in its infancy. Not to bash them, but there is a lot to learn still. T5's and MH, has a proven track record. But, it's all about personal preference. Happy reefing.
Click to expand...

RocketEngineer said:
For just starting out look into T5 as it is the simplest to change later (different bulbs) and cheapest for the initial setup. Once you get better at keeping the tank stable you can explore the other options more.
Click to expand...

Any good deals on these types of bulbs that you know of?
 
What size tank are we talking about? It will drive a bunch of other decisions. A 75g is 48" long so you would have an easy time finding fixtures for sale or a retrofit kit. A tall tank would need more lighting so that would bump up the cost.
 
the chinese LED's are a good cheap light that are proven to grow corals very well. They have been around for several years now. good safe bet for an initial setup.
 
I don't have a tank yet. I have been looking for the past 3 weeks, but can not find any good deals. I was originally looking at biocubes, rimless tanks, red sea max's, etc... , but now I am thinking about just getting a tank and starting from scratch. I think it might be cheaper to just buy a tank set-up already, but I am tired of waiting for a good deal to come around.
 
Lighting is one of the biggest expenses in a new tank. The different types all have their pros and cons. Metal Halide is proven technology but it's expensive to run, the bulbs should be changed about every 9 - 12 months and they are expensive. They run hot and might require the added expense of a chiller for your tank. They grow coral extremely well and are quite popular visually. My spouse won't have it in the house so it's not an option for me.

T5's grow color very well. It's proven technology and very popular. The bulbs again need to be changed frequently and not every fixture makes that convenient. They produce less heat but also don't shimmer the way that the MH lights do.

LED's grow coral well but are highly controversial. They produce little heat, so no chiller is required. They typically last many thousands of hours. It's recommended that you purchase a PAR meter if you use LED's so that you can accurately place your corals within the tank. They don't seem to be quite as effective at reaching the lower levels in your tank. If you want to grow light craving SPS then you will need a powerful setup with a dimmer. LED's are most often marketed as suitable for soft corals and LPS but may also work for SPS with less light requirements like Montipora. Acropora need lots of light so you have to figure out what you want to keep before choosing your lights.

There is no clear cut answer to your question. They will all grow coral. But they are not created equal and each one is best for a certain set of circumstances. Only you can decide which type will be best for you. Spare no expense on this item however or you are likely to have to buy new ones after a short while.
 
Last edited:
shesacharmer said:
Lighting is one of the biggest expenses in a new tank. The different types all have their pros and cons. Metal Halide is proven technology but it's expensive to run, the bulbs should be changed about every 9 - 12 months and they are expensive. They run hot and might require the added expense of a chiller for your tank. They grow coral extremely well and are quite popular visually. My spouse won't have it in the house so it's not an option for me.

T5's grow color very well. It's proven technology and very popular. The bulbs again need to be changed frequently and not every fixture makes that convenient. They produce less heat but also don't shimmer the way that the MH lights do.

LED's grow coral well but are highly controversial. They produce little heat, so no chiller is required. They typically last many thousands of hours. It's recommended that you purchase a PAR meter if you use LED's so that you can accurately place your corals within the tank. They don't seem to be quite as effective at reaching the lower levels in your tank. If you want to grow light craving SPS then you will need a powerful setup with a dimmer. LED's are most often marketed as suitable for soft corals and LPS but may also work for SPS with less light requirements like Montipora. Acropora need lots of light so you have to figure out what you want to keep before choosing your lights.

There is no clear cut answer to your question. They will all grow coral. But they are not created equal and each one is best for a certain set of circumstances. Only you can decide which type will be best for you. Spare no expense on this item however or you are likely to have to buy new ones after a short while.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the info. I think I am going to go with LEDs. is there a way around par meters. They are like $300
 
That's the choice I made. I don't have a PAR meter but I wish I did. I start my corals at the bottom and then move them up. Trial and Error. As a general rule of thumb coral should not be white. It can be most other colors but white is generally bleached and to be avoided by any newbie.
 
I believe you will find most hobbyist don't own a par meter. You can get by without one just have to acclimate corals to your lighting and observe closely. Close observation has worked pretty well for me.
Some other options are to join a local reef club (if there is one in your area) many clubs seem to have meters to loan out or you may be able to rent one if a local fish store has one and map the par values in your tank.
 
Having just started a tank myself at the beginning of the year, I took the time while the tank was cycling to decide what I truly wanted to do with it - mainly softies, but also LPS and probably a clam. For me, given past experience, that meant halides and T5s in combo.

I utterly refused to settle for "just having a tank" - if I took the time and finances to set up a system and get one going, that meant setting up my equipment properly AROUND what I wanted to keep, not being limited to what I could keep based on my inadequate equipment.

LEDs are a good way to go if you have the startup funds available. Don't forget to put good money in to your skimmer too.
 
toothybugs said:
Having just started a tank myself at the beginning of the year, I took the time while the tank was cycling to decide what I truly wanted to do with it - mainly softies, but also LPS and probably a clam. For me, given past experience, that meant halides and T5s in combo.

I utterly refused to settle for "just having a tank" - if I took the time and finances to set up a system and get one going, that meant setting up my equipment properly AROUND what I wanted to keep, not being limited to what I could keep based on my inadequate equipment.

LEDs are a good way to go if you have the startup funds available. Don't forget to put good money in to your skimmer too.
Click to expand...
If I am going with a small tank (30g), can I get away with a hob?
 
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