Help with lighting please...

[squiggynh]

Hi,

Although I had a 90 gallon reef setup 12 years ago, I consider myself a newbie. I wanted to get back into the hobby a few months ago, and whille browsing and researching tanks/etc, I got a full setup from someone on Craigslist who was moving and was about to leave everything unattended at the house. The tank was neglected and after a 2 hour drive and some help from a friend, everything is doing well. I paid $100 for everything...

I want to upgrade the lights, but I am very confused. Here are the details....

I have had it set up for 2 months
54 gallon corner tank
2 large clowns and I just bought a lawnmower blennie
About 60 pounds live rock...he never had coral
5 sea anemones
I just bought a small cleaning crew

I currently have a mount that includes a metal halide and 2 tubes...1 blue 1 white. The setup is 9 years old, so I know the lighting is not state of the art.

I want to add all types of coral....

I was all set to buy an Led aqualllumination 52 for 599 at marine depot...plus the mount. I just read a thread on this site basically asking " is everyone going from led to metal halide now". ...there were a lot of yes answers...so I want to make sure before buying

My budget is about 700.....I prefer it to be less. I do like that "blue" look to a tank, that certain lights give.

on a side note, I'm about as handy as a clam....any thought of building a mount, hanging from the ceiling, etc, should be put aside.

Thank you in advance!

Craig

 

[moondoggy4]

Since it is a corner tank I would go with Kessil very easy to mount and aim, I think you could go with a pair of 150 non dimmable in the two corners and a single 360 in the middle. There is someone selling 4 150's for 100 a piece unfortunately you need 50 post to buy in the used forum but they do not come up enough that they should be easy to get. There are three versions of the 150 you will want the Ocean Blue type, more blue.

 

[fltekdiver]

Id agree 100% with moondoggy4, I have 2 Kessil 160EW Ocean Blue on my Reefer 250 which is a 3' tank, and love them. I've had their A360EW in the past on other tanks, and loved them as well.

Here's a Pic of mine with the Kessils mounted above them

You can adjust the whites/ blues 100% on each channel

Also you can buy their controller, and link cables, to link the two of them together

Welcome back to the hobby! Enjoy!

 

[cwschoon]

I have been in the hobby for a very long time but never had LED lighting. Am purchasing a 120 gallon-48 x 24-x-24-and am looking at Aqualllumination Hydra 26 x 2. Any thoughts or advice?
My reef will be lots of rock, fish, softies, mushrooms, bubbles, anemones, etc. Wondering if the light will be adequate, especially on the bottom of the tank. Radions are just too expensive!

Thanks for any comment.