lighting prefrences

[saltwaternoobie]

So ive been looking hard at lights and what i should buy for my budget !
This forum has been amazing ! i value everyone's input here and online !

I am not looking to turn this thread into a debate , considering T 5 s with some
sort of led's , ive looked at aot of options and still undecided !

My question is ...is picking a lighting system more about a budget , what one wants to achieve in lighting it and simply put what one likes ?
I know this might sound like a dumb question but i feel like im researching
the impossible !

 

[Taahirs]

What size tank are you looking at lighting?

IMO it's about what corals you're looking at keeping. Softies will be fine under low light whereas sps need higher light.

There are also different lights for different budgets. Radions if you want controllability,

T5/halides if you're fine with 100% power from the get go. But you do also get dimmable T5 units, though I've read it diminishes the lifespan of the bulb.

 

[saltwaternoobie]

What size tank are you looking at lighting?

IMO it's about what corals you're looking at keeping. Softies will be fine under low light whereas sps need higher light.

There are also different lights for different budgets. Radions if you want controllability,

T5/halides if you're fine with 100% power from the get go. But you do also get dimmable T5 units, though I've read it diminishes the lifespan of the bulb.

I am new to the marine life and have not figured out the difference between lps and sps etc ... i am looking at easy to take care corals for a beginer and looking at zoanthids mushrooms and somewhat

my tank im lighting is a 79 gallon and is four feet x 18 inches wide and 21 inches tall

I hope this helps in answering your question thanks for the input

 

[Ron Reefman]

Even with just 15 replies to your poll, you can see where the trend is going.

I'd suggest 2 basic dimmable led fixtures that will each do a 2' x 2' footprint in a 2' deep tank. At the bottom end are any number of 'off brand' Chinese led fixtures that can be had on ebay and Amazon for under $100 each. Or use the better brands like ReefBreeders and OceanRevive that are sponsors here on RC and have sponsor forums so they are easy to talk to. Their basic fixtures will cost a bit more, but they have better quality components inside, like quiet fans, real heat sinks rather than a sheet of flat aluminum, good stainless steel screws rather than ones that rust, and much better customer service from people operating in the US.

If you want to go a bit more upscale, a unit with sunrise/sunset/moonlight controller is nice. But if you are at work all day, you won't see much of the change and it may not be worth the extra expense. An IT2081 or a Photon32 costs about $450 and one will cover your entire tank. I have had 2 over my 6' tank since Dec 2012 and they have run 24/7 ever since and without any issue.

 

[shifty51008]

I would do a combo of all 3. If you look at demi's tank he does the same thing and the tank looks great, you get the best of all 3

 

[JammyBirch]

well i voted, although it doesn't really matter, there is a lot of data and success with all of the options.

I run the ReefBreeder Value LED fixture on my 25g cube, great control, low heat and great results.

I will say this about LEDs, in my experience there is more work associated with dialing them in to your tanks needs. Setting levels of daylight and Atinic is a delicate dance really and takes time.

You can't go wrong with any of the options, it boils down to:
1. What it will look like when you're done?
2. Do you have a canopy or are you going to suspend the fixture?
3. What is your budget?

If you mish-mash fixtures together can you live with what it will look like? If you have a canopy it may not matter as everything will be contained. Budget is a big one, LED's seem expensive but there is no expense after the initial cost. T5 and MH will have less upfront cost but will have long term cost associated with them...

 

[saltwaternoobie]

Even with just 15 replies to your poll, you can see where the trend is going.

I'd suggest 2 basic dimmable led fixtures that will each do a 2' x 2' footprint in a 2' deep tank. At the bottom end are any number of 'off brand' Chinese led fixtures that can be had on ebay and Amazon for under $100 each. Or use the better brands like ReefBreeders and OceanRevive that are sponsors here on RC and have sponsor forums so they are easy to talk to. Their basic fixtures will cost a bit more, but they have better quality components inside, like quiet fans, real heat sinks rather than a sheet of flat aluminum, good stainless steel screws rather than ones that rust, and much better customer service from people operating in the US.

If you want to go a bit more upscale, a unit with sunrise/sunset/moonlight controller is nice. But if you are at work all day, you won't see much of the change and it may not be worth the extra expense. An IT2081 or a Photon32 costs about $450 and one will cover your entire tank. I have had 2 over my 6' tank since Dec 2012 and they have run 24/7 ever since and without any issue.

Thanks for all the input and led is sure looking strong ! I am at work all day as mentioned but like the idea of automatic dimming . I want to buy something decent but don't want to spend a grand or more in lighting , five hundred would be doable !

How does one mount the lights ? Only issue with say like mars lighting im looking for something that clips on the tank no matter type I purchase

 

[saltwaternoobie]

well i voted, although it doesn't really matter, there is a lot of data and success with all of the options.

I run the ReefBreeder Value LED fixture on my 25g cube, great control, low heat and great results.

I will say this about LEDs, in my experience there is more work associated with dialing them in to your tanks needs. Setting levels of daylight and Atinic is a delicate dance really and takes time.

You can't go wrong with any of the options, it boils down to:
1. What it will look like when you're done?
2. Do you have a canopy or are you going to suspend the fixture?
3. What is your budget?

If you mish-mash fixtures together can you live with what it will look like? If you have a canopy it may not matter as everything will be contained. Budget is a big one, LED's seem expensive but there is no expense after the initial cost. T5 and MH will have less upfront cost but will have long term cost associated with them...

The hard part is just Deciding , I just want to get something and like it and last ! Also thinking of a t5 and led moonlight lighting but still undecided a lot to take in !

 

[JammyBirch]

Thanks for all the input and led is sure looking strong ! I am at work all day as mentioned but like the idea of automatic dimming . I want to buy something decent but don't want to spend a grand or more in lighting , five hundred would be doable !

How does one mount the lights ? Only issue with say like mars lighting im looking for something that clips on the tank no matter type I purchase

Here's what mine looks like.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Thanks for all the input and led is sure looking strong ! I am at work all day as mentioned but like the idea of automatic dimming . I want to buy something decent but don't want to spend a grand or more in lighting , five hundred would be doable !

How does one mount the lights ? Only issue with say like mars lighting im looking for something that clips on the tank no matter type I purchase

Mine hang inside a canopy. When I got mine back in 2012 that was the only real option. Now the IT2081 has adjustable legs! And after taking 15 minutes to set up the timer program (2 channel power settings for each of 24 hours), you never have to touch it again. And if friends stop by and you want to show off the tank, there are 'sunny', 'cloudy', 'moonlight' and 'manual' settings you can go to with the touch of a single button. I set the manual for full 100% blue and 0% white, man does that make the tank POP!

http://www.oceanrevivellc.com/goods.php?id=20

For $450 I'd go for these over any more expensive fixtures. If I want something different from these, I'll have to build it myself because the stuff being sold for more than $500 doesn't have the features I want. This is my tank at midday, 90% blue and 40% white.

 

[Forced 2 Farm]

You could also look at 2 AI Primes. 200 per light covers a 24x24 area good enough for the corals you are talking about and they are also Wifi controlled via your smart phone or computer. and the setting are extremely customizable including a coral acclamation setting

 

[saltwaternoobie]

Mine hang inside a canopy. When I got mine back in 2012 that was the only real option. Now the IT2081 has adjustable legs! And after taking 15 minutes to set up the timer program (2 channel power settings for each of 24 hours), you never have to touch it again. And if friends stop by and you want to show off the tank, there are 'sunny', 'cloudy', 'moonlight' and 'manual' settings you can go to with the touch of a single button. I set the manual for full 100% blue and 0% white, man does that make the tank POP!

http://www.oceanrevivellc.com/goods.php?id=20

For $450 I'd go for these over any more expensive fixtures. If I want something different from these, I'll have to build it myself because the stuff being sold for more than $500 doesn't have the features I want. This is my tank at midday, 90% blue and 40% white.

Thanks for the pics and info ! Will check those lights out !your tank looks fantastic and look I am trying to achieve for lighting at least ! Tank looks complex for me to aqua scape for me !

 

[saltwaternoobie]

You could also look at 2 AI Primes. 200 per light covers a 24x24 area good enough for the corals you are talking about and they are also Wifi controlled via your smart phone or computer. and the setting are extremely customizable including a coral acclamation setting

Thanks for taking time to respond will check them out as well !

 

[Sk8r]

Metal halides, which will support the fussiest stonies, require a pretty spendy ballast. T5's can support stony corals.
LEDs may be spendy, but do not require a separate ballast purchase, so what you pay is what plugs in and works, and a good unit will let you dial the intensity up and down to suit what you've now decided you want to keep.

LPS are things like hammer and the fluffy stony corals. SPS are the colored sticks...and I don't advise SPS for an absolute beginner with corals and marine tanks. Softies are quite prolific; lps a little less so, but still can fill a tank in a few years.

Light governs everything.

My advice for somebody starting out who isn't sure what they want to keep and who wants flexibility is LED.

They do have a drawback, though, in that they do not cover a very wide area---mine manages about 2-3 feet good coverage; and in a long tank you may have to get several units.

 

[saltwaternoobie]

Metal halides, which will support the fussiest stonies, require a pretty spendy ballast. T5's can support stony corals.
LEDs may be spendy, but do not require a separate ballast purchase, so what you pay is what plugs in and works, and a good unit will let you dial the intensity up and down to suit what you've now decided you want to keep.

LPS are things like hammer and the fluffy stony corals. SPS are the colored sticks...and I don't advise SPS for an absolute beginner with corals and marine tanks. Softies are quite prolific; lps a little less so, but still can fill a tank in a few years.

Light governs everything.

My advice for somebody starting out who isn't sure what they want to keep and who wants flexibility is LED.

They do have a drawback, though, in that they do not cover a very wide area---mine manages about 2-3 feet good coverage; and in a long tank you may have to get several units.

The downside with leds I'm finding out is as you've mentioned with not full coverage , might be condiering something other than leds ! I am convinced with this thread about how good leds are but as mentioned above and found on other info I might need multiple fixtures which I am considering on what to do now

 

[Sk8r]

Remember that every MH and every HO actinic color balance unit take their own ballasts, so it get to cost about what a top-end LED was. T5's offer the most coverage at the best cost, and are justly popular. I've had crazy coral growth under actinic/mh combo, but the noise of the fans and the fuss with access (they're so large) are something I don't miss.

 

[Ron Reefman]

No worry about light coverage as long as you know what you want going in.

Your tank is 4' long and 18" wide. Most good Chinese leds will cover 2' wide in a 24" deep tank. How long they will cover depends on how long the fixture is. The 2 I offered up are 32" and will cover 4' just fine over a 24" deep tank and held 8" or more off the water.

If you have concerns, ReefBreeders has a Photon 48. It's the same as the Photon 32 or IT2081 in look and number of leds, but it's 48" long. My personal opinion is that it's wrong to put a 48" led fixture (remember we are talking leds and not t5 or MH) over a 48" long tank as you do lose light out the ends of the tank. A 48" fixture with 90 degree lenses (as most are) at 32" off the ground (24" deep tank and 8" off the water) covers more than 5' (up to 64") by 2' wide. So why buy a bigger, more expensive fixture, with the same number of leds as the 32" version, just so a bunch of the light shines outside the glass at either end?

 

[saltwaternoobie]

No worry about light coverage as long as you know what you want going in.

Your tank is 4' long and 18" wide. Most good Chinese leds will cover 2' wide in a 24" deep tank. How long they will cover depends on how long the fixture is. The 2 I offered up are 32" and will cover 4' just fine over a 24" deep tank and held 8" or more off the water.

If you have concerns, ReefBreeders has a Photon 48. It's the same as the Photon 32 or IT2081 in look and number of leds, but it's 48" long. My personal opinion is that it's wrong to put a 48" led fixture (remember we are talking leds and not t5 or MH) over a 48" long tank as you do lose light out the ends of the tank. A 48" fixture with 90 degree lenses (as most are) at 32" off the ground (24" deep tank and 8" off the water) covers more than 5' (up to 64") by 2' wide. So why buy a bigger, more expensive fixture, with the same number of leds as the 32" version, just so a bunch of the light shines outside the glass at either end?

So are you talking I should buy a photon 32 and hang it over my tank ? With chains some sort of hanging kit ?

 

[Ron Reefman]

The new IT2081 (OceanRevive) and Photon 32 (ReefBreeders) come with adjustable length stainless steel hanging kits and aluminum legs, so you can do either. There are lots of ways to hang light fixtures and lots of threads here if you do a search. I know there is one in the OceanRevive sponsor forum. I have mine hung inside a canopy over my 180g tank and over my other DT I used shelf brackets from Lowes hung on the wall to hang the fixture from.

 

[saltwaternoobie]

Thanks the pics look great ! Thinking the above might be a great option , trying to find a Canadian supplier but don't think that's possible , I don't mind as much spending the money on a fixture but the exchange and duty is a killer but love the lights