Lighting. What do you use? What do you suggest?

Breto

Breto

New member
So mpgrant and I have recently agreed on a tank swap... or rather I buy his tank he buys a bigger one.

This has lead me to start researching what type of lighting I would like to use on my new build.
I'm leaning towards leds but I was wondering what people around the forum have had good luck with and what everyone had to suggest.

Cant wait to see what everyone has to say! :bounce3::bounce3:
 
Depends on budget foremost I think. I'd say go led. Upfront cost more but electricity, heat and not buying new bulbs will save more in short order
 
Depends on the type off reef you want softie, LPS or SPS. LED is best all around. T5 is best for budget. MH is awesome but has some drawbacks.
 
First the yellow tang and now lights. We have a pot stirrer for sure:lolspin:

I'm old school and love my MH. 250 watt 20k radium all the way. Phoenix 14k is also a good bulb. Good reflectors can get you good coverage

I've ran T5s and my opinion is the cost of bulb replacement for my tank size is equal to if not more than replacing MH bulbs. Not much energy saving when overdriving T5s either, ice cap ballast is what I'm referring to. I've also used ATI fixtures and they put off some heat. Finding the color your happy with can also be costly. One bulb can make a difference and location as well. Using individual reflectors is key

Leds if you can belive this, yes I have a led nano and hate it. They say bulbs dont burn out, however the drivers do. It's a 2 year old system thats been nothing but problems for me and my heater runs which counters my "energy saving" Leds do make the colors pop on zoas, I will say that.

I'd say depending on tank size would be a good start. How many fixtures/bulbs will you need to cover the foot print
 
Mr D smack said:
First the yellow tang and now lights. We have a pot stirrer for sure:lolspin:
Click to expand...

10ac5q_zps9c3pkc7y.jpg
 
I run radion leds they are costly but they are (one of the best) leds out there. and they look better than many of the other fixtures and fit nicely in almost any canopy. ill be setting up 5 maybe 6 of them over the 300. 2 on a frag tank and a gen 1 on a fuge area.
also most of the high end leds will connect to a controller if you plan to use one later down the road.
 
I been using Radions since the Gen 1 came out, have upgraded to the Gen 3, and have been mostly happy with the lights and the control they offer. To control the lights properly you will need a Reeflink or an Apex. I had some issues with Reeflink in the past, but those issues have been resolved.

If you're going to go the Radion route I would get the Gen 3 as it is the latest version of the light and offers you the most options.

The Radion XR30 LED fixture covers a 2'x 2' area.

XR15 is a single cluster of LEDs while the XR30 has two clusters of LEDs and covers a wider area.

I would suggest you visit and compare tanks that are running Radions, T5, and MH to see what you like best.
 
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another reason i went with radion is how many lfs do you see running radions over there tanks. it seems like it would be less stress on corals with the same lighting.
 
Tank dimensions? I'm still a MH and T5 guy, but in time I might invest in LED. Right now, I have the very best lighting for my tanks:) Figure out your budget and go from there. I'm guessing LED will suit you fine.
 
Nanook said:
Tank dimensions? I'm still a MH and T5 guy, but in time I might invest in LED. Right now, I have the very best lighting for my tanks:) Figure out your budget and go from there. I'm guessing LED will suit you fine.
Click to expand...


The new tank is 48x18x24
 
I've used all three options over the years.

Halides seemed to give unbeatable growth for me. I especially loved that 14k Phoenix bulb that D Smack referenced. However, for me I hated replacing bulbs and adding so much heat to the tank.

T5's can give terrific color combinations. There are just so many bulb colors and orders that you can use. While this versatility was nice, I spent a lot of money finding out what bulbs I liked and replacing them seemed to cost as much as the halides.

I currently run LEDs. I bought them to save some $ on the electrical bill and save on bulb replacement costs. What I've found is that I like having the ability to change color on a whim (without any cost) any vary intensity to suit my tank and corals. I like this adjustability so much that I doubt I'll ever go back.
 
Hmm.. I have run through all three types in the past few years and here's the low down from a former newbie.

skip the MH and T5... I'm being honest. Yes they are both great, and yes they both can grow some crazy corals...but the amount you will drop on a great T5 setup or a solid MH setup not even counting next years bulbs will get you a used Ecotech Radium, Hydra, or Kessil. Don't go uber cheap on LEDs, they have been out long enough to get some used top-shelf and then if needed add cheap lights as needed.
If you go MH or T5 at this point in the hobby, with so many possible bulbs, ballasts, reflectors and no real tanks in reef shops running them its a guessing game as to what they will look like. I paid for 3 250w MH bulbs thinking I was getting one thing, but then it looked nothing like what I thought I ordered. "blue" in MH is nothing close to "blue" in terms of LEDs. Just IMO.

Ok, this is just IMO. Others have tons more time reefing, I'm just coming from the point of view as a newbie in the LED age.

:D :D :D don't yell at me!
 
You don't have to pick just one. If you watch the video link South City put up I think they reach the conclusion that the best way to go was a hybrid combination of 2 of the 3 technologies. Personally I am doing a combination of LED and T5 on my new build.
 
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