Need lighting recommendations for a 500g

[dom418]

I recently picked up a 500g acrylic tank 96x30x40 tall. I want to avoid MH due to heat on the acrylic so I'm looking into LED. This will be a semi reef tank. I only keep cheap hardy soft coral such as star polyps, Xenia, mushrooms etc. I will NEVER be keeping sps. Seeing as this is a 40" tall tank what are some fixtures you guys recommend.

It will be an in canopy mount and I'm not looking to spend family vacation type money.

I'm more interested in how many fixtures and at what wattage I should be looking for. Thanks in advance

 

[prickles]

Based on what you're saying, I would look at 4 of the cheap chinese leds. they say they are about 120w and you can pick them up used for about $100 each.

 

[MCC]

If you aren't looking to keep any LPS and just softies, then yes cheap chinese LEDs will work.

But if you planning to keep some LPS and eventually go into SPS, I would look into used Kessils 360w. These go for around $250 used and you can mount them in a canopy using a simple screw on J hook. They are fully custom able whites/blues.

 

[dom418]

Where is the best place to find these Chinese fixtures?

 

[david_lee]

Where is the best place to find these Chinese fixtures?

Ebay most likely. .

 

[PeterHall]

Or Amazon. I'm happy with my taotronics led dimmable lights.