This this a good LEd Light for Corals
- Thread starter JMcGarva
- Start date
Dapg8gt
New member
The 132 model is a decent choice for your needs, it does not come with a timer or auto ramping features it's only dimming knobs x2 for intensity. You would just need two wall timers or a controller . If you want those features your spending minimum $500 for a light that has it all. There are other controllers you can get to add on like the storm, blue fish etc but it takes some diy ability and a fixture that's compatible. Two should cover the tank fine, edges may be not as bright but it will work.
The optic degrees are referring to the spread of the light.. Lower the number the more pinpoint the lights are (deeper tanks and if you want to hang them higher) the higher the number the more spread out the light source gets(better to cover more area but less intense) I'd say at least 90 degree but since your using two I'd go with the 120.
Only light they carry that has the features you want is this one.. And you need two
http://reefradiance.com/evergrow-it2040.html
The optic degrees are referring to the spread of the light.. Lower the number the more pinpoint the lights are (deeper tanks and if you want to hang them higher) the higher the number the more spread out the light source gets(better to cover more area but less intense) I'd say at least 90 degree but since your using two I'd go with the 120.
Only light they carry that has the features you want is this one.. And you need two
http://reefradiance.com/evergrow-it2040.html
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how important is having an Auto Dim? If it doesnt have an auto Dim, cant i just get the ones on ebay
http://www.ebay.com/itm/165W-Dimmab...757?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8e50f63d
http://www.ebay.com/itm/165W-Dimmab...757?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8e50f63d
Dapg8gt
New member
Auto dim is for you not the tank's health.
I don't know about that light but it seems just like all the other value fixtures out there.. It's all about getting a good layout of leds to grow coral and good after sale service if anything goes wrong.. That's why most people will go with reefbreeders or similar for basically the same light.. It's all about customer service and accountability with cheaper lights.
There is a difference though in this hobby by working within your budget and buying the cheapest thing you can find.. Most of the time the really cheap things are that way for a reason . They won't last and could be dangerous to the tank and you personally.. I'm not at all saying that about these particular lights but it's something to think about. Try to use things others have tested if your going cheap imo.
I don't know about that light but it seems just like all the other value fixtures out there.. It's all about getting a good layout of leds to grow coral and good after sale service if anything goes wrong.. That's why most people will go with reefbreeders or similar for basically the same light.. It's all about customer service and accountability with cheaper lights.
There is a difference though in this hobby by working within your budget and buying the cheapest thing you can find.. Most of the time the really cheap things are that way for a reason . They won't last and could be dangerous to the tank and you personally.. I'm not at all saying that about these particular lights but it's something to think about. Try to use things others have tested if your going cheap imo.
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I thought the "dim" feature was for the tank so the fish dont have a sudden burst of light.
Dapg8gt
New member
I have fish that are 13 years old that have a sudden burst of light every day.. It's a gimmick and a way to closer replicate nature.. It's no needed at all.. Leds are new reef tanks aren't, leds are the only things that ramp up (except the new Dimmable t5)
dkeller_nc
New member
The lights you linked to at Reef Radiance are essentially Evergrow fixtures (there's tons of resellers out there putting their own brand on the same light). Yes, 2 of them would work for your tank, though as others stated, a controller doesn't come with them, so you'd either have to live with standard on/off timers, or buy a controller such as an Apex.
Keep in mind that these are Chinese fixtures & LEDs, and are put together with components that accommodate an ultra-low price point. That means the LEDs won't be as efficient as more mainstream manufacturers, and they generally include very inexpensive voltage-dimming drivers, which limits the low-current light output to a minimum of 10%. In other words, you go from 10% light output to "off" in one step. More sophisticated dimmers work by Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), and are capable of a full 0-100% range of output.
2 of these fixtures and 2 of the tank mounts are going to run you $419.00 plus tax and shipping if applicable. At that point, you might as well consider the Maxspect Razor 160w that includes a timer and the tank mounts for $509 plus tax and shipping. And Maxspect comes from a highly reputable company - Coral Vue.
Alternatively, you can get a 4 lamp Aquatic Life T5HO fixture with LED moonlights and an integrated timer for about $300, or even better, a 6 lamp fixture for about $430. And that includes the lamps. This is a much better option for an extremely low budget, particularly if you're a beginner. LED lighting definitely works, but it isn't bulletproof like T5HO lighting is. In particular, the nature of LED lighting fixtures makes hot-spotting in the tank something you need to watch for and carefully place your animals so that they get the proper amount of light. With a T5HO, presuming you've enough bulbs over the tank, the only decision is how close to place what coral to the water surface, and even that's not all that critical.
Keep in mind that these are Chinese fixtures & LEDs, and are put together with components that accommodate an ultra-low price point. That means the LEDs won't be as efficient as more mainstream manufacturers, and they generally include very inexpensive voltage-dimming drivers, which limits the low-current light output to a minimum of 10%. In other words, you go from 10% light output to "off" in one step. More sophisticated dimmers work by Pulse Width Modulation (PWM), and are capable of a full 0-100% range of output.
2 of these fixtures and 2 of the tank mounts are going to run you $419.00 plus tax and shipping if applicable. At that point, you might as well consider the Maxspect Razor 160w that includes a timer and the tank mounts for $509 plus tax and shipping. And Maxspect comes from a highly reputable company - Coral Vue.
Alternatively, you can get a 4 lamp Aquatic Life T5HO fixture with LED moonlights and an integrated timer for about $300, or even better, a 6 lamp fixture for about $430. And that includes the lamps. This is a much better option for an extremely low budget, particularly if you're a beginner. LED lighting definitely works, but it isn't bulletproof like T5HO lighting is. In particular, the nature of LED lighting fixtures makes hot-spotting in the tank something you need to watch for and carefully place your animals so that they get the proper amount of light. With a T5HO, presuming you've enough bulbs over the tank, the only decision is how close to place what coral to the water surface, and even that's not all that critical.
dkeller_nc
New member
Also, you may want to carefully consider whether you've the budget for a reef tank at all. Keep in mind that even small coral frags are going to run you $30-50, and colonies of interesting corals like Euphyllia are going to cost in the $100 and up range. Even a quite sparsely populated reef of the size you're planning is going to have around $2000 worth of animals.
And, it would be a critical mistake to budget $2k for the animals and not purchase the required RODI system, test kits, refractometer, algae magnet, skimmer, return pumps, tank powerheads, quarantine tank (that's a requirement, by the way, not an option) and other accoutrements. Buying the animals and not buying the minimally necessary extras means a high probability of losing those animals.
It's not that one has to have the latest and greatest stuff to keep a reef, and there's at least a multiplication factor of 5 between doing things inexpensively and with the latest equipment. But - there's definitely a floor below which you're going to have a hard time, and possibly lose interest in the hobby as a result. I can't tell you exactly where that flow is in terms of dollar figures, because it depends on whether you're willing to purchase used equipment, and how good a deal you get on that equipment.
If you've kept freshwater tanks, I would tell you from long experience that a reef tank is approximately 10 - 20 times as expensive as a well-stocked planted community tank. If you've not kept a freshwater tank, almost any experienced member here will tell you to do that first, or at least consider a marine fish-only tank to start with.
And, it would be a critical mistake to budget $2k for the animals and not purchase the required RODI system, test kits, refractometer, algae magnet, skimmer, return pumps, tank powerheads, quarantine tank (that's a requirement, by the way, not an option) and other accoutrements. Buying the animals and not buying the minimally necessary extras means a high probability of losing those animals.
It's not that one has to have the latest and greatest stuff to keep a reef, and there's at least a multiplication factor of 5 between doing things inexpensively and with the latest equipment. But - there's definitely a floor below which you're going to have a hard time, and possibly lose interest in the hobby as a result. I can't tell you exactly where that flow is in terms of dollar figures, because it depends on whether you're willing to purchase used equipment, and how good a deal you get on that equipment.
If you've kept freshwater tanks, I would tell you from long experience that a reef tank is approximately 10 - 20 times as expensive as a well-stocked planted community tank. If you've not kept a freshwater tank, almost any experienced member here will tell you to do that first, or at least consider a marine fish-only tank to start with.
True Thanks for your help
Dapg8gt
New member
See below =).. That's literally the best advice you are going to get..
Well said that's literally the best advice in this whole thread.
Thanks. There is a local shop near me that sells mixed water all ready to do. All you do is pump it in to buckets. And its cheap. I can get 150 gallons for 50 bucks.
refractometer I own already
Algae magnet I can get easily.
The skimmer I plan on getting a hang on type .. so i dont need a return pump if im not using a slump.. right?
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-octopus-classic-300-dual-hang-on-the-back-protein-skimmer.html
The power heads I was looking at were these... are they good?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/220582739625?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
And as for the QR tanks. Thats new to me. I will have to do more research on this..
Again, IM totally new at this. I plan on taking it slow. I came on here to get answers because I am new to this and have no idea how to get a salt water tank going 100%
refractometer I own already
Algae magnet I can get easily.
The skimmer I plan on getting a hang on type .. so i dont need a return pump if im not using a slump.. right?
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/reef-octopus-classic-300-dual-hang-on-the-back-protein-skimmer.html
The power heads I was looking at were these... are they good?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/220582739625?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT
And as for the QR tanks. Thats new to me. I will have to do more research on this..
Again, IM totally new at this. I plan on taking it slow. I came on here to get answers because I am new to this and have no idea how to get a salt water tank going 100%
In a year you'll spend the cost of an RO/DI unit.
No name chinese made stuff is a bad choice. They know even the basic inexpensive equipment can cause sticker shock, and look to take advantage of that. If you want inexpensive, but decent, look at Hydor Koralias.
Look into it now. It's not expensive to do, and might save you hundreds of dollars of fish. It will also slow you down, which will make it easier on the budget to afford stuff.
You're where I was a few months ago. Sticker shock. I ended up pushing my plan back from 3 months to a year to set everything up, so I could buy decent but not top of the line equipment, and avoid the cheap, crappy stuff that is easy to fall prey to.
Bpb
New member
The sudden burst of light is a brand new concern that came up with automatic ramping LEDs. People have kept beautiful tanks for decades with on/off lights. I have an 8 year old clownfish that has lived its entire life with on/off lighting.
Automatic dimming is neat, but it costs. There is no way around that. A $200-300 light option that has the minimum criteria of: led, will grow corals, will cover a 48" tank, and can be programmed to automatically dim up and down quite frankly doesn't exist... At least not in a "out of the box plug 'n play" fashion. Sticker shock wears off.
Automatic dimming is neat, but it costs. There is no way around that. A $200-300 light option that has the minimum criteria of: led, will grow corals, will cover a 48" tank, and can be programmed to automatically dim up and down quite frankly doesn't exist... At least not in a "out of the box plug 'n play" fashion. Sticker shock wears off.
Please check this out and tell me what you think..
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2451085
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2451085
dkeller_nc
New member
Honestly, it's really hard to say whether everything will work to your satisfaction with respect to mounting and distribution of light from the two different fixture choices. Something like that tends to be a "try it and see".
Don't discount the idea of buying one fixture with the intent of eventually installing two. Most of us would tell you to start with easier, lower-light corals anyway rather than SPS like Acropora, and there's not a thing wrong with having a portion of your tank in strong light and a portion in dim light.
Given your tank's size, I suspect you'll go through 150 gallons of RO water in a couple of months, possibly sooner depending on your evaporation rate. There's also the issue of poorly-maintained LFS systems. It certainly happens to some reefers that post here (less-than-pure RODI water from an LFS), but I've no idea how common that problem is.
And while you can certainly keep a tank without a sump, I strongly, strongly recommend that you consider drilling it and installing an overflow (you can use a 40 gallon breeder tank from PetCo for $40 for a sump). Reef tanks tend to need a lot of equipment (though it doesn't have to be purchased all at once) besides a skimmer, and a sump is almost a necessity to house it. Some examples include reactors for chemical media (activated carbon and granular ferric oxide), an auto top-off system, dosing pumps for adding calcium and alkalinity, heaters, etc...
You can drill a tank and install an overflow yourself - there are lots of tutorials on youtube, and the necessary diamond drill bit, bulkhead and overflow box can be purchased as a kit from Gl*******s.com, BulkReefSupply, and others.
Don't discount the idea of buying one fixture with the intent of eventually installing two. Most of us would tell you to start with easier, lower-light corals anyway rather than SPS like Acropora, and there's not a thing wrong with having a portion of your tank in strong light and a portion in dim light.
Given your tank's size, I suspect you'll go through 150 gallons of RO water in a couple of months, possibly sooner depending on your evaporation rate. There's also the issue of poorly-maintained LFS systems. It certainly happens to some reefers that post here (less-than-pure RODI water from an LFS), but I've no idea how common that problem is.
And while you can certainly keep a tank without a sump, I strongly, strongly recommend that you consider drilling it and installing an overflow (you can use a 40 gallon breeder tank from PetCo for $40 for a sump). Reef tanks tend to need a lot of equipment (though it doesn't have to be purchased all at once) besides a skimmer, and a sump is almost a necessity to house it. Some examples include reactors for chemical media (activated carbon and granular ferric oxide), an auto top-off system, dosing pumps for adding calcium and alkalinity, heaters, etc...
You can drill a tank and install an overflow yourself - there are lots of tutorials on youtube, and the necessary diamond drill bit, bulkhead and overflow box can be purchased as a kit from Gl*******s.com, BulkReefSupply, and others.
Viethuenese
New member
check out reef breeders LEDS
dkeller_nc
New member
Oops - the site's auto-correct thought the site I referred to was naughty (it isn't). Google "dope aquarium stuff" - it's the first result.
mrsixstrings12
New member
I have the evergrow and my Corals love it and my wallet does too!
I actually found a deal on them on ebay where you got 2 and saved some money, so i ended up buying that and now i have an extra
