Lighting option

rl225 · 03/20/2012, 12:22 PM

My tank is 72x24x30H. It's sort of a taller tank. Would these lights offer enough lighting? Thinking of going with 3 to cover the entire length of 72".

http://www.ecoxotic.com/aquarium-led...d-fixture.html

I want to be able to have corals and such on the floor and still have lighting for them.

Please note, my tank has a middle brace. It's actually double braced, one glass on top another. I think its 1/2 thick, with a 3/8 thick on top it. So the middle fixture would need to penetrate both pieces of glass

Pete H. · 03/20/2012, 12:30 PM

I think part of it will depend on what types of corals you are looking to add. Softies like zoas and stuff don't need as much light as say sps. So, some of it would depend on the type of corals you are looking to add.

As for the double brace, if it has no salt buildup and is nice and clean, alot of light could still get through. You will run into more problems when the tank is putting salt all over the glass. How wide is the glass brace? Could you get 2 led units of different size with wide lenses and tilt them a bit to shine at an angle to get under the glass? Just a suggestion. (thinking outside the box a bit if the center brace is a problem)

xCry0x · 03/20/2012, 02:07 PM

Correct me if I am wrong but those fixtures use 1w led's...

This might be a generalized overstatement but, you would not be able to grow sh** with that.

Every reef system uses high powered 3w led with or without optics. Optics are needed for deeper tanks as they focus the light down into the sand bed.

The ecoxotic lights I have seen have always been used as supplemental lighting.

You might be able to grow softies up near the surface of the water but I highly doubt you could put anything in the sand let alone have any sps as the PAR of those lights would be limited.

Again, I don't know a ton about them but they seem to basically have rows of stunner strips which -are- supplemental lights.. so I highly doubt you could grow anything although the lighting itself would look nice.

rl225 · 03/20/2012, 03:04 PM

Thank you xCry0x. I'm still learning.. I'll keep shopping :P

xCry0x · 03/20/2012, 04:05 PM

Lights have to be one of the if not the most expensive part of a tank, fortunately they also make the most noticeable difference. When I went from normal household CFL bulbs to getting LEDs and coral my tank went from blah to whoa.

03/20/2012, 12:22 PM	#1
rl225 Fish R Cool M'Kay Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 223	Lighting option My tank is 72x24x30H. It's sort of a taller tank. Would these lights offer enough lighting? Thinking of going with 3 to cover the entire length of 72". http://www.ecoxotic.com/aquarium-led...d-fixture.html I want to be able to have corals and such on the floor and still have lighting for them. Please note, my tank has a middle brace. It's actually double braced, one glass on top another. I think its 1/2 thick, with a 3/8 thick on top it. So the middle fixture would need to penetrate both pieces of glass

03/20/2012, 02:07 PM	#3
xCry0x Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Martinez, CA Posts: 1,116	Correct me if I am wrong but those fixtures use 1w led's... This might be a generalized overstatement but, you would not be able to grow sh** with that. Every reef system uses high powered 3w led with or without optics. Optics are needed for deeper tanks as they focus the light down into the sand bed. The ecoxotic lights I have seen have always been used as supplemental lighting. You might be able to grow softies up near the surface of the water but I highly doubt you could put anything in the sand let alone have any sps as the PAR of those lights would be limited. Again, I don't know a ton about them but they seem to basically have rows of stunner strips which -are- supplemental lights.. so I highly doubt you could grow anything although the lighting itself would look nice. __________________ Red Sea Max 250

03/20/2012, 04:05 PM	#5
xCry0x Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Martinez, CA Posts: 1,116	Lights have to be one of the if not the most expensive part of a tank, fortunately they also make the most noticeable difference. When I went from normal household CFL bulbs to getting LEDs and coral my tank went from blah to whoa. __________________ Red Sea Max 250

03/20/2012, 12:30 PM	#2
Pete H. Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Kansas Posts: 86	I think part of it will depend on what types of corals you are looking to add. Softies like zoas and stuff don't need as much light as say sps. So, some of it would depend on the type of corals you are looking to add. As for the double brace, if it has no salt buildup and is nice and clean, alot of light could still get through. You will run into more problems when the tank is putting salt all over the glass. How wide is the glass brace? Could you get 2 led units of different size with wide lenses and tilt them a bit to shine at an angle to get under the glass? Just a suggestion. (thinking outside the box a bit if the center brace is a problem)

03/20/2012, 03:04 PM	#4
rl225 Fish R Cool M'Kay Join Date: Mar 2012 Posts: 223	Thank you xCry0x. I'm still learning.. I'll keep shopping :P