LED Lighting...Help me please! =)

mommy1990 · 08/20/2011, 12:07 PM

Hello everyone.

I currently have an overstocked 10 gallon tank with a clown, blue devil damsel, emerald crab, coral banded shrimp, trochus snail, and some live rock. I know that I need a bigger tank...I was a bit overly excited to get the tank set up and didn't look at the stats of the fish (beginners mistake that will not happen again). The tank has been set up for about a month and everything is going well so it's time give the fishies a bigger home. (FYI, I'm a bigger at having my own tank but I have experience with a 180 gal reef tank through tank maintance at work - doing maintance on a tank at work is a lot different than actually owning an aquarium).

I'm getting a 29 gallon aquarium on September 9th. The tank comes with a 61w T5 fixture and I also have a 36w T5 fixture but I'm really interested in LEDs because they run cooler and are more cost effective in the long run. But I have no idea how much LED lighting is enough for a 29 gallon tank. I know that the marineland reef capable led lighting systems would be sufficient, however it would cost me well over $300 and I'm trying to spend no more than $150-$200 on lighting because I'm on a budget since I'm already dropping a couple bills on the tank itself. So I was considering the ecoxotic Panorama LED Module or a stunner strip. For some reason I think one of either of these would not be enough so I would still need to use at least one of my T5 fixtures in conjunction with either the stunner or module. Are there any led fixtures out that there would be enough light alone to support reef life in a 29 gallon aquarium that would be within my budget?

Sorry for all the questions...I'm pretty familiar with saltwater tanks through work experience but LED lights are still fairly new so this is outside of my comfort and knowledge zone. Thanks for all of your help!!!

scarface70706 · 08/20/2011, 02:23 PM

hmmm for the price your asking for leds is very low if you want reef. if no reef you could get away with any old led light from petco or some where like that. LEDs are very expensive and the demand is high so the prices are crazy. if you really want a legit LED set up id start saving your money and do a DIY or look into AI leds. they have small set ups for nano tanks and are fully customizable. just remember you get what you pay for.

MrTuskfish · 08/20/2011, 02:44 PM

LED prices are really dropping. Check Foster & Smith sale price on marineland LEDs.

liquidarts · 08/20/2011, 04:22 PM

Have you thought about going the DIY route on LEDs.It's a lot cheaper than buying a retail system which the Marineland one uses 1w LEDs instead of the recommended 3w for a reef system.Am sure someone might be willing to give you a price quote for under $200 on setting things up for you if you want to go the DIY route.

Ron Reefman · 08/20/2011, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrTuskfish

LED prices are really dropping. Check Foster & Smith sale price on marineland LEDs.

I have the new Marineland led light (a raffle winner) over a small frag tank (shallow) and I'm not at all impressed with the output. It keeps sps corals alive, but poor color and no growth. I'm going back to MH.

Lynnmw1208 · 08/20/2011, 08:12 PM

I would browse the DIY forums and make your own. Definitely more cost efficient!

jamesbaur13 · 08/20/2011, 08:18 PM

For a cube I'd go with this... http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...etrofit/Detail

You have to assemble it from parts.

Also, you can customize the LED colors to your liking.

nikon187 · 08/21/2011, 07:51 AM

i wouldnt call them ( marineland) really reef cabable on there own. i have 2 at work on display tanks, horrible colour and spread. corals do stay alive but not impressed.

MrTuskfish · 08/21/2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ron Reefman

I have the new Marineland led light (a raffle winner) over a small frag tank (shallow) and I'm not at all impressed with the output. It keeps sps corals alive, but poor color and no growth. I'm going back to MH.

Which one did you get? Single, double, or "reef capable"?

TropTrea · 04/07/2012, 02:52 PM

The 29 gallon tank does need a lot of LED powering. About 45 Watts of quality LED lighting would be ideal. There are some cheap fixtures out there in the $200 range that would work for you but your talking 60+ watts on these fixtures.

Also a DIY fixture with 6 Blue, 6 Royal Blue and 6 Neutral White Cree 3 Watt LED's could be built for under $150.00 easily for a tank this small.

08/20/2011, 12:07 PM	#1
mommy1990 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 2	LED Lighting...Help me please! =) Hello everyone. I currently have an overstocked 10 gallon tank with a clown, blue devil damsel, emerald crab, coral banded shrimp, trochus snail, and some live rock. I know that I need a bigger tank...I was a bit overly excited to get the tank set up and didn't look at the stats of the fish (beginners mistake that will not happen again). The tank has been set up for about a month and everything is going well so it's time give the fishies a bigger home. (FYI, I'm a bigger at having my own tank but I have experience with a 180 gal reef tank through tank maintance at work - doing maintance on a tank at work is a lot different than actually owning an aquarium). I'm getting a 29 gallon aquarium on September 9th. The tank comes with a 61w T5 fixture and I also have a 36w T5 fixture but I'm really interested in LEDs because they run cooler and are more cost effective in the long run. But I have no idea how much LED lighting is enough for a 29 gallon tank. I know that the marineland reef capable led lighting systems would be sufficient, however it would cost me well over $300 and I'm trying to spend no more than $150-$200 on lighting because I'm on a budget since I'm already dropping a couple bills on the tank itself. So I was considering the ecoxotic Panorama LED Module or a stunner strip. For some reason I think one of either of these would not be enough so I would still need to use at least one of my T5 fixtures in conjunction with either the stunner or module. Are there any led fixtures out that there would be enough light alone to support reef life in a 29 gallon aquarium that would be within my budget? Sorry for all the questions...I'm pretty familiar with saltwater tanks through work experience but LED lights are still fairly new so this is outside of my comfort and knowledge zone. Thanks for all of your help!!!

08/20/2011, 02:44 PM	#3
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	LED prices are really dropping. Check Foster & Smith sale price on marineland LEDs. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

08/20/2011, 08:12 PM	#6
Lynnmw1208 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Brunswick, Ohio Posts: 3,306	I would browse the DIY forums and make your own. Definitely more cost efficient! __________________ equipment: Eshopps psk-200 skimmer, Mag 12 pump, 30gal sump, 2x 300w Finnex heaters, glass-holes 1500gph overflow kit with 3/4" return kits, 72" 8x36w t-5 AquaticLife light, 66lbs of LR, 150lbs of tropic eden reeflakes, 2 Koralia Evo 1400, JBJ ATO, BRS dual GFO/carbon reactors, Hydor smartwave Current Tank Info: 125gallon

08/20/2011, 08:18 PM	#7
jamesbaur13 Apsiring Alhcohlolic Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 772	For a cube I'd go with this... http://www.rapidled.com/servlet/the-...etrofit/Detail You have to assemble it from parts. Also, you can customize the LED colors to your liking. __________________ 120G AGA Dual Overflow, 40G B Sump, SRO-2000int, 2 Eheim 200w Heater, Eheim 1262 Return, BRS C & GFO React., BR-1000ss Biopellet React., Tunze 5017 ATO, 2 MP-40wes, DIY 76LED (36RB,24NW,6B,6CW,4Moon)

08/21/2011, 07:51 AM	#8
nikon187 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Edmonton Alberta Posts: 4,717	i wouldnt call them ( marineland) really reef cabable on there own. i have 2 at work on display tanks, horrible colour and spread. corals do stay alive but not impressed. __________________ ----------------- Current Tanks: New 210 custom 84 x 24 x 24, 60g sump, SWC 250 extreme with bubble blaster 5000, 2 vortech mp40, 2 vortech mp10, 12 T5, Water blaster 5000, warner marine bio pellets, 60g clownfish cube, red carpet anemone with a 25g sump,SRO octopus 1000sss, 250w radium, lumenarc large.

08/20/2011, 02:23 PM	#2
scarface70706 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Posts: 1,364	hmmm for the price your asking for leds is very low if you want reef. if no reef you could get away with any old led light from petco or some where like that. LEDs are very expensive and the demand is high so the prices are crazy. if you really want a legit LED set up id start saving your money and do a DIY or look into AI leds. they have small set ups for nano tanks and are fully customizable. just remember you get what you pay for.

08/20/2011, 04:22 PM	#4
liquidarts Moved On Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Colorado Posts: 246	Have you thought about going the DIY route on LEDs.It's a lot cheaper than buying a retail system which the Marineland one uses 1w LEDs instead of the recommended 3w for a reef system.Am sure someone might be willing to give you a price quote for under $200 on setting things up for you if you want to go the DIY route.

04/07/2012, 02:52 PM	#10
TropTrea Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: SE Suburbia Wisconsin Posts: 2,910	The 29 gallon tank does need a lot of LED powering. About 45 Watts of quality LED lighting would be ideal. There are some cheap fixtures out there in the $200 range that would work for you but your talking 60+ watts on these fixtures. Also a DIY fixture with 6 Blue, 6 Royal Blue and 6 Neutral White Cree 3 Watt LED's could be built for under $150.00 easily for a tank this small. __________________ Dennis B. Current Tank Info: Main tank 120 Gallon, 432 Watts T-5's plus 30 Watts of LED's, Frag 40 Gallon tank 234 Watts T-5's, 3 Frag tanks all 40 Gallon with LED lighting between 60 and 84 Watts. All LEDs are DIY Oh and then there is fresh water tanks 270 gallons

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