Which light to go with for a reef tank?

Onixite · 10/02/2014, 05:48 PM

Hello, I'm having a hard time deciding on a new lighting fixture for my reef tank. It has no corals in it yet, but my set up is cycling. I only have a realllllllyyyyy old hood light right now. I need a new one. I'm willing to spend up to 80 dollars, and I'm looking at two right now. Which one? If not either of those, then what else? Thank you guys CX Also. 24 gallon tank.

Links: http://www.aquaticlife.com/light-fixtures/edge-led
http://www.aquaticlife.com/light-fix...led-10w-marine

rogergolf66 · 10/04/2014, 08:11 PM

Personally I wouldn't use either but that's not to say they won't grow coral but to me they have to much yellow white light and won't make corals look very colorful

Badbrad8500 · 10/04/2014, 08:19 PM

If you're handy with soldering, I'd recommend building an LED fixture. For around $80, you could get LEDs, drivers, and possibly a mounting surface. That or a used 4 bulb T5 fixture.

Sk8r · 10/04/2014, 09:50 PM

Unless it says REEF specifically, it won't work. T5's do fine for everything up to less fussy sps. Metal halides will do everything from lps to sps, but may be too intense for some sizes of tank with softies. Be sure when you get into LED: be absolutely sure it says REEF, and better yet, corals...because softie corals don't take much light, but clams and stony coral do. A lot of intense light. My light, is 10,000k 250 watt metal halide with 2 actinic fluorescents that themselves are pretty potent. Be aware that color in the tank is highly dependent on the lights, and that with only yellows, things will look like a faded photograph, all reds and yellows and browns, and with blues added, the colors will come. It would help if you could access a good lfs which could show you tanks with these types of light in operation. It is to a certain extent dependent on taste and types of corals. I like a 10,000 k for growing euphyllia (hammer, torch, frog and caulestra) but others with other kinds of stony coral prefer 13000 k. Though either would serve, you begin to have a preference based on what you see work best for you. Talk to people, ask a lot of questions. Ask their tank size and shape, and their preferred corals. And what lights they have. I, for instance, run 2 actinics with a 10,000 K Ushio 250 watt MH, and grow euphyllia stony in a 50 to 100 gallon wedge tank (2 tanks)

10/02/2014, 05:48 PM	#1
Onixite Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 1	Which light to go with for a reef tank? Hello, I'm having a hard time deciding on a new lighting fixture for my reef tank. It has no corals in it yet, but my set up is cycling. I only have a realllllllyyyyy old hood light right now. I need a new one. I'm willing to spend up to 80 dollars, and I'm looking at two right now. Which one? If not either of those, then what else? Thank you guys CX Also. 24 gallon tank. Links: http://www.aquaticlife.com/light-fixtures/edge-led http://www.aquaticlife.com/light-fix...led-10w-marine

10/04/2014, 08:11 PM	#2
rogergolf66 im an addict lol Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Land o lakes, FLorida Posts: 12,930	Personally I wouldn't use either but that's not to say they won't grow coral but to me they have to much yellow white light and won't make corals look very colorful __________________ Goal levels: salinity 35ppt, temp 78-79, alk 8-9, cal 430-450, mag 1310-1400 po4 .03, no3 1-3 Current Tank Info: System 1... 100 gal Zoa tank I built, 30 gal Ric Yuma shroom tank, 30 gal mix tank my sons,40 gal softie tank, 40 gal nem tank, two 40 gal LPS tank. System 2... 240 gal SPS display attached 100 gal frag SPS only tank.

10/04/2014, 09:50 PM	#4
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Unless it says REEF specifically, it won't work. T5's do fine for everything up to less fussy sps. Metal halides will do everything from lps to sps, but may be too intense for some sizes of tank with softies. Be sure when you get into LED: be absolutely sure it says REEF, and better yet, corals...because softie corals don't take much light, but clams and stony coral do. A lot of intense light. My light, is 10,000k 250 watt metal halide with 2 actinic fluorescents that themselves are pretty potent. Be aware that color in the tank is highly dependent on the lights, and that with only yellows, things will look like a faded photograph, all reds and yellows and browns, and with blues added, the colors will come. It would help if you could access a good lfs which could show you tanks with these types of light in operation. It is to a certain extent dependent on taste and types of corals. I like a 10,000 k for growing euphyllia (hammer, torch, frog and caulestra) but others with other kinds of stony coral prefer 13000 k. Though either would serve, you begin to have a preference based on what you see work best for you. Talk to people, ask a lot of questions. Ask their tank size and shape, and their preferred corals. And what lights they have. I, for instance, run 2 actinics with a 10,000 K Ushio 250 watt MH, and grow euphyllia stony in a 50 to 100 gallon wedge tank (2 tanks) __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

10/04/2014, 08:19 PM	#3
Badbrad8500 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 93	If you're handy with soldering, I'd recommend building an LED fixture. For around $80, you could get LEDs, drivers, and possibly a mounting surface. That or a used 4 bulb T5 fixture.