huckilt
Community Member
Hi everyone had I question for you all. I’m gathering parts and pieces for my 40 breeder build I’ve got going on and I’m wondering what would be my best choice for lighting? My current 36bowfront has two Amazon special “50 watt saltwater leds” I can’t remember the exact brand name at the moment it will come to me though. It has the few frags in that tank growing well and I don’t have to run it at 100% usually around 60%. The two lights were $75/ea. The things I don’t like is one is obviously more powerful than the other and the disco ball effect they give off in the sand you can kinda see the different colors too(red, blue,green,white). I was hoping adding a t5 or two might help diffuse it. I was thinking of going the same route at first, but now I’m kinda swaying towards making the 40 a “legit” build using good products and not so much DIY like with the bow front. I’m leaning towards two AI PRIME16’s or one AI PRIME 32. I’m jus not too sure what route I should take. I’ve always struggled with my lighting. Don’t have a par meter to help me and it’s hard to look at a tank online and tell if I have enough light or too much or too little. There aren’t many fish stores anywhere close to me so even if I go try and compare the light I’m goimg off my memory from several hours prior. I have to drive an hour and a half to the closest LFS. And it’s usually the last stop just in case I buy a fish or coral or something it’s not sitting in the car all day. So I’m basically wondering am I better off using two 16’s or one 32? I’d imagine I could get better spread with the two 16’s. But would I need to spread the two points of light from the 16’s out more than the 32 has them for a 40breeder? Cause if the 32 don’t spread the entire tank I’d rather jus go with two 16s. But if I can save a few bucks getting the 32 that’s jus a few more bucks I can spend on something else.
