Best cost effective lighting options

[CivicS14]

So three of the 150 watts or the 100 watts? Could I get away with two of the 150 watt version? Thank you!

I'm not sure you can buy based on wattage. I would look at the par map on the item and buy based on your needs. A blanket recommendation of wattage means nothing. What are you goals for the tank? SPS, LPS, softies? This plays a big role on your needs. I see many people recommending noopsyche, but honestly I think any black box leds would work. The more money typically just adds features like programming, number of data points, channels, etc.

 

[Hooz]

Radion fans probably not chiming in cause the subject line says "Best cost effective..." and Radions clearly aren't for those that looking to save on cost. While I'm not radion fanboy, I do run radions that I picked up second and from a closeout and they are effective, just not the "cost" part of the equation.

This right here. $1000 for single light on a setup that will likely require 3 lights puts it right out of the "cost effective" arena.

Although... Three of the Chinese Radion knock-offs wouldn't be a bad choice at all.

 

[oreo54]

So three of the 150 watts or the 100 watts? Could I get away with two of the 150 watt version? Thank you!

In sw I'd always suggest getting as much power as one can afford.
A lot depends on what your goals are.
Second "babying" leds i.e dimming to match your needs saves on wear and tear of the diodes.
Point is you have some advantages to over buying .
Growing high light corals is easier with.. high light.

Think multiples of your gallons, starting at 2x gal. (lower light stuff, maybe high light high up)
Going to 4 to 6x gal (anything but possible stress on low light stuff)..as to wattage
There are plenty of "rules of thumbs" including "try it see what happens"..

2 150w is equal to 3 100's as to physical photon output (in general). Only the spread differs.
Most of these type light use a 90 degree lens system.
A single point of light (say one led)
Estimated "best height" is about 12" off the water line.
This is roughly the pattern you get for the "major" amount of light with
2 150's 12" off the water surface.
With the 18:30:18 pattern
To scale of 70x24
there still is light outside that pattern but not much..usually.
And with 90 degree lenses the center is more concentrated .
Reflectors are a different story as is "bare" diodes which are usually 120 degrees.

As you go deeper the center 'converges" while the edges get more reflection off the side glass.

Point is I'm certainly not arguing against 3 lights.

 

[exnisstech]

You don't need as many noopsyche lights as are in that picture to cover a tank. Some people just like having lots.

This is true. I run them close so I get overlap to increase the par where my clams are but not cooking everything else. I only have 4 powered up in the image I posted and plan running just those for now.

 

[moretor1]

If you're willing to go used there's always plenty of people selling their old t5 canopies and I find people tend to exaggerate how hard they are to get and I doubt many of the German companies are going away

Not to mention if your tastes ever change (they probably will) it's as simple as swapping out a $20 bulb rather than dealing with subpar lighting from an led or shelling out for an entire new unit

 

[JoJosReef]

Also late to the party, but I considered this tank but went small with the 40L AIO.

4-6 Noopsyche Minis will light up that tank. That is $360 - $540 total for lights with mounts. I have 3 over my 36" L tank:

3 K7 Pro IIIs would also do nicely, although you might get more hot spots and shadows--maybe not. 6 minis would light up everything and grow anything, and easy to replace one if it goes out. Pros have more spectrum channels though if you enjoy tweaking the other colors.

 

[TX_REEF]

if cost effective is your primary motivation, I will also recommend the NooPysche K7, as others have said. They aren't the "best" but I don't think there is any other reef-focused fixture that will get you more bang for buck.

 

[Vinaka_vakalevu]

I'm late as usual but a 3 or 4 noopsyche k7 III pros would light that tank nicely I think. They are strong enough to grow clams on the bottom if cranked up high enough. It's always nice to have more light than needed when starting vs having to upgrade later. I had six over my 180g in my showcase tank if you want to take a look. I moved them all over to my new build which is 84x30x25 and am currently running just 4 as I'm not lighting the ends. About $200 each with a mounting bracket they are my favorite budget light. I do like my photons also I'm surprised the radion fan crowd hasn't chimed in . I have some gen 4 radions but won't buy any new equipment from ecotech. This is my new tank with 4 of the k7s powered on. I run higher whites than many.

What are you pushing whites at there? 40%
Definitely whiter than mine

 

[exnisstech]

What are you pushing whites at there? 40%
Definitely whiter than mine

I think 30 but I'm not positive because I've been changing them up since they are higher and tank is larger than what they were over. I'm trying to find that sweet spot. I like mine whiter in this tank since I don't have corals that pop under blues.

 

[twentyleagues]

I'm late as usual but a 3 or 4 noopsyche k7 III pros would light that tank nicely I think. They are strong enough to grow clams on the bottom if cranked up high enough. It's always nice to have more light than needed when starting vs having to upgrade later. I had six over my 180g in my showcase tank if you want to take a look. I moved them all over to my new build which is 84x30x25 and am currently running just 4 as I'm not lighting the ends. About $200 each with a mounting bracket they are my favorite budget light. I do like my photons also I'm surprised the radion fan crowd hasn't chimed in . I have some gen 4 radions but won't buy any new equipment from ecotech. This is my new tank with 4 of the k7s powered on. I run higher whites than many.

Its nice to see a pic of a tank running noops that isnt blurple.

 

[theatrus]

Its nice to see a pic of a tank running noops that isnt blurple.

Their silly thread and marketing aside, the lights are a good value. Also nice to see someone running a more daylight-ish mix

 

[exnisstech]

Only because some have asked and I don't know what settings the previous image was taken under here's a shot from today under the 16:00 settings

Settings

Apologies for the highjack