Best Light for cost.

DangerClose · Feb 4, 2022

Hey. I have a 75 gallon tank 4ft x2ft
I don't know whats the best light for me.
I really don't want to spend $800 on lights, so I am looking for the best alternatives.
I am brand new to reefing and don't plan on growing complicated or hard to look after coral.
What cheaper alternatives do I have,
Thanks guys

J.chemicals · Feb 4, 2022

Hello! do you have social media like facebook? You can look into your local reefing club group. I went and grabbed some T5 fixtures via my local reefing club.

DangerClose · Feb 4, 2022

J.chemicals said:
Hello! do you have social media like facebook? You can look into your local reefing club group. I went and grabbed some T5 fixtures via my local reefing club.

I do, but not sure how to find a local reef group.

J.chemicals · Feb 4, 2022

If you search on your facebook search bar "Massachusetts reefing club", then hover down to the tab that says group. then you should be able to find your local reefing club. And from there, you could ask questions if anyone local are selling there used lights etc.

Good luck and happy reefing!

Fishingandreefing · Feb 4, 2022

You will need about two lights. two hydra 26hd used will run you any where from $300-$450 and two radion xr15s will be a bit more. You don’t have to buy brand new with tax. If you’re that type of reefer that must have new and most updated lights then I have no further comments. Also when you see a deal and you might want to use them, grab them. Worse case resell them if you don’t need them. Don’t wait till the time you want them and be panics. Plan ahead!

MaxTremors · Feb 4, 2022

I would look into a couple of the Noopsyche V3s, they don’t have all the bells and whistles of higher end lights, but the actual lighting is excellent quality, and if you wait for a sale, you should be able to light your tank for around $400 (not on sale, two lights, mounting arms, and a controller would be around $600). These will grow pretty much anything (it’s always best to buy lights that you can grow with, I can’t tell you how many people I know that have said ‘I don’t plan on keeping corals or XYZ kind of corals, only to change their mind six months later when they get deeper into the hobby, it’s best to buy something with decent quality and power upfront than to have to rebuy them in six months. Just my opinion, every time I’ve tried to cut corners in this hobby, I’ve ended up spending double.

damsels are not mean · Feb 4, 2022

bang for buck would be building your own LED fixture

ApoIsland · Feb 4, 2022

Get a couple black box 165 watt LED fixtures. $125-$150 each.

Could even just start with one on the center and then mount whatever corals you get in the middle 24 inches of the tank. If you decide the hobby is definitely for you and you want to fill out that tank with coral then get another fixture.

Losirk · Feb 4, 2022

Two Viparspectra 165w. Prob <$300 total

paulgriffin971 · Feb 4, 2022

One Kessil AP700 hung from the ceiling would do it--and one power plug tied up too. Used I've seen them around $300.

But don't overlook those little AI Prime 16's either. Those things are a deal for what you get. 2 or 3 of them on a tank that size will rock while not breaking the bank. Also Red Sea ReefLED's are cost effective.

Best advice, buy the lights new, buy the mounting hardware used if you can. You'll get the warranty on what you need it on--the light

adittam · Feb 4, 2022

LED's cost more up front, T5's cost more over the long run (you need to get a new set of bulbs about every 12 months). Look for a lightly used pair of older LED's. I was able to find a pair of AI Hydra 26's that were still new in the box (even though they were about 3 generations old) with a controller a few months ago for under $400, and they do an amazing job on my 80 gallon tank that is 4'x2'. If you want to see what they look like on my tank, feel free to check out my build thread. Good luck!

Spare time · Feb 4, 2022

DangerClose said:
Hey. I have a 75 gallon tank 4ft x2ft
I don't know whats the best light for me.
I really don't want to spend $800 on lights, so I am looking for the best alternatives.
I am brand new to reefing and don't plan on growing complicated or hard to look after coral.
What cheaper alternatives do I have,
Thanks guys

4-5 lumi lites or 3-4 lumi lite pros

ClownSchool · Feb 8, 2022

DangerClose said:
Hey. I have a 75 gallon tank 4ft x2ft
I don't know whats the best light for me.
I really don't want to spend $800 on lights, so I am looking for the best alternatives.
I am brand new to reefing and don't plan on growing complicated or hard to look after coral.
What cheaper alternatives do I have,
Thanks guys

I used 48” FLUVAL SEA LED with a 48” Marineland Marine LED and could grow everything up to montipora SPS. I think I spent $375 total.

livinlifeinBKK · Feb 8, 2022

I've got a Noopsyche K7 V3 and no complaints

Tamberav · Feb 8, 2022

I bought a used ATI T5 light. Will grow anything and only cost me $200.

bruno3047 · Feb 8, 2022

I started with this and used the stock bulbs until they burnt out. Then I upgraded to ATI. Since then, I added a few LED strips attached right to the fixture body. 48 inch fixture $129.95 with 2x10K 54w bulbs and 2x 460nm Blue Actinic 54w bulbs. The seller also sells replacement ballasts and other parts.

Pardon Our Interruption...

www.ebay.com

mikereefing · Feb 8, 2022

I run two AI prime HD modules and 2 x 2' T5 fixtures. $200ish new for AI primes each (I think slightly more now) and my T5 fixtures off amazon ($45 for a 2 pack). ATI bulbs at $20 each, I use them for 18 months without issue or much PAR degradation. My acros started to really take off after I added the T5 bulbs.

ClownSchool · Feb 9, 2022

bruno3047 said:
I started with this and used the stock bulbs until they burnt out. Then I upgraded to ATI. Since then, I added a few LED strips attached right to the fixture body. 48 inch fixture $129.95 with 2x10K 54w bulbs and 2x 460nm Blue Actinic 54w bulbs. The seller also sells replacement ballasts and other parts.

Pardon Our Interruption...

www.ebay.com

Wow! That’s a good deal.

bruno3047 · Feb 9, 2022

ClownSchool said:
Wow! That’s a good deal.

An added extra is that I found that the 10K bulbs gave me the best coralline growth. Unfortunately they also give you the best (worst) GHA growth.

damsels are not mean · Feb 9, 2022

bruno3047 said:
An added extra is that I found that the 10K bulbs gave me the best coralline growth. Unfortunately they also give you the best (worst) GHA growth.

Anything you do to slow the growth of the ugly algaes will slow the growth of everything else too. I see no reason to delay the process of selecting for the pretty stuff in our little reefs. Mature and full tanks don't have much ugly algae in them.