Best(most appropriate) lighting for a semi new setup

[mwasmer]

Hi all,

I am newly back to the hobby, fresh off of a 10+ year hiatus. I recently bought a used 150 gal tank(72X19X29) with 150lbs of live rock. My intent is to start out kind of slow by introducing some fish and then zoanthids until I can feel confident in what I am doing enough to maintain things appropriately. So to my question - The setup only came with a Orphek LED Blue Plus Bar 48" so I know I will need to get another light and I have been trying to figure out what is the best light for me to get now. I have been looking at everything from the Kessil's - the Orphek and everything in between. I know that eventually I would like to get a nicer light setup but it was suggested to me that for now, I would be fine with the Reef Bright Lumi Lite 72" strip. I am wondering what your thoughts are on the different lights that are out there and would appreciate suggestions. Thank you in advance for any help that is given.

 

[TriggersAmuck]

29" makes for a pretty deep tank! (Thinking in terms of lighting intensity). While zoads don't require higher lighting, you may want to keep that depth in mind as you invest in equipment to avoid doubling back at some point if you decide to keep something more demanding.

 

[mwasmer]

@TriggersAmuck thank you for the reply. No doubt you are correct in that. I am kind of assuming that I will need to upgrade whatever I get as a started light set unless I wait and just for the big boys upfront. What I am trying to find out though is whether the Brite Reef is good enough to get the tank established or not.

 

[ru4serious]

Not sure what you mean by established , but that light will be fine while yo have just fish only, you don't need any light to cycle a tank, so won't need to purchase lights until you start to ad coral, however after adding light it wouldn't be unusual to see algae appear

 

[Jekyl]

I have kessil and love them. Depending on type of coral you want down the road I would go with combo of ap9x or the new 500s

 

[mwasmer]

Not sure what you mean by established , but that light will be fine while yo have just fish only, you don't need any light to cycle a tank, so won't need to purchase lights until you start to ad coral, however after adding light it wouldn't be unusual to see algae appear

by established i mean having at least 3 fish and some zoanthids successfully for at least 3 months.

 

[ru4serious]

Fish won't require light, I suppose you could place a small frag at the highest point on your rock and test it

 

[ru4serious]

But I wouldn't buy a light only to upgrade later, if I had to purchase lights get what you want(need) initially and save money

 

[mwasmer]

But I wouldn't buy a light only to upgrade later, if I had to purchase lights get what you want(need) initially and save money

I do get that it is def not optimal to do that. I am a bit limited in what I can doing so am trying to do the best I can and the lights are quite expensive. I was not originally anticipating needing lights but the tank only came with a 48inch orphek blue bar so I need to get something. Just trying to figure out what that something is. If I can't get the lights I really need right away then i'd like to get something that will be strong enough to get me by until I can if that makes sense.

 

[ru4serious]

If this tank has a canopy, I might recommend soma t5 retrofit kits , and you can use them as supplemental lighting once u get what u really want

 

[FlowGod]

I do get that it is def not optimal to do that. I am a bit limited in what I can doing so am trying to do the best I can and the lights are quite expensive. I was not originally anticipating needing lights but the tank only came with a 48inch orphek blue bar so I need to get something. Just trying to figure out what that something is. If I can't get the lights I really need right away then i'd like to get something that will be strong enough to get me by until I can if that makes sense.

You can purchase led's and later supplement t5's or reefbrites if you want more light intensity. You cant really go wrong with buying a quality led fixture right now. Just make sure you have a goal or outcome in mind when buying. I purchased a bunch of AI primes and the aquatic life t5 fixture. It gives you a lot flexibility with upgrading or downgrading depending on your needs. My lights are totally overkill for what I have, 36" tank with 36" Aquatic life t5 fixture, 3 AI primes, 2 Kessil A80 in-between the Primes. Like I said totally overkill but if I need more intensity I can just adjust a bit and I'm good to go.

 

[bmeily]

Several way to go with this.
Keep the light you have and not buy anymore coral. Could also put the zoas in some else’s tank.
Buy some ballasts and build t5 retro setup for a cheaper temporary setup which could supplement your main lighting in the future.
Also people like AI primes to, maybe there is a used ones on the market.
Buy used radions xr15 G4s in the mid 200s each. It would take servers for that length tank depending on end goal.
The price keeps going up after this.
You definitely don’t want to buy nice lights more than once. How much money you have to spend on this and time and end goal should narrow down your options. You do have a deep and narrow tank.

 

[mwasmer]

Several way to go with this.
Keep the light you have and not buy anymore coral. Could also put the zoas in some else’s tank.
Buy some ballasts and build t5 retro setup for a cheaper temporary setup which could supplement your main lighting in the future.
Also people like AI primes to, maybe there is a used ones on the market.
Buy used radions xr15 G4s in the mid 200s each. It would take servers for that length tank depending on end goal.
The price keeps going up after this.
You definitely don’t want to buy nice lights more than once. How much money you have to spend on this and time and end goal should narrow down your options. You do have a deep and narrow tank.

to be clear i do not currently even have the tank yet much less any fish or zoa's. The immediate goal once I do have the tank is to get it cycled then add 3 fish and then some zoa's. My question was based on trying to determine if the Reef Brite would work for that setup and not kill the zoa's.

 

[ru4serious]

If you don't have the tank yet, you have a couple months before you're gonna need lights

 

[mwasmer]

If you don't have the tank yet, you have a couple months before you're gonna need lights

It's a used tank with an already established sand bed and live rock. my understanding that it would be significantly less time to cycle it than a brand new setup would take.