Best Reef light Under $200

[outhouse]

Viparspectra has 14 420 s

 

[outhouse]

That thread not accurate. Go look at the current viparspectra

 

[Shooter6]

yes i'm new to keep larger tanks im used to micro. this was a free tank so figured to give it a try. what if only part is illumited that has coral

If you can go up a bit on budget, look at ledzeal.com mirage x300 superblue. A single 1 hung a bit higher, say 14+inches will light the entire tank with plenty of par
I have 4 x200 over my 8x3x2 400g, running a peak of 40% per channel and getting 300 par on the bottom, with the lights about 17 inches off the water.

 

[k2-]

my $0.02
I started out my tank with KISS and CHEAP - and soon realize this is not worth it.

If you are planning corals and fish all being happy - it will require effort and $. Not saying you can't do it - but at cost of what (your time and sweat). So my only advice is to start right.

My background - started by 150 with 3 Chinese viaspectra light, Jebao pump, no dosing, a ebay entrepreneur's unique design (and cheap) skimmer, reef pi, etc.

2 years later Today - All light replaced with AI's, octo skimmer, Mp40 - gyre combo, Apex

Interest paid - in terms of all light cost, time, effort, worry, and making things work which should have been a hassle in the first place. And I love DIY - so again only piece of suggestion - START RIGHT FROM BEGINNING - EVEN IF ITS SLOW.

Will I do it again? NO NEVER - cost of loosing the corals, uncertainty, time - effort and eventually you will upgrade pre-maturely to good lights (cos you love coals)


Finally for light if you wanna go cheap go T5, get a HO light with 6, and buy the ATI lights. - Make sure to run fan unless you wanna make egg fried.

 

[outhouse]

Funny if you can't grow corals with viparspectra lights, it's a personal problem and it has nothing to do with the lights. Szme for Jebao pumps. There as good as 98% of what exist. Mp40s are nice and I use a pair. My first pair was substandard

 

[dhnguyen]

I'll have to agree regarding the viparspectra and other cheap black box LEDs. You not having success keeping corals has nothing to do with the lights IMO. Plenty of reefers (myself included) have used these lights with great success keeping SPS corals. LIkewise I have seen some people with high end LED lights and their tanks looked like crap. Coral husbandry (especially SPS) is a lot more than just lighting. It's mostly about stability and biodiversity.

Also T5 isn't exactly cheap especially after you factor in the cost of bulb replacement every 6-9 months. It adds up quickly.

 

[Shooter6]

Another person who has to agree, both blackbox lights and absolutely jebao pumps/wavemakers will and do work just as well as the name brand stuff. Only issue with blackbox is turning them down to a setting that has safe par levels for what your growing. They can easily be turned up to high and fry coral.

My jebao pumps and powerheads have outlasted my friends mp40/mp60s. I finally had a jebao gyre start getting noisy after 5 years of constant use. My friends have had to send back dry sides for repair/ replacement and buy new wet sides at least 3-4 times in that same time frame!

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

You could also try the Noo-Psyche light. They have a 20% sale going right now... so should be around $185 - you would need two to cover the whole tank.

+1 on the @noopsyche lights. Couple complaints for your 'light-aphiles' (mainly the janky controller) but over all, darn good light for the price.

 

[Shooter6]

+1 on the @noopsyche lights. Couple complaints for your 'light-aphiles' (mainly the janky controller) but over all, darn good light for the price.

What is the cost per unit and real coverage? This is an 8x3x2 400g with 300 par across the entire bottom.

 

[tbrown]

What is the cost per unit and real coverage? This is an 8x3x2 400g with 300 par across the entire bottom.

@Gtinnel yours is close. Did you take par readings?

 

[k2-]

Guess a big assumption my fellow reefers assumed is I couldn’t grow corals.
I still have my 50 G running on viparspectra which is Lps / hospital tank for corals. Anyways I guess we missed the point - if all were so great why mp40’s ? Why not stick to Jebao ? And viparspectra. Why it’s not your last the go to light ? My mixing station is still using Jebao.

 

[Shooter6]

@Gtinnel yours is close. Did you take par readings?

If your asking me yes I did take par readings and pur as well. The pur on the bottom is 79% with 300 par

 

[BroccoliFarmer]

What is the cost per unit and real coverage? This is an 8x3x2 400g with 300 par across the entire bottom.

As per their recommendations, this would be 4 by 140watts for an 8 footer. I have a 4 by 2 by 2 foot deep lowboy and I easily hit 200 par on the tank bottom at 20% with simply 2 by 140 watts.

 

[tbrown]

As per their recommendations, this would be 4 by 140watts for an 8 footer. I have a 4 by 2 by 2 foot deep lowboy and I easily hit 200 par on the tank bottom at 20% with simply 2 by 140 watts.

@Gtinnel is running 6 over a 6*18*22. I'm curious what his par is. I know he's running his low % as well.

 

[Gtinnel]

@Gtinnel is running 6 over a 6*18*22. I'm curious what his par is. I know he's running his low % as well.

I have not charted my par other than checking it in a few spots near the top of my aquascape (maybe 1/3 of the way down in the tank) and currently I am running 240 par there, with the lights set at this

I have no doubt my lights will be able to provide as much par as I could possibly want and then some. When I am eventually done adjusting them I'm aiming for about 400 at the top of my rockwork.

 

[Shooter6]

This is what many are missing from their suggestion. If the op is trying to light a a particular size area, for 200 total, or even 200 per unit, and we are suggesting a light. We need to be realistic about the cost of the light(s) to achieve their goals.
My 4 wifi app controlled lights costed less then 1400 to light my 8x3x2 400g.
And that is 300 par evenly spread across the entire bottom of the tank. They didnt include their intended goals so that is an issue trying to answer them as well

 

[k2-]

T5 is the best answer imho for that price range.

rest was more to say “keep in mind - you might upgrade soon”

 

[Shooter6]

T5 is the best answer imho for that price range.

rest was more to say “keep in mind - you might upgrade soon”

Agreed