Buying lights, feeling overwhelmed

D3DPrintedThingz · May 4, 2022

I have a 75 gallon 4ft long and am looking to purchase an aquarium light for it. I am just very overwhelmed at what is available, and the range of prices. I am on a budget, but also have a credit card and an understanding of quality purchases the first time. "Buy once, cry once" sort of thing.

What lights have you used for your aquarium that you recommend? I'm not looking for cheap or expensive, but quality for the money spent. Thanks in advance!

Dburr1014 · May 4, 2022

ilikefish69 said:
I have a 75 gallon 4ft long and am looking to purchase an aquarium light for it. I am just very overwhelmed at what is available, and the range of prices. I am on a budget, but also have a credit card and an understanding of quality purchases the first time. "Buy once, cry once" sort of thing.

What lights have you used for your aquarium that you recommend? I'm not looking for cheap or expensive, but quality for the money spent. Thanks in advance!

Reefbreeders is my choice. Not terribly expensive and been going almost 8 years.
Edit: also a 75g

lake985 · May 4, 2022

I also second the Reefbreeders recommendation; it's a good mid-range light pricing-wise and produces significant PAR. I'm running a single 48" Photon V2+ on my Reefer 425XL.

Utubereefer · May 4, 2022

I’d go with orphek OR3 bars. You can mix blue and daylight to get an awesome spectrum at a decent price point.

ReefGeezer · May 4, 2022

I like the ATI Sunpower 8X T5 fixture I have over my 90. The programmable 6 bulb version would be a great choice and allow you to keep any coral you want. I'm not throwing shade on LED. They are great. I have friends who are using the Reefbreeders with great success. I think LED is cheaper in the long run, but I like the look produced by T5 fluorescents.

nereefpat · May 4, 2022

It's overwhelming because there are so many options.

Reef? What corals will you keep?
Do you want LED, or is T5 or MH an option?
If LED, what features do you need? Ramping, several channels, phone control, app, that kind of thing.

Hallowhead · May 4, 2022

Personally, I enjoy the kessil lights but I top feel overwhelmed with my new 425 coming. I'm not going with radeons that's for sure - too expensive. I'm thinking either breeders, kessil 360s or hydras.

Tuan’s Reef · May 4, 2022

I think AI is the best as far as price, features, and performance. BRS got them on sale 15% off. And they are super easy to sell when you are ready to upgrade.

There are budget friendly lights such as noopschye and smatfarm that is getting decent reviews. They do however lack user customization features that come with the name brands.

I went with Radions and be done with it.

SPS2020 · May 4, 2022

ilikefish69 said:
I have a 75 gallon 4ft long and am looking to purchase an aquarium light for it. I am just very overwhelmed at what is available, and the range of prices. I am on a budget, but also have a credit card and an understanding of quality purchases the first time. "Buy once, cry once" sort of thing.

What lights have you used for your aquarium that you recommend? I'm not looking for cheap or expensive, but quality for the money spent. Thanks in advance!

What do you plan to put in the tank? FOWLR, sps, lps, softies, etc? Lots of different ways to go here and an mountain of opinions. Determine your goal for the tank, then determine your top budget and at that point start your research.

shakacuz · May 4, 2022

get 2 aliexpress led bars at 460/470 alternating. and 2 used hydra 32's. this is all you'll ever need..

Jon's Reef · May 4, 2022

I would recommend

48" Hybrid T5HO 4x54W Fixture

Welcome to the future of aquarium lighting! Combine your favorite LED Light module along with Aquatic Lifes T5 lighting fixture to create a stellar lighting system! Accepts many of your favorite LED lighting modules! Includes standard LED Light Brackets Powder Coated Aluminum Frame Individual...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

with 2x a360x. If you want to keep it all LED, then do something similar with a few LED bars.

You could also go with 2x Radion XR15. Since the tank is 18" front to back the coverage will be good. Put more light demanding corals right under the lights. As your tank grows in, add 1 or 2 more Radions.

Check the for sale forum. Often you can get a pretty good deal there.

dedragon · May 4, 2022

for that circumstance, i think the smatfarms will work or noopsyche

dedragon · May 4, 2022

a little higher quality but still lower price would be the quanta pro reef led or the orphek or3 but you would need 3 at least for mixed reef

D3DPrintedThingz · May 4, 2022

nereefpat said:
It's overwhelming because there are so many options.

Reef? What corals will you keep?
Do you want LED, or is T5 or MH an option?
If LED, what features do you need? Ramping, several channels, phone control, app, that kind of thing.

This is what is so overwhelming

I don't know what corals I will keep. Ideally, I could get a light that would adjust to the corals needs as I decide. I like the idea of not replacing bulbs, so LED sounds like my choice. It'd be nice to control from the phone.

nereefpat · May 4, 2022

ilikefish69 said:
LED sounds like my choice. It'd be nice to control from the phone.

The Reefbreeders Photon V2 "Pro" version is controllable from your phone. The 48" one would let you grow anything you ever wanted 40+ watts.

AI Hydras, New version of Kessil 360s, or Ecotech Radions all connect to your phone.

You would spend anywhere from 700-1600 for those options.

dedragon · May 4, 2022

3x smatfarms is $130 each and controllable via the unit. Its a very good budget light that can grow anything. led bars like orphek and quanta also work at 140-160 each for 3-4 and can likewise grow anything. There are good budget lights out there that will perform well. I trust orphek and quanta (and ecotech, ai etc) more that smatfarms, reefbreeders, viparspectra, ect. IMHO

Biologic · May 4, 2022

ilikefish69 said:
This is what is so overwhelming

I don't know what corals I will keep. Ideally, I could get a light that would adjust to the corals needs as I decide. I like the idea of not replacing bulbs, so LED sounds like my choice. It'd be nice to control from the phone.

How about this, buy two to three Orphek Bars or Quanta Bars (google them) and add more as your can afford them. Get a very blue one, and one white one to start. Then you can add more overtime when you want to get into higher light corals or when you can afford more. You wont mess this up.

Don't worry about controlling them. Put a basic Walmart timer on the blue ones to come on in the morning, have the white ones come on later in the morning. People have been very successful with fluorescent bulbs this way for YEARS. The LED bars from those companies are exactly what you need to be successful.

keep it simple. Going that way, even with 4 bars, you will spend less to equal one ReefBreeder's Photon and get a FAR superior spectrum.

Devaji · May 4, 2022

I hear you buying lights can in deed be overwhelming.

I am guessing you want a mixed ref and be able to grow anything from SPS down to low light softies. but also able to upgrade to a bigger tanks if you choose to down the rd.

like us all we want it all. HA

so many options out there and everyone gonna do it a bit different.

I run 2X 24" reefbreeders the + models not the pro (once set I dont mess with the programming.) over a red sea 650P about 63" tank I get great spread and run the AB+ setting the BRS suggested. so for a 48" I bet you could get away with the 36" one. unless to plain to do wall to wall SPS in every inch of the tank then yeah get the 48" one.

another option that has been pointed out is 2X AI primes 16 they are nice lights and have a spread of 2x2 it will look clean with the 18" mounting armas + phone app control and lots of presets ( altho I suggest pick one and stick to it) down the rd.. if you need more llight add a 3rd
PS: get the 3d light diffuser it keeps the light spill down some.

noops K7 are nice lights to but dont offer the fancy app control. so I would take some time and feel into if that is 100% needed and at what price point. but with the 15% off the AI's there hard to beat at that price point for the functionality. that said my RB have been running for years with out issues. knock on wood.

good luck!