Buying lights, feeling overwhelmed

[WVNed]

Stress isn't needed. Almost all of them work equally well. A nice interface is cool but once you figure where to set them isn't much use from then on.
I bought the Noopsyche K7 V3 most recently for my 180. Put 2 of them in one of the hybrid T5 fixtures BRS has on clearance and I think you would be very happy unless you are an absolute gear head.

I put mine in Coral Cover LEDs. Over time bulbs get expensive.

 

[ApoIsland]

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!

For a new reefer with a smaller tank like this I would suggest 2 x of the cheap black box LED fixtures that run about $150 each.
These can also grow any coral you want and have a decent resale value if you want to upgrade in the future. plus they last much longer than the expensive AI fixtures I have purchased in the past.

Viparspectra is the black box brand I’m running now on one of the tanks. Have reefbreeders photon v2 on another tank but it does not have the spread that the black boxes have. Corals do look just slightly nicer under the photon but it also costs almost 3x as much to light the tank as the black boxes do.

please don’t buy an AI fixture until you know you have a bunch of money to tick away on this hobby. They are my favorite spectrum but the worst quality product in my experience. I have been 0 for 3 in gettting their lights to last more than 2 years. They conveniently only have 1 year warranty. Or at least that’s what it was a few years ago when I gave up with their products.

I have been running one version or another of the black boxes since they first came out more than 10 years ago and never had one last less than 3 years. And that covers more than 20 diff fixtures between my personal tanks and tanks that I have setup for others.

 

[Jackal799]

I’m also gonna support reefbreeders. I have one and it’ll grow anything. Great price point, decent features, and wonderful build quality. The new ones are app controllable but if you want to save some money you could get a v2 and use the remote. It’s easy to use once you get it dialed in.

 

[WVNed]

I have 2 viparspectras
on a 75

They are on my fuge now.

Photon V2, Ya I have done than too.
Legs

No legs

MH T5 too

Noopsyches in a hybrid.

There are some very good light options now that aren't very expensive.

 

[MaxTremors]

I think the Noopsyches are the best budget option, they are very high quality lighting at a low price (but lack an app control UI). I also quite like AI’s lights, probably the best higher end light for beginners, but would be more expensive to light the whole tank.

 

[Buddy77]

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!

I feel the same way overwhelmed with trying to buy them so I found these hope I done good

 

[Forty-Two]

Love the Orphek Atlantik iCon - its a brilliant light, and I dont think its too expensive either.