Do I need to buy different lights??

[FishFinatic ;)]

I have an 120 gallon tank (4 ft), not set up yet, although I bought lights a while before I had any clue of what I was planning for the tank... (still really no idea what I'm doing but... lol) I was going to make my 120 a reef tank with manly softies and LPS. I then recently decided to make my tank a FOWLR tank (due to my interest in Golden Butterflies)… I spent about $450 on these lights and bought them specifically for my want of coral at the time... although I'm not sure if now that I don't want coral, can I still use these lights and would it be worth it?? I'm not really sure if that makes any sense but I just don't want to waste my money on something I had bought originally intended for something now I'm not going to pursue.

I bought the "Current Orbit IC Pro- DUAL LED Reef Lighting System" and I also purchased 2 eFlux wave pumps to go along with the LOOP system designed to work with the lighting. Not really sure if I wasted my money, or should I continue using these lights on my 120... or even, put it on a 75 gallon (also 4 ft), that I am still planning on putting corals in and purchase a new light for my 120?

I know that is a lot of information that may or may not make any sense whatsoever lol but I thought I'd get some opinions on what to do with my lights based on my new decisions...

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It’s fine. You may grow some algae and cyano though.

I belive that true flower lights contain more green and less blue and red etc to prevent algae from growing.

 

[FishFinatic ;)]

It’s fine. You may grow some algae and cyano though.

I belive that true flower lights contain more green and less blue and red etc to prevent algae from growing.

So keep the lights for the 120? I can deal with some algae and cyano but I don't want to waste the lights on something I bought for corals now that I'm not going to go through with those... if that makes any sense

 

[FishFinatic ;)]

I do also have a 75 gallon tank with the same dimensions that I could use the lights on... and that 75 gallon tank will have coral in it... should I use the lights on the 75 maybe?? Would that be smarter?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

That’ll be your call honestly

 

[FishFinatic ;)]

Yea.... I know... I might just put those lights on the 75 and buy some new lights for my 120... I'm just thinkin' out loud here at this point...

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Yea.... I know... I might just put those lights on the 75 and buy some new lights for my 120... I'm just thinkin' out loud here at this point...

That makes sense to me. I'm new here also. Have had my FOWLR tank setup for about six weeks.

I'm using the 24" version of this light that I had in the garage. It is mainly for freshwater. So far I haven't had any algea yet.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...nwFNnKBJ0v3IoiIiTNZBRSyE8s9dPy2UaAjw8EALw_wcB

To me it would make sense to use your coral light in the 75 and buy some cheap LED light under $100 or so for the 120. In my opinion you aren't going to gain anything by running lights designed for coral on a FOWLR. Like mentioned before it will likely just cause algea issues, where a cheaper LED light may not have enough wattage/PAR to grow algea but it can be white in color to show the true colors of your fish.

Again I'm new, so I'm not sure that's right but that's what I'm thinking at this point.

 

[FishFinatic ;)]

That makes sense to me. I'm new here also. Have had my FOWLR tank setup for about six weeks.

I'm using the 24" version of this light that I had in the garage. It is mainly for freshwater. So far I haven't had any algea yet.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petco...nwFNnKBJ0v3IoiIiTNZBRSyE8s9dPy2UaAjw8EALw_wcB

To me it would make sense to use your coral light in the 75 and buy some cheap LED light under $100 or so for the 120. In my opinion you aren't going to gain anything by running lights designed for coral on a FOWLR. Like mentioned before it will likely just cause algea issues, where a cheaper LED light may not have enough wattage/PAR to grow algea but it can be white in color to show the true colors of your fish.

Again I'm new, so I'm not sure that's right but that's what I'm thinking at this point.

I'm liking what you're thinking.... thank you so much! I do agree though that the coral lights should go on the 75 and I should get some new "non-coral, non-expensive" lights for my 120

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I believe your Current LED lights use either 72 or 92 watts depending on if it is model 4226 or 4227. The 48" version of the Aqueon light uses 15 watts if fully populated with 3 LED strips (5 watts per LED strip).

My 24" model is 3 watts x 3 light strips for a whopping 9 watts. Watts is of course not a measurement of brightness but rather power consumption but we can assume the less watts the less brigtnes (lumens/PAR).

So even at 9 watts, my light is plenty bright for my fish and me and it uses less power so that's another benifit. Probably not a huge difference but I'll take it.

I would go with something newer than the model I have, maybe something with a built in timer? I just used what I had lying around.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

From a quick Google search it seems Current USA or eBay black box may be the way to go.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2613714

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2582841

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/led-lighting-suggestions-for-fowlr.264458/

The Current USA one is like $140 to $180 depending on what length you get. They have one that stops at 4 feet and one that starts at 4 feet so not sure which would be better for a 4 foot tank. Maybe the larger one?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GFTK7CQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[FishFinatic ;)]

From a quick Google search it seems Current USA or eBay black box may be the way to go.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2613714

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2582841

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/led-lighting-suggestions-for-fowlr.264458/

The Current USA one is like $140 to $180 depending on what length you get. They have one that stops at 4 feet and one that starts at 4 feet so not sure which would be better for a 4 foot tank. Maybe the larger one?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GFTK7CQ/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I actually really like that idea.... you have some good thinking!! And beautiful fish tank as well!!

 

[Philipgonzales3]

I actually really like that idea.... you have some good thinking!! And beautiful fish tank as well!!

Thanks, I want new lights now! Lol. Right now I'm manually turning my lights on and off every day. I have a timer somewhere in the garage just too lazy to dig it out.