Help choosing lighting for a mixed reef 300g - 32 inch depth

Lion_fish · May 15, 2022

Hi reefers,
I'm setting up my old tank again - 80L 32H 26W, 300 gallon,
This time I'm going for mixed reef, softies mushrooms and lps and later on some sps.

I've been thinking of a few ways to go with lighting,
I would prefer to start easy and add lighting according to coral needs and progress,

I've looked into the Aquatic life - with the 61 inch ill have left 9 inch from each side, should be enough or ill must get 2 of the 36 inch?
can start with that and add led units later on,
the problem is not finding much data on the depth tests above 18 inch.

Also looked at the Orphek and radions but would prefer other route if possible.

Anyone have experience with 32 depth tanks like that?
I had the tank as fowlr so any help will be appreciated

RELLIK-REEF · May 15, 2022

I'm in the middle of setting up almost the same tank. Mine is a 320g 96x32x24.
I have a reefbreeder photon v2 50 pro on each of our tanks. A 100g mixed reef sps dominant, and our 180 softies and fish we are combining both tanks into one. I will be running both lights on this tank. The only thing I want to add is 2 Lumenbar v2 high octane uv lights to run part of the day. I don't see any issue of getting enough light to the bottom. At 13" above the 100g I can get 110par on the bottom glass at 60% blues and 20%white. I'm pushing these to 16" above the new tank and will adjust power from there. Hope this helps somewhat.
Good luck with your build.

HAPPY REEFING

Lion_fish · May 15, 2022

Rellikeno said:
I'm in the middle of setting up almost the same tank. Mine is a 320g 96x32x24.
I have a reefbreeder photon v2 50 pro on each of our tanks. A 100g mixed reef sps dominant, and our 180 softies and fish we are combining both tanks into one. I will be running both lights on this tank. The only thing I want to add is 2 Lumenbar v2 high octane uv lights to run part of the day. I don't see any issue of getting enough light to the bottom. At 13" above the 100g I can get 110par on the bottom glass at 60% blues and 20%white. I'm pushing these to 16" above the new tank and will adjust power from there. Hope this helps somewhat.
Good luck with your build.

HAPPY REEFING

thanks!
will check those out,
what's the depth on you tanks now?

RELLIK-REEF · May 15, 2022

24" BB
I have adjusted my lights since I last took a par reading. I'll take some tonight and let you know an accurate figure.

Lion_fish · May 16, 2022

Thanks,
looks like reef breeders are hard to get in my area,
so far the aquatic life like most match

mtraylor · May 16, 2022

Your aquarium is close to the dimensions of my display. Your is just a bit deeper. The bottom line is that if you go with small pendent lighting you will need more of them to get the wattage and reduce shading.

Dedicated Reefer · Jun 21, 2022

Lion_fish said:
Hi reefers,
I'm setting up my old tank again - 80L 32H 26W, 300 gallon,
This time I'm going for mixed reef, softies mushrooms and lps and later on some sps.

I've been thinking of a few ways to go with lighting,
I would prefer to start easy and add lighting according to coral needs and progress,

I've looked into the Aquatic life - with the 61 inch ill have left 9 inch from each side, should be enough or ill must get 2 of the 36 inch?
can start with that and add led units later on,
the problem is not finding much data on the depth tests above 18 inch.

Also looked at the Orphek and radions but would prefer other route if possible.

Anyone have experience with 32 depth tanks like that?
I had the tank as fowlr so any help will be appreciated

here’s an option

mtraylor · Jun 22, 2022

If you like the aquatic life. I think the 2 36's would give you better end coverage but would make filling the middle tricky if you were adding led's later.

I left 6 inches on the ends of my lighting fixture and seems about perfect to me. The edges provide light drop off for different types of corals. Tank is 72 long and fixture is 60. Tank is 30 deep no issues getn light to sand bed.

You can always add more if you need it.

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Jun 22, 2022

Ecoexotic cannons or pendants are gon a be your friend.
D

monkeyCmonkeyDo · Jun 22, 2022

Saw some on here on the marketplace awhile ago. Like 3 or 6 of em. Can't remember.
D

Aquanaut WA · Jul 11, 2022

Lion_fish said:
Hi reefers,
I'm setting up my old tank again - 80L 32H 26W, 300 gallon,
This time I'm going for mixed reef, softies mushrooms and lps and later on some sps.

I've been thinking of a few ways to go with lighting,
I would prefer to start easy and add lighting according to coral needs and progress,

I've looked into the Aquatic life - with the 61 inch ill have left 9 inch from each side, should be enough or ill must get 2 of the 36 inch?
can start with that and add led units later on,
the problem is not finding much data on the depth tests above 18 inch.

Also looked at the Orphek and radions but would prefer other route if possible.

Anyone have experience with 32 depth tanks like that?
I had the tank as fowlr so any help will be appreciated

I have 4 Reefi Duo Extreme Pros with growing everthing. Mounted 14" above water, Par thru glass tops thru 27" water on a 36x72x27 300g peninsula. I easily see 150par in the sand via Apogee 510. See Dana Riddles review on these Par monsters. I began with 6 and was intense for LPS corals. 4 hits the right spread. Soft shimmer, Halide like sunkissed spectrum or party neon glow. No side glare or filters needed and control via IP browser. Each light has a screen that provides IP address for sync and grouping the units. I've been running these several years. Help is available running these on his FB support pages. Support is important these days no matter who you choose.