led light for a 50 gallon

[Double J]

hi guys, looking to upgrade lighting, looking at sb reefs 16' wifi model https://sbreeflights.com/sbox-reef-lights/9-sbox-extreme-wifi.html
question is, is this enough to cover my tank? tank is 50 gallons acrylic 36" long 15" wide and 21ish" deep with 3" sand bed. Im upgrading for a current orbit marine- not pro version. I just got a bubble tip on friday and he is in hiding. I would like to add mushrooms and zoas and some softies later on.

Thanks!!!

 

[mcarroll]

Two to four nano units would be better than one or more larger units.

Consider just adding a second Orbit Marine since you already have one. $165 at Dr Foster. Can't beat that price for an upgrade.

If you're just interested in switching lights, it's only $278 for a Pro model....sell your old light, or use it elsewhere.

Also, the strip you have has much more even coverage (as does the Pro model) than what you're considering. You might be surprised at the level of shadowing if you switch - characteristic of lights like these, not just this company. Using more, smaller fixtures is a workaround to the shadowing, not a perfect solution. Just something to be aware of.

 

[Double J]

I have been told that my current orbit doesn't have enough power or the correct spectrum to grow anything even if I did add a second fixture, by some. Others say that just the one is plenty for the nem. So not sure what to believe, I guess I'll wait for the nem to acclimate and see what it does. Any other lights I should be considering? I have a canopy and like the clean look, but not opposed to hanging a light from the ceiling either

 

[mcarroll]

Hogwash...it's low on intensity, that's it. Get a lux meter so you can see for yourself. It'll help with setting up any light you get too.

A $free app for your smartphone's camera (e.g. "Galactica luxmeter" for IOS) is a great place to start. I'd strongly suggest ordering a $15 LX-1010B handheld lux meter for regular use though....better and safer to use around saltwater!

Check in here with your readings so be sure, but by the time you add the second fixture you should be fine for corals an anemones, which generally don't have a problem with low light...many even seem to prefer it...I suppose since it's less stressful on them than bright light. Anywhere from 15,000 lux on up would be fine. Maybe 20,000-30,000 on up would be a little better.

Direct sunlight at the surface is about 100,000 lux, for reference.

 

[Double J]

has anyone used one of these.. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+31913&pcatid=31913&r=847
they say reef ready, but not sure with such low wattage?

 

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What's your budget? For $399 our Photon 24-V2 would be a good fit for a mixed reef tank that size. If you have any questions just let me know, they include tank mounting legs and a controller that can adjust each color individually.

 

[Double J]

Two to four nano units would be better than one or more larger units.

Consider just adding a second Orbit Marine since you already have one. $165 at Dr Foster. Can't beat that price for an upgrade.

If you're just interested in switching lights, it's only $278 for a Pro model....sell your old light, or use it elsewhere.

Also, the strip you have has much more even coverage (as does the Pro model) than what you're considering. You might be surprised at the level of shadowing if you switch - characteristic of lights like these, not just this company. Using more, smaller fixtures is a workaround to the shadowing, not a perfect solution. Just something to be aware of.

Would the pro be enough for most corals? And my anemone? I do like the idea of the orbit pro, especially since I just sat down and finally figured out the ramp timer. Would it be too much to add the pro to the non pro I have? Only ask because I had to cut the leg things off both sides so it would fit in my canopy....oops

 

[Double J]

Hogwash...it's low on intensity, that's it. Get a lux meter so you can see for yourself. It'll help with setting up any light you get too.

A $free app for your smartphone's camera (e.g. "Galactica luxmeter" for IOS) is a great place to start. I'd strongly suggest ordering a $15 LX-1010B handheld lux meter for regular use though....better and safer to use around saltwater!

Check in here with your readings so be sure, but by the time you add the second fixture you should be fine for corals an anemones, which generally don't have a problem with low light...many even seem to prefer it...I suppose since it's less stressful on them than bright light. Anywhere from 15,000 lux on up would be fine. Maybe 20,000-30,000 on up would be a little better.

Direct sunlight at the surface is about 100,000 lux, for reference.

Using the iPhone lux meter I am getting around 25,000 at water surface, probably helps my light is about 2" from the water. might try to find some mushrooms this weekend, problem is I'm at least an hour from anything(petco) and a 1 1/2-2 hours from anything good

 

[mcarroll]

has anyone used one of these.. http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+31913&pcatid=31913&r=847
they say reef ready, but not sure with such low wattage?

Good fixture...similar to my DIY fixture (very similar bulbs) but a nice consumer package. For the clearance price, it's really nice. It uses 60º lenses if I'm not mistaken, so the 30" should be about right for you.

It will also reflect significantly less light off the water surface and waste less light over the sides of tank.

Would the pro be enough for most corals? And my anemone? I do like the idea of the orbit pro, especially since I just sat down and finally figured out the ramp timer. Would it be too much to add the pro to the non pro I have? Only ask because I had to cut the leg things off both sides so it would fit in my canopy....oops

Yes....A single Pro would do fine. If you could suspend the Pro from inside the canopy that might be a better solution.

I don't know about adding them together, if you mean some kind of integration. @saltyfilmfolks might...

If you just mean running them at the same time, then that wold be fine....higher light level in the tank....but that's not necessary. More isn't really better. You want to pull 30,000 lux at least if you want to keep clams – that could be a benchmark. Corals and anemones get happy around 10,000 lux, so anything higher than that is really plenty if you feed and have good flow.

Using the iPhone lux meter I am getting around 25,000 at water surface, probably helps my light is about 2" from the water. might try to find some mushrooms this weekend, problem is I'm at least an hour from anything(petco) and a 1 1/2-2 hours from anything good

Unless you're a straight up mushroom fan, get a stony coral frag intead. Something nice, but basic – and fast growing. (Monti. cap, digi, birdsnest, ...) Situate him anywhere in the tank where he's more or less right under the light (doesn't have to be at the top) and has good flow on him.

A second strip will make a big difference in coverage (more places to put that coral) and intensity.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

hi guys, looking to upgrade lighting, looking at sb reefs 16' wifi model https://sbreeflights.com/sbox-reef-lights/9-sbox-extreme-wifi.html
question is, is this enough to cover my tank? tank is 50 gallons acrylic 36" long 15" wide and 21ish" deep with 3" sand bed. Im upgrading for a current orbit marine- not pro version. I just got a bubble tip on friday and he is in hiding. I would like to add mushrooms and zoas and some softies later on.

Thanks!!!

Go for the 30 or the 32 SB if your going to go with that brand.
Yup the V2 would work perfect. Any of thier older ones used would be great too. For budget.
If budget is a thing get the two 16 in. SB with no bells and whistles. Or the 30 32 no bells n whistles. I'd rather email a guy in the us with a warranty than Chinese BB. The 300w chi BB is the right size but..,,,,
Your style orbit if it's the marine and reef is ok two is better. And pretty cheap used now.

Don't short your self on width of the tank. Is looks sooooo much better. Stuff grows better.

 

[Double J]

Good fixture...similar to my DIY fixture (very similar bulbs) but a nice consumer package. For the clearance price, it's really nice. It uses 60º lenses if I'm not mistaken, so the 30" should be about right for you.

It will also reflect significantly less light off the water surface and waste less light over the sides of tank.



Yes....A single Pro would do fine. If you could suspend the Pro from inside the canopy that might be a better solution.

I don't know about adding them together, if you mean some kind of integration. @saltyfilmfolks might...

If you just mean running them at the same time, then that wold be fine....higher light level in the tank....but that's not necessary. More isn't really better. You want to pull 30,000 lux at least if you want to keep clams – that could be a benchmark. Corals and anemones get happy around 10,000 lux, so anything higher than that is really plenty if you feed and have good flow.



Unless you're a straight up mushroom fan, get a stony coral frag intead. Something nice, but basic – and fast growing. (Monti. cap, digi, birdsnest, ...) Situate him anywhere in the tank where he's more or less right under the light (doesn't have to be at the top) and has good flow on him.

A second strip will make a big difference in coverage (more places to put that coral) and intensity.

Leaning toward the pro, if I keep my other light, yes I would just be running both, one their own ramp timer. And yes I would figure out a way to suspend both of them, otherwise I would have to move them all the time to feed the fish.

 

[Double J]

picked up some zoas this weekend, havent upgraded the light yet, hoping to see if they do ok with the current lighting. how long should i wait to know they have sufficient lighting before adding more? The ones i got at the lfs were already under led and opened back up in less then an hour, so I think that is a good sign?

 

[mcarroll]

It's 2016 not 1996!

"Wait" until you download a lux meter app and check your levels!

"Galactica Luxmeter" for IOS seems to be a good example, but there are dozens of them.

I would also recommend ordering a handheld lux meter. Generally they can be delivered for under $15.

Holler back here with your readings!

 

[Double J]

It's 2016 not 1996!

"Wait" until you download a lux meter app and check your levels!

"Galactica Luxmeter" for IOS seems to be a good example, but there are dozens of them.

I would also recommend ordering a handheld lux meter. Generally they can be delivered for under $15.

Holler back here with your readings!

last i checked i was around 25k at the water surface, but i have since moved the light up from the water surface and turned down the intensity, I'll check again tonight when i get home.

 

[mcarroll]

Raising it to double the height, halves the intensity.

If you raised it to double the height (12,500 lux) and turned it down from the controls, there might not be much light left. 10,000 lux is kinda the bare minimum, give or take.

What made you raise the light and turn down the intensity, BTW? This thread was going in the opposite direction (more light, not less) before now. Just curious!

 

[Double J]

by double the height, do you mean the height from the water surface? and yes this was definitely going the other way, I turned them down to acclimate some coral, running the whites at 75% and Blues at 80%. My other half isnt too thrilled about me spending more money on the tank at the moment, so just trying to figure out if the light i have now will keep zoas and mushrooms, and then add a second fixture or replace it later if needed. and i moved it up from the water because it was getting salt creep on it and was always in the way when feeding.

 

[mcarroll]

If you were hitting 25,000 lux at the surface, that's not bad at all. If you add another light, it'll be in place of this one, or just because you want more coverage over the tank. I don't think you'll need more light until then.

25,000 lux is still on the low side too, so acclimation should just about be a non-issue for new corals. I wouldn't bother moving the light again....at most, dim it to around 20,000 lux and raise it back up over a couple weeks.

Even better, measure lux where the coral came from and measure your tank to find a similarly-lit spot for him! No acclimation!

Moving corals or the lights around can help, but should be a last resort, IMO. There are better ways now that you have a meter!

 

[Double J]

If you were hitting 25,000 lux at the surface, that's not bad at all. If you add another light, it'll be in place of this one, or just because you want more coverage over the tank. I don't think you'll need more light until then.

25,000 lux is still on the low side too, so acclimation should just about be a non-issue for new corals. I wouldn't bother moving the light again....at most, dim it to around 20,000 lux and raise it back up over a couple weeks.

Even better, measure lux where the coral came from and measure your tank to find a similarly-lit spot for him! No acclimation!

Moving corals or the lights around can help, but should be a last resort, IMO. There are better ways now that you have a meter!

depends on what i do for a light, it would probably just be in addition to my orbit marine especially if i do a box type light, that way i shouldnt have shadowing as bad. how does a person measure lux under the water? i looked on amazon but dont see any meters that are waterproof.

 

[mcarroll]

Just measure at the water surface like you would with the cell phone app.

The "LX-1010B" is the correct model of lux meter, if you're still searching. Though there are several that are similar.

All the numbers I'm talking about are surface measurements.

 

[Double J]

Ok, took some measurements, with the light on top of the canopy, roughly 9" from the water. Just at 10k lux. Made some quick supports and dropped it to 4" from water and just about at 19k there, that's with dropping the whites to 60%.
Not sure if the zoas like it as they were already closed from a hermit crab walking on them