Led lighting for larger tanks

[ikaros70]

Curios what everyone is doing for led lighting on larger tanks?
I have an aqueon 210, 72x24x29.
It’s 29” deep.
I was looking at the Smat farm led lights but I can’t find any par ratings on them for larger tanks. Not sure how many you would need for a 210?
is there a general rule of thumb for led lighting? X watts per gallon?

 

[saltyfins]

Curios what everyone is doing for led lighting on larger tanks?
I have an aqueon 210, 72x24x29.
It’s 29” deep.
I was looking at the Smat farm led lights but I can’t find any par ratings on them for larger tanks. Not sure how many you would need for a 210?
is there a general rule of thumb for led lighting? X watts per gallon?

I am getting 3 GHL for my 300

 

[Mr_Knightley]

Metal Halide Replacement LEDs

Metal Halide Replacement LEDs

21ledusa.com

Check these out. I've yet to test them, but they seem to be great lights for a light bugdet! They are spotlights, like Kessils, so they will easily punch down deep. The same company offers strip lights and a bunch of other cool stuff, I'd definitely check them out!

 

[1ocean]

I did 4 radions gen5 xr30 blues on my 300..

 

[The Kings Chalice]

Depending on what your doing? For my grow out totally digging' the reef breeder photon lights. Tanks 18" deep. Light is 22" from surface of water. Par at sand bed roughly 120 to 150 across. Max at peak is 40%. Tons of options with this light. Love how high up it can be mounted..

 

[ikaros70]

Metal Halide Replacement LEDs

Metal Halide Replacement LEDs

21ledusa.com

Check these out. I've yet to test them, but they seem to be great lights for a light bugdet! They are spotlights, like Kessils, so they will easily punch down deep. The same company offers strip lights and a bunch of other cool stuff, I'd definitely check them out!

Only thing I am not sure about, is the watt ratings? Ex. The 20k light is rated 20w

 

[ikaros70]

Going for a mixed reef.
SPS toward the top, LPS towards the bottom.

 

[Bpb]

You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ve joked about this for years. Led brands calling 420nm diodes “UV”. I accept it is done. I don’t like it….but this is too much. Now we are calling 660 photo red “infra red”. Stay away

 

[WVNed]

In general large tanks use multiples of the same lights as on small tanks.

I am building a 180 right now and picked 4 Noopsyche K7 V3 in 2 Aquatic Life Coral Cover LED hybrid addons.

Generally you light the tank in 18 to 24 inch sections.

Exceptions to that are the large arrays like ReefBreeders Photons where 1 light covers 36 or 48 inches. Then there are multiple T5 florescent tube fixtures. A poor choice to me over 6 feet because you end up using 6 or 8 3 foot lamps that have to be changed yearly.

I confess the first time I lit a large tank I went with 8 feet of metal halide T5 because I go tired of trying to figure out an LED solution that wasn't tremendously expensive. Those lights are discontinued now though.

I think you are going to want something like 600 watts more of less over your tank.
Current thinking is to use many smaller lights instead of a few larger ones for more even coverage over the entire tank.

 

[LegendaryCG]

Only thing I am not sure about, is the watt ratings? Ex. The 20k light is rated 20w

Agree, that’s a fish only light. I have 180W over my 75g. This tank is deeper than that.

 

[oreo54]

You’ve got to be kidding me. I’ve joked about this for years. Led brands calling 420nm diodes “UV”. I accept it is done. I don’t like it….but this is too much. Now we are calling 660 photo red “infra red”. Stay away

LOL at least they call 410 "purple"...
500nm is "green" is also questionable.

One step forward, one back.

 

[Jbell370]

Curios what everyone is doing for led lighting on larger tanks?
I have an aqueon 210, 72x24x29.
It’s 29” deep.
I was looking at the Smat farm led lights but I can’t find any par ratings on them for larger tanks. Not sure how many you would need for a 210?
is there a general rule of thumb for led lighting? X watts per gallon?

Mine is 72*24*30 deep and I run 5 Radion G5 pros, mounted sideways across the tank. I had previously used 5 AI 52's.

 

[ikaros70]

In general large tanks use multiples of the same lights as on small tanks.

I am building a 180 right now and picked 4 Noopsyche K7 V3 in 2 Aquatic Life Coral Cover LED hybrid addons.

Generally you light the tank in 18 to 24 inch sections.

Exceptions to that are the large arrays like ReefBreeders Photons where 1 light covers 36 or 48 inches. Then there are multiple T5 florescent tube fixtures. A poor choice to me over 6 feet because you end up using 6 or 8 3 foot lamps that have to be changed yearly.

I confess the first time I lit a large tank I went with 8 feet of metal halide T5 because I go tired of trying to figure out an LED solution that wasn't tremendously expensive. Those lights are discontinued now though.

I think you are going to want something like 600 watts more of less over your tank.
Current thinking is to use many small

That is what I was afraid of, $$$ adding up quick for led lighting.
The Smat farm lights are rated 90w ea. so I would basically need 6 of them to get at the 600w range. The Smat farm led fixture are current ~$150 ea.

 

[ikaros70]

Mine is 72*24*30 deep and I run 5 Radion G5 pros, mounted sideways across the tank. I had previously used 5 AI 52's.

Nice setup!
you running the xr15 or xr30 models?

 

[Jekyl]

T5 hybrid would be best setup.

 

[mdb_talon]

Metal Halide Replacement LEDs

Metal Halide Replacement LEDs

21ledusa.com

Check these out. I've yet to test them, but they seem to be great lights for a light bugdet! They are spotlights, like Kessils, so they will easily punch down deep. The same company offers strip lights and a bunch of other cool stuff, I'd definitely check them out!

I am testing these lights now (different brand but the same thing i can just get cheaper elsewhere). With the 120 degree lens they really dont penetrate as much as you would think and spread the light a lot(i see that as a good thing though). So far i am thrilled with mine for the cost. Would need many of them for a 180. I am still working on best setup but have been testing using either 2 or 3 on my 24x30 frag tank. If i were to use on a 180 i think they could be great supplemental lighting but would not use as primary lighting.

 

[Jbell370]

Nice setup!
you running the xr15 or xr30 models?

I'm using the XR30's significant more power than the AI 52's.

 

[WVNed]

T5 hybrid would be best setup.

The sad thing about T5 on a 6 foot tank is if you use 36 inch tubes to get full tank coverage you need 8
so 8, 36 inch x 21.95 = $175 when you buy the fixtures and a year later.
or 4, 60 inch x 26.95 which isnt bad but 6 inches of each end aren't covered. I have heard this is okay and also that it leaves the ends dark. I almost did this.

So on my new tank I chose to have no bulbs to replace. That is why I got the Coral cover LEDs. Yes they cost more upfront.

You pay your money and take your chances.

 

[piranhaman00]

That is what I was afraid of, $$$ adding up quick for led lighting.
The Smat farm lights are rated 90w ea. so I would basically need 6 of them to get at the 600w range. The Smat farm led fixture are current ~$150 ea.

The Smat farm and awesome! Very powerful, you could do 3 at first for each 24x24 but would need more if doing sps when they geow

 

[Dennis Cartier]

I am not sure what your budget is, but (3) ATI Stratons would cover the 6' nicely. They have T5 like coverage and you will be able to grow anything you want.