LED Lighting size

Neo Jeo · Dec 6, 2017

Hello!

I'm new to this and this is my first post so here we go!

I have been looking into lighting for my 90g tank that I will be getting. I have narrowed it down to something called black boxes from ebay lol or a Photon 32-v2.

Now my main question is. My tank will be 48" long will a 32" light system work well on it? That will be 8" of each side it will have to hit or do I get a 48" light? I don't like the fact that the light floods out of the sides. On the right side I have a TV and the left I have a parrot. I dont want ether to be flooded with extra lights but I want my corals to get all the light they need. Will a 32" be enough or will it not look good/work well with the corals?

What are your thoughts?

Thank You

Adele · Dec 6, 2017

Neo Jeo said:
Hello!

I'm new to this and this is my first post so here we go!

I have been looking into lighting for my 90g tank that I will be getting. I have narrowed it down to something called black boxes from ebay lol or a Photon 32-v2.

Now my main question is. My tank will be 48" long will a 32" light system work well on it? That will be 8" of each side it will have to hit or do I get a 48" light? I don't like the fact that the light floods out of the sides. On the right side I have a TV and the left I have a parrot. I dont want ether to be flooded with extra lights but I want my corals to get all the light they need. Will a 32" be enough or will it not look good/work well with the corals?

What are your thoughts?

Thank You

Not sure about the lights you mentioned but I run 2 Kessil A360 tuna blues and love them. They spread nicely over my 4’ 90 Gal.
What kind of parrot?

sbash · Dec 6, 2017

It really depends on the fixture. I have an AquaticLife XS-UV Reef 34" on my 90 gallon and it is fine coverage, not great, but fine - it's not like I am going to put corals in the bottom corners anyway, lol. It would work well on a shorter (shorter height, not length) tank. I am generalizing here, but the GOOD LED fixtures (like the photon or the aquatic life) use cree LEDs which are naturally around 140° spread; however, the manufacturers go and put lenses on them (some times 45° or 90°) so the coverage actually lowers (but the intensity improves slightly).

So, if I were to replace the 34", I would either use unlensed blackbox (16", I have four on my 220 and it's perfect) or use a longer fixture (48" if I had to, but 42ish would probably be fine if they exist, lol)

dbl · Dec 6, 2017

My opinion is you'll be fine with the 32" light especially if you're concerned about light spill. You can always put the lower light requiring corals on the end. I can't comment on the specific lights you're considering as I have no experience with either.

Big G · Dec 6, 2017

Welcome to R2R! I had the same concerns when deciding on a new light for my 90 a couple of months ago. Ended up getting a SB Reeflight 45" Ultra. Plenty of power. Complete coverage of the tank length and width. Spent weeks looking and researching. Hope this helps. Cheers!

Neo Jeo · Dec 6, 2017

Adele said:
Not sure about the lights you mentioned but I run 2 Kessil A360 tuna blues and love them. They spread nicely over my 4’ 90 Gal.
What kind of parrot?

Thanks and I have a blue indian rink neck

Neo Jeo · Dec 6, 2017

sbash said:
It really depends on the fixture. I have an AquaticLife XS-UV Reef 34" on my 90 gallon and it is fine coverage, not great, but fine - it's not like I am going to put corals in the bottom corners anyway, lol. It would work well on a shorter (shorter height, not length) tank. I am generalizing here, but the GOOD LED fixtures (like the photon or the aquatic life) use cree LEDs which are naturally around 140° spread; however, the manufacturers go and put lenses on them (some times 45° or 90°) so the coverage actually lowers (but the intensity improves slightly).

So, if I were to replace the 34", I would either use unlensed blackbox (16", I have four on my 220 and it's perfect) or use a longer fixture (48" if I had to, but 42ish would probably be fine if they exist, lol)

Thanks but is 32" or 48" I just wonder how much light will shine out of the sides.... I just dont know lol

Neo Jeo · Dec 6, 2017

Big G said:
Welcome to R2R! I had the same concerns when deciding on a new light for my 90 a couple of months ago. Ended up getting a SB Reeflight 45" Ultra. Plenty of power. Complete coverage of the tank length and width. Spent weeks looking and researching. Hope this helps. Cheers!

It does not lol... Im still suck with 32" or 48" haha You lights are nice! but to much $ for me

dbl · Dec 6, 2017

I neglected to say one important thing...welcome to R2R.

Adele · Dec 7, 2017

Neo Jeo said:
Thanks and I have a blue indian rink neck

I had a Congo African Grey for many years. Quite the talker but truly loved to make sound effects.

Neo Jeo · Dec 7, 2017

So,

Is the verdict to do a 48" over the 32"?

Here's the link to the lights Im looking at, great reviews

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/photon-48-v2/

sbash · Dec 7, 2017

Neo Jeo said:
So,

Is the verdict to do a 48" over the 32"?

Based on the poll, yeah, 48" is recommended... Looking at the specs of the 48" fixture you posted it should do quite well for your reef!

Neo Jeo · Dec 7, 2017

True,

The lights are 48” but the the light itself is 43.5” so that’s better .

I might be going with the 48 bc the 32” is really 31.5

Neo Jeo · Dec 8, 2017

I was told by a local fish store that because im just starting out I should buy a cheap $200 LED vs spending $589 on a nicer set. My question to you is, would you just buy the better set so you dont through out $200 in a year?

Afish70 · Dec 8, 2017

I have had my tank up for just over a year and had been running a 6-bulb T5 fixture and i just purchased the Photon V2 48" for my 90. I wished i would have bought it when i started. Yes its a bunch of cash but you do not have to worry about changing bulbs and you do not have to worry about it dying on you. The V2 has a 2 year warranty on it and Logan is a great guy to deal with.

Neo Jeo · Dec 8, 2017

Afish70 said:
I have had my tank up for just over a year and had been running a 6-bulb T5 fixture and i just purchased the Photon V2 48" for my 90. I wished i would have bought it when i started. Yes its a bunch of cash but you do not have to worry about changing bulbs and you do not have to worry about it dying on you. The V2 has a 2 year warranty on it and Logan is a great guy to deal with.

Logan is great, I bought them around 4pm lol