LED Option for 25 Gal Lagoon

[gatorbait01]

Hi,
I decided to setup a small frag tank, 24x20x12. Plan to use this as a frag grow out and holding tank for SPS. My main display is running a orphek atlantik and I would love to buy a compact to match it, but really think it's overkill and costly. It needs to be aesthetic, while creating a nice good even spread of light. Anyone have any good options, was thinking I could go w/ a Hydra26, but thinking it would give me a hotspot in the middle to the tank. Was thinking of something like a T5 spread, but LEDs.

 

[Spare time]

I think if you want a nice spread, two of the ai prime 16's would be good. Typically most of these ights have a 24x24in spread so they should all work but two lights help spread everything better. You could also go with a red sea led 50 or 90 and suspend it high as they have a good depth to them. The hydra 26/32 mounted high up would work too in my opinion. you can also go with an led t5 hybrid. I think that no matter what you will get spots of stronger par in the middle of the lights but two smaller lights could help mitigate that.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

A XR15 Radeon with a diffuser would be about all you need on that one. You could always add a second later if needed.

 

[EngineeredReef]

A single Ai Prime 16 would be sufficient, but two primes would be better than a hydra 26.

 

[BedrockIOMC]

If it was me I would go with the Hydra 26. Well now they have come out with the new one 32 I think it is. Either one of those the 26 would be more than enough and would work if you upgrade to a larger tank as well. Love mine and I have a Reefer 170 its 24x20x20.

 

[Malifry97]

Hi,
I decided to setup a small frag tank, 24x20x12. Plan to use this as a frag grow out and holding tank for SPS. My main display is running a orphek atlantik and I would love to buy a compact to match it, but really think it's overkill and costly. It needs to be aesthetic, while creating a nice good even spread of light. Anyone have any good options, was thinking I could go w/ a Hydra26, but thinking it would give me a hotspot in the middle to the tank. Was thinking of something like a T5 spread, but LEDs.

Honestly, Don't spend a crazy amount of lighting on a grow out tank...Just get 2 hipagero aqua knights...spectrum is great ad so is color.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

If it was me I would go with the Hydra 26. Well now they have come out with the new one 32 I think it is. Either one of those the 26 would be more than enough and would work if you upgrade to a larger tank as well. Love mine and I have a Reefer 170 its 24x20x20.

The Hydra 26 would be a great option especially if the OP's LFS still has them in stock. Add a 3DReefing diffuser and would be plenty of PAR for that tank. Another option is a pair of Prime HD's spaced about 8" apart would do wonderfully if you can find them locally.

 

[gatorbait01]

Thanks for the inputs everyone... Maybe going with a couple of primes vs the single hydra would be the ticket. I currently use a prime in my sump and happy with it.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

Not a bad option.

I ran a pair of Prime HD's over a 20g long and they were more than powerful enough for that tank. At 75% on the blues and 15% whites I was easily hitting 200-250 Par mid tank with them. Overall par distribution was respectable, and would be much better with diffuers on them. You do lose about 15% PAR with the 3DReefing ones, but there's more than enough in reserve to overcome that loss. I'm running those diffusers on my Hydra 26's and absolutely love them. The disco effect is nearly eliminated as well as much better spread and reduction of shadowing especially on some of my larger SPS colonies.

 

[Backreefing]

I would go with T5 lights. You want spread like t5 so get t5 . IMO T5 is the cheapest and powerful. There isn’t a single coral that doesn’t like t5s including acropora.
BTW I love t5s if you couldn’t guess.