LEDs for a 40 breeder

[starypotter]

Hi everyone,
I'm going to be setting up a 40breeder and I'm looking to see what kind of light I should get. A lot of the ones I'm looking at seem to have a 24" spread, so do most of you put two lights on a 40 breeder, or just one light and put low level stuff at the edges? Do you put one 'nice' light like an AI and a cheaper one to supplement?

 

[Coastie Reefer]

What's your budget and what are you wanting to grow? I had 2 Hydra 26 HDs over my 40B and loved it. Could grow anything anywhere.

 

[starypotter]

What's your budget and what are you wanting to grow? I had 2 Hydra 26 HDs over my 40B and loved it. Could grow anything anywhere.

My budget is- I'm broke but if it prevents me from needing to upgrade in the future I'll begrudgingly go with more. Ideally 200 around that range. I currently have a 75g with two black box lights but we're moving and I need to sell the big system so I'm downsizing for the foreseeable future. I have all beginner sort of stuff mostly. LPS and Softies, no SPS. euphilia, acans, zoas, anemone etc.
I'm thinking of getting new lights not because I'm displeased with my black box ones in their effectiveness, I've seen some great growth in the past year, but because I'm thinking it might be easiest to sell my tank as a plug and play setup.
Additionally because part of me feels like two black boxes over a 40 breeder might look a bit... much.

 

[Lance M.]

If you plan on just keeping lps and softies, you could go with a 4x T5 fixture (I use to use that on my 40b) or get a 6 bulb if you want to add sps.

As far as leds, I use a Reefbreeders Photon 24v2+ and have a mixed reef with btas, sps, lps, etc. I also added a lumenbar recently but more out of curiosity, not out of need. I have ~300+ par (~380 with the lumenbar on) in areas I have my montis and acros, with room to increase power (I have a par meter as well to help me make adjustments).

Here's a thread I posted some pics in, as well as its a similar thread to yours-

Photon v2+ on a 40 gal breeder tank

Hi all I'm looking at buying a photon v2+ 24" for my 40 gal (soon to be) mix reef tank and had a few questions for you experts. is the 24" big enough for a mix tank. tank is 36" long 18" wide and 13" deep. I know you should make your own schedule but does anybody have a good starter schedule...

www.reef2reef.com

I've since changed the color ratio to 3:1 though, blues to white/green/red, to see how it goes.

 

[starypotter]

If you plan on just keeping lps and softies, you could go with a 4x T5 fixture (I use to use that on my 40b) or get a 6 bulb if you want to add sps.

As far as leds, I use a Reefbreeders Photon 24v2+ and have a mixed reef with btas, sps, lps, etc. I also added a lumenbar recently but more out of curiosity, not out of need. I have ~300+ par (~380 with the lumenbar on) in areas I have my montis and acros, with room to increase power (I have a par meter as well to help me make adjustments).

Here's a thread I posted some pics in, as well as its a similar thread to yours-

Photon v2+ on a 40 gal breeder tank

Hi all I'm looking at buying a photon v2+ 24" for my 40 gal (soon to be) mix reef tank and had a few questions for you experts. is the 24" big enough for a mix tank. tank is 36" long 18" wide and 13" deep. I know you should make your own schedule but does anybody have a good starter schedule...

www.reef2reef.com

I've since changed the color ratio to 3:1 though, blues to white/green/red, to see how it goes.

I'll admit I know pretty much nothing about T5s or anything that's not LED. I'll have to look into it.

 

[Coastie Reefer]

If you’re selling the 75 you could always keep one of the black boxes or sell the whole setup and buy a new black box. A single black box about a ft off the surface can cover a 40B with ease. Especially if you’re not doing sps.

My first 40b had one of the first black boxes to hit the market (BoostLed circa 2010 ish) and it was an awesome mixed reef.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Definitely not in the $200 range. I just set up a 40B and plan on 2 Radion XR15 gen 4's for it./ I can get a creaming deal on a reefbreeder 32" but I already have an Xr15 over my 29g biocube, so I'd like to keep all lights uniform with functionality. I do have an AI Prime over a 10 gallon that used to reside on and 18x18 cube that grew SPS, maybe 2 of them and you should be able to keep most animals.

 

[BiGGiePauls33]

Gen 3 Radion https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/fs-used-equipment.634506/

 

[Sump Crab]

I just upgraded from a 40b and am currently selling my lights. I used 2 Ocean Revive Arctict247 LED lights. I had really good growth with these lights plus they are very programmable. You can program on and off time for the white channel and blue/green/red channel and the intensity for each channel. If my new tank did not include radions I would still be using them. I know they are a "black box" LED variant but they are in your price range. If interested check out my ad https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/u...b-skimmer-and-led-lights.634507/#post-6310233

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