Lighing for my 125g. Leds

[John welch]

About to set up a 125g saltwater reef tank and want advice on leds. Was looking at http://m.ebay.com/itm/311937776526

Im pretty new to this stuff still so any advice yall got is great.

 

[mcarroll]

They'll work, they're cheap and they probably have more bells and whistles than you could possibly need. If you can't get excited about anything else and those are your only criteria, then they would be an OK start.

Personally I'd spend more time looking at other people's tanks until you get a better feel for what lights you like.

Look at tanks with halides, tanks with T5's and notice the differences. Fans will tell you one is better, but corals disagree....both are fine.

Figure out which look you like the best.

One look is "spotlights" and the other is "area lighting".*

One kinda simulates surface waters with the hard shadows and shimmer lines.

The other kinda simulates deep water with its directionless light and lack of shadows.

Neither is better, but each is definitely different. Some folks really like one vs the other, some folks don't mind either one. You should feel free to be in any one of those categories!

* Buy LED's in the spotlight format or the strip format if you prefer one or the other.

 

[John welch]

Lol thanks where i live i dont know anyone else with a salt water tank so im kinda on my own. i have a hood thats got 3 halides and 2 t12s but its got one bad bulb and balise and i cant find these bulbs anywhere and i thoughts about leaving the halides and changing the t12s to t5s too just kinda and sure what to do lol

 

[John welch]

 

[mcarroll]

Spend time browsing build threads as well as problem threads here on R2R!!! Find ones you like and ones you don't like....drill down and figure out both issues. What makes for a tank you don't like the look of? What makes for a tank that you DO like the look of?

GOOD NEWS: Since the tank is brand new and still dry you have all kinds of time!!!!

Lights don't need to be on until the very end of The Cycle when you put in photosynthetic critters, so don't make the easiest mistake there is to make and start feeling rushed at this early stage. Take plenty of time to figure out what's really important and to decide your course. You can still be fixing up the tank and stand, filling with water, setting up filtration and water flow solutions, getting live rock, cycling it, etc....all in the mean time....so it's not like the tank will be idle during your lighting research.

 

[John welch]

Yea i wont need lights for a few months and im already got my sump and skimmer all hooked up ready to go im just waiting on my ro/di to get here in the mail to start filling my tank and sump then im just wait and let it do its think

 

[Flippers4pups]

The evergrow's are good, many people use them. I personally made the right choice in getting my Mars Aquas and being able to modify them to my liking.

This coming from a life long T5 guy.

I wouldn't ever go back. Awesome growth, beautiful colors and great polyp extension. Adjustability and easily modded/repaired. Great bang for the buck.

Sb reeflights are also very good! And come with a US warranty. Check them out. Also check out my build thread. I've got a 125 also

 

[Instigate]

The evergrow's are good, many people use them. I personally made the right choice in getting my Mars Aquas and being able to modify them to my liking.

This coming from a life long T5 guy.

I wouldn't ever go back. Awesome growth, beautiful colors and great polyp extension. Adjustability and easily modded/repaired. Great bang for the buck.

Sb reeflights are also very good! And come with a US warranty. Check them out. Also check out my build thread. I've got a 125 also

How many did you get for that size tank? 6' 125 gallon right? I have a 6' 135 gallon and am looking into budget LED options.

/nevermind, I see you got 3 from your build thread.

 

[TbyZ]

About to set up a 125g saltwater reef tank and want advice on leds. Was looking at http://m.ebay.com/itm/311937776526

Im pretty new to this stuff still so any advice yall got is great.

I just went through buying new lights.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/ledzeal-alpha-model.318487/