Lighting for 125g 6ft tank

[tj w]

I have the first one which is a set of 2. Second link in 1 light. I'll get pics of them when I get home later today

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

I have the first one which is a set of 2. Second link in 1 light. I'll get pics of them when I get home later today

Is this 2 72 inch lights? Or 2 36 inch. Sorry to keep asking but it is unclear on the site. Thank you.

 

[tj w]

2 72" lights with the mounting legs and controller

 

[JaimeAdams]

I think the 72 inch quad T-5 that your friend gave you to try out is a perfectly fine fixture. I ran a quad T-5 for a year or two over my tank with the same basic assortment of corals that you have and they did just fine. Personally I would run with that fixture since you already have it. For the coloration it comes down to bulb choice. I personally like more blue then some. I would run with 2 blue plus and actinic and either a purple or a coral plus. You could always add an LED "stunner" type strip down the road if you still don't feel that it has enough "pop".

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

I think the 72 inch quad T-5 that your friend gave you to try out is a perfectly fine fixture. I ran a quad T-5 for a year or two over my tank with the same basic assortment of corals that you have and they did just fine. Personally I would run with that fixture since you already have it. For the coloration it comes down to bulb choice. I personally like more blue then some. I would run with 2 blue plus and actinic and either a purple or a coral plus. You could always add an LED "stunner" type strip down the road if you still don't feel that it has enough "pop".

I really am sorry for using the word "pop" in my original request for help on this subject. "Pop" was the first word to come to mind. I am just looking for the proper lighting for my tank and it's inhabitants. Unfortunately, the odyssea was in much rougher shape than we originally thought. It's not worth taking the risk to try it out. I would actually stick with my 2 t5 doubles if I could get them up off my tank glass.

 

[mcarroll]

The Orbit Pro's are rated to give you about 1000 PAR at the water surface if you're just going to use the feet.

At that rate, one strip should do it. Two will give you some serious ability to turn it up, or to run a moderate level of lights while barely stressing the LED's. If budget is tight, I don't think I'd worry about "extra" – 1000 PAR is enough.

Current does seem to have a 90º bracket mount available now, and it'll hold two units. (To support the weight, I think you'd need one bracket for each tank section if I'm reading their literature correctly.) This might be interesting if you were thinking more toward using two strips instead of one.

 

[mcarroll]

(There's also not much risk to starting with one even if you suspect you'll want higher light levels, since you can always add a second one later. I think you only miss out on the hanging kit/bracket.)

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

(There's also not much risk to starting with one even if you suspect you'll want higher light levels, since you can always add a second one later. I think you only miss out on the hanging kit/bracket.)

They have the brackets to hang them. For the 2 - 72" I would need 4 brackets to hold the weight of them. I'm looking into the cost of ordering in Canada. So far SalterAquarium is the only site I found that has the mounting brackets though.

 

[ksc]

That 1000 number is 1" from the light. Unless you mount that inside the tank you will never see that # at the waters surface. The par plummets to less than 400 @ only 6", and that's the peak. This is why 1 watt led's are rarely used in reef lighting. A dual unit will cost upwards of $1500 for a low end light fixture. You could get the top of the line equipment for that kind of money......

 

[mcarroll]

C'mon now.

• It rests on the rim of the tank, not up off the tank. (Unless you want it up off the tank...they do make a bracket for that now.)
• On the rim, resting on their built-in legs, is where Current rates them.
  • Orbit Marine vs. Orbit Marine PRO General PAR Data
  • Yes, that implies you fill your tank most of the way up, just like in the picture. (I hope that's considered normal.)
  • They give you a visual in that PDF of how the fixture sits and everything.
• Also, it's 1000+ PAR....not just 1000.
• Light attenuates very very quickly underwater and 6" is about....6" underwater.
  • That has nothing to do with LED wattage, which itself barely matters at all. Red herring.
• Most fixtures don't use lenses as well as this one. (Most use them for "spread". LOL)
• The dual kit Lori linked was only around $1000 and the single around $500 I think fostersmth had them around that rate too.
• Are we keeping corals or clams? As a rule, corals will not require more than one strip like this.
• If hanging the fixtures more than 2-3" inches off the tank, then two might be the better recommendation.

 

[mcarroll]

BTW, I dunno how they have prices like that....$1000 including FREE SHIPPING is crazy. 72" stuff always requires an extra shipping charge.

 

[mcarroll]

If you're thinking of doing this bracket (four, I think you said) vs the built in legs:
https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/orbit-marine-led-adjustable-tank-mount-bracket-current-usa/

Then you probably are up for consideration of the DUAL kit.

 

[ksc]

BTW, I dunno how they have prices like that....$1000 including FREE SHIPPING is crazy. 72" stuff always requires an extra shipping charge.

When you are charging $1000 for a $2-$300 fixture you can afford free shipping. It looks like they are trying to clear those outdated fixtures out. If they were $250 a piece I think 4 of those units might compare to a nice 6-8 bulb ATI Sunpower

 

[ksc]

If you are looking for a budget option you could keep your t5's and add a couple of these:

https://www.21ledusa.com/aquarium_led_reefbar_pro_72_inch_full_spectrum_p/rbpfs66.htm

For $179 I think these would match one of those Current fixtures. I run the Actinic strip on my 90g.

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

If you're thinking of doing this bracket (four, I think you said) vs the built in legs:
https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/orbit-marine-led-adjustable-tank-mount-bracket-current-usa/

Then you probably are up for consideration of the DUAL kit.

Yes those are the brackets I was thinking of using. Unfortunately, these may be out of my price range. Without the brackets, through a Canadian site I am looking at over $2000 before 13% tax is added on. https://www.bigalspets.com/ca/curre...altwater-reef-lighting-systems.html?sku=73797

 

[mcarroll]

Using one with the built-in legs would certainly simplify things and obviously reduce the cost by half since you could use just one strip.

What was the situation with using a strip with built-in legs?

I remember the cracked glass being an issue and the lights becoming and issue because they were just resting on the glass, right?

Can you ditch the glass now, in favor of an open top, or a screen top?

 

[MamaLovesHerReefTank]

I couldn't do an open top, too many potential jumpers. I'm looking into the screen tops from BRS. I'm trying to find them somewhere in Canada. The problem we run into in Canada is if we order from U.S, we pay a crazy amount for shipping, duty, tax and conversion to Canadian funds . Ends up costing double or more what the original cost was. Husband is being very difficult in that he doesn't like the built in legs made out of wire. I'm hoping to get him to compromise. I am concerned that one strip would actually give me less light than what I have now.

 

[mcarroll]

If you are looking for a budget option you could keep your t5's and add a couple of these:

https://www.21ledusa.com/aquarium_led_reefbar_pro_72_inch_full_spectrum_p/rbpfs66.htm

For $179 I think these would match one of those Current fixtures. I run the Actinic strip on my 90g.

• If that's available in canada, etc then it's not a bad option.
• But it's not an apples to apples comparison. It's an ebay light....which there's nothing wrong with IMO. But you aren't getting the nice sunrise/sunset dimmer, etc. That's what a lot of the markup is about in most lights.
• You can also get them much cheaper than this, so you might be overpaying on this example. It's decent, but shop around too.
• It's halfway between a Single and Dual Orbit Pro in terms of power (watts).
• It's equal to a Single Orbit Pro in PAR output. The weaker lenses necessitate the extra power usage (or Current's stronger lenses allow the lower wattage....your choice) – you'll notice that their PAR/depth ratings are the same as Current's.
• Mounting options? Make sure they work for you.
• 2 Year Warranty. If this is important, I'd wonder how does one take advangtage of it? "Free" return shipping to China does nor exist.
  I dug around their site and it's not clear whether they honor the manufacturer's warranty or if they'll let you deal with China on your own. If I were claiming a big warranty, I'd feel obligated to make it clear how I honor the warranty. It seems like you're doing an ebay deal to me. That means the light is bought as-is.
• Try searching your local eBay for "72" full spectrum reef led strip" to see other comparable options.

 

[mcarroll]

I couldn't do an open top, too many potential jumpers. I'm looking into the screen tops from BRS. I'm trying to find them somewhere in Canada. The problem we run into in Canada is if we order from U.S, we pay a crazy amount for shipping, duty, tax and conversion to Canadian funds . Ends up costing double or more what the original cost was. Husband is being very difficult in that he doesn't like the built in legs made out of wire. I'm hoping to get him to compromise. I am concerned that one strip would actually give me less light than what I have now.

Less does not equate to "bad" if it's still enough.

Again, are you planning to start raising clams? They are the ones that require the bright, bright, bright lights.

One of these, resting on the tank as-rated, with a full tank of water will be fine – even for stony corals.

There are some good DIY plans for screen tops around too, BTW.

I don't know what the scene is with CurrentUSA in Canada.

Will they get you with all the same customs, et al, if you go over to Detroit and carry it back yourself?

Would it at least be worth saving the shipping that way (presuming someone over there carries that light)?

 

[mcarroll]

(You only had two T5's per side, so you weren't rocking a very bright light anyway....it wouldn't be much of a transition from the T5's to the Current....but I'd still use a lux meter to check levels before and after.....forgot to mention that.)