Lighting for 210g

[Lilnoelle80]

I have a 210g that I plan to make into a reef tank. Currently has few inhabitants, live rock, and a few corals. It has a Marineland pro light that needs replaced. I need advice on what light to look for. I’d like to stay under $1200. Thanks for your help!

 

[Ron Reefman]

Welcome to Reef2Reef.

How long is that tank? 6'?

I'd recommend getting 2 Reef Breeders Photon V2+ fixtures at $590 each. They use a wide array layout for leds with less shadows and they use some 5 watt Cree leds as well as some 3 watt from Cree and others.

I use 2 because my tank is 30" front to back and I like the look of more blue light toward the back of the tank.

 

[Lilnoelle80]

Welcome to Reef2Reef.

How long is that tank? 6'?

I'd recommend getting 2 Reef Breeders Photon V2+ fixtures at $590 each. They use a wide array layout for leds with less shadows and they use some 5 watt Cree leds as well as some 3 watt from Cree and others.

I use 2 because my tank is 30" front to back and I like the look of more blue light toward the back of the tank.

It’s 6ft long. Beautiful tank! Thanks!

 

[Lilnoelle80]

Welcome to Reef2Reef.

How long is that tank? 6'?

I'd recommend getting 2 Reef Breeders Photon V2+ fixtures at $590 each. They use a wide array layout for leds with less shadows and they use some 5 watt Cree leds as well as some 3 watt from Cree and others.

I use 2 because my tank is 30" front to back and I like the look of more blue light toward the back of the tank.

Which length light do you recommend for my tank size?

 

[nereefpat]

With 1200 bucks for a budget, you have lots of options.

Are you leaning toward LED, halide, or T5?

You will want to cover all 6 foot of the tank. A 5 foot T5 fixture would do that, but with LEDs, you will want either a 6' or two 3' fixtures.

 

[Lilnoelle80]

With 1200 bucks for a budget, you have lots of options.

Are you leaning toward LED, halide, or T5?

You will want to cover all 6 foot of the tank. A 5 foot T5 fixture would do that, but with LEDs, you will want either a 6' or two 3' fixtures.

I’m so new at this and am still learning about my options. The possibilities are a bit overwhelming to someone that is just starting out.
The tank has a marineland pro series light with all three types of lighting. There’s 8 T5 bulbs, 3 HQI, and 6 blue LED bulbs. I like it, but have run into a few (possible fixable) issues. For some reason, the HQI lights don’t consistently turn on and won’t stay on for more than a few minutes at a time. I replaced the bulbs at a steep price, only to have the same problem. The T5 bulbs need replaced. I’m learning about my options.
I’m currently leaning toward replacing the T5 bulbs and seeing if I can work on trouble shooting the issue with the metal halide bulbs.
I’ve got the budget to replace it, but perhaps making due with what I have makes the most sense right now.

 

[Ron Reefman]

Which length light do you recommend for my tank size?

Two 32" fixtures would be perfect.

You have options, but most people have moved away from metal halide as they are very hot and bulbs aren't cheap and need replaced every couple of years. t5 are very good option, but you'll want two 3' fixtures with at least 4 bulbs in each and that's 8 bulbs at $20 each that need to be replaced every 12 to 18 months.

Don't get me wrong, MH and t5 both work very well and grow corals well. But led fixtures are far more versatile and currently make up well over 60% of lighting fixtures being sold these days. You get to control intensity and color with easy, and you have no bulbs to replace... oh, and they run cooler.

 

[nereefpat]

For some reason, the HQI lights don’t consistently turn on and won’t stay on for more than a few minutes at a time. I replaced the bulbs at a steep price, only to have the same problem. The T5 bulbs need replaced. I’m learning about my options.
I’m currently leaning toward replacing the T5 bulbs and seeing if I can work on trouble shooting the issue with the metal halide bulbs.

If you haven't done so, the Halide issue would be worth making a thread in the lighting forum here. That's probably a ballast issue. Those can be fairly easily replaced.

If you can fix the halides and run some of the T5s, that's personally what I would do. But, of course, it's up to you. Many reefers have LEDs, for various reasons.

 

[Michael White]

T5 retrofit or hybrid setup with 3 ai primes, if you want controllability. If you are ok with a simpler setup, get 3 viparspectra 165w led fixtures. You could call it good at that point, but could also add the t5 retrofit. The hybrid T5/Viparpsectra setup is my plan on my 210 I’m building now. I experimented with the Viparspectra fixture for a 30” deep frag tank. It grew sps at the bottom and the top no problem. Only catch is you will probably want a tall canopy for that setup. The Viparspectra seem to work out best for people between 12-18” from the water. But I prefer a tall canopy to allow room to work on the tank without hitting the lights, and it blocks out the light spillage. Good luck on your build!