Lighting for a 75 gallon

[corey904]

I’m in the process of setting up a 75 gallon tank and I’m stuck with buying lighting
I currently have 3 ai primes and my lfs told me that 4 ai primes would be enough the light this tank
Length 48”
Width 18”
Hight 20”
However I have in my sump a very large refugeum area that in the car future could turn into a frag area which I would use an ai prime for
So I’m stuck with using 2 ai primes for the tank and buying 2 more ai hydras 32 to put in the middle which I think will be more that enough or
Buying 1 more prime and buying a small nano light down the line
1 question can you sync the ai hydras and primes together?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I’m in the process of setting up a 75 gallon tank and I’m stuck with buying lighting
I currently have 3 ai primes and my lfs told me that 4 ai primes would be enough the light this tank
Length 48”
Width 18”
Hight 20”
However I have in my sump a very large refugeum area that in the car future could turn into a frag area which I would use an ai prime for
So I’m stuck with using 2 ai primes for the tank and buying 2 more ai hydras 32 to put in the middle which I think will be more that enough or
Buying 1 more prime and buying a small nano light down the line
1 question can you sync the ai hydras and primes together?

Run the 3 primes and add an Orphek OR3 sky blue strip and you’ll be mighty surprised

 

[Pico bam]

You could light the tank with 2 but it wouldn't be much light, 3 would be good if you don't have a center brace maybe try a hybrid system. Or some additional strip lights.

 

[Frogspon]

Run the 3 primes and add an Orphek OR3 sky blue strip and you’ll be mighty surprised

4th prime is about the same price as adding the orphek.

Do you recommend the Orphek just for color pop, or adding necessary spectrum for optimal growth?

 

[vetteguy53081]

4th prime is about the same price as adding the orphek.

Do you recommend the Orphek just for color pop, or adding necessary spectrum for optimal growth?

PAR, spectrum and coloration plus growth

 

[Spare time]

Do you have a center brace?

 

[corey904]

Do you have a center brace?

Yes I have a center brace

 

[corey904]

Looks like I’ll just use 4 ai primes and if I need I’ll add some Orphic strip lights

 

[Spare time]

Looks like I’ll just use 4 ai primes and if I need I’ll add some Orphic strip lights

The 4th prime should be perfect.


I will say that I think the refugium area might be better for that purpose rather than for frags (refugiums are the best and most underrated filter)

 

[corey904]

The 4th prime should be perfect.


I will say that I think the refugium area might be better for that purpose rather than for frags (refugiums are the best and most underrated filter)

I totally agree and adding frags will definitely be in the long term (I’ve heard that when coral colonies are super big they actually take the position of a refugium in removing nitrates and phosphates plus I’m gonna have a nice bubble magus skimmer and a roller mat so the frag idea will only be in the far future

 

[Spare time]

I totally agree and adding frags will definitely be in the long term (I’ve heard that when coral colonies are super big they actually take the position of a refugium in removing nitrates and phosphates plus I’m gonna have a nice bubble magus skimmer and a roller mat so the frag idea will only be in the far future

If it were me, I would keep the refugium and remove the skimmer lol. With your roller mat, your skimmer may not even have much to pull out.

 

[Frogspon]

PAR, spectrum and coloration plus growth

If you add the Orphek sky blue, what kind of light settings would you want on the 3 Primes to best compliment the spectrum?

 

[vetteguy53081]

If you add the Orphek sky blue, what kind of light settings would you want on the 3 Primes to best compliment the spectrum?

Use what you normally would
Orphek has great par

 

[Holst]

I think this is a tricky question.
There are two things to this question in my opinion. Are we talking about the amount of PAR that you want to measure if you want to keep high demanding corals, then that is your priority.
If you want POP and "plastic look", then thats your priority. (Sarcasm can accur).

I have 2x Red Sea ReefLED 160S on my Red Sea 425XL aquarium. I went with these because of the overall look and the light that I personally think looks natural and nice. I had an orphek V4 Gen2 before, and I sold it because it was a bit too small, and I also think that tanks start to look like "FisherPrice" toys. Too much color and unnatural. Only my opinion.
And ofcause you can also get the natural look with other lights !

A little thing to the Orphek V4 fixture, It lights the whole room with the light! Also a reason that I changed it out.

This is just my thoughts, and I might be on my own on this, but hey- It's my tank

You will grow good corals almost what ever you choose !
Best of luck !

 

[jake royston]

I have the same size tank. Was running two AI Prime 16hd's with flex arm mounts for the last 6 months. Finally got my hands on a par meter this week and checked my levels. I was running max blue and 60% white and ranged from 60 par in the bottom corners to around 90-100 par on the bottom. Highest point in the tank directly under the light measured about 140 par. I only had a few soft corals (Killed off a nice hammer frag a while back, not sure if due to insufficient lighting, or my own negligence). I would recommend 3, although im not entirely sure how the center brace would play into that. I ended up replacing them with 2 Redsea ReefLED90's and now reach between 90-140 along the bottom of the tank.

 

[DesertReefT4r]

I have a 75g with mostly acros and run 2 Hydra 32s. Working well so far growth and color are good. I do want to add a 3rd to reduce shading in the future though.