Lighting for a 75g

[Aparker2005]

Hey everyone! Wife and I are planning out our 75 gallon reef, and are beyond excited!

We are doing mostly soft and easy corals now in our 20g. We have a Nicrew Marine led on that tank. Things seem to be doing fairly well so far.

With the 75, we eventually want to get into hard corals, anenomes, etc.

With a budget of $300 or less, what would you guys recommend for this tank? We do not want to suspend any lights. Would rather do on tank lights. This will be a living room display, with family pictures above the tank.

Thanks!

 

[Jekyl]

$300 will be tough without suspending. For sps and nems you'll need 2 of what ever light you choose for coverage. Also rules out some of the cheaper options people usually go with. I'd check to see if there are some black box lights that come with arms now. If suspending isn't an issue I'd go with T5

 

[lpsouth1978]

To be able to keep SPS, Anemones, etc with lighting under $300, you will be very limited on options. Viparspectra is probably the least expensive route, get 2, one for each side of the tank. With these you are giving up better controllability, spread, and spectrum mix, and will have some disco ball effect. On the other hand, they will grow corals and many use them. You would also have to make your own mounting solution.

Another option is the Nicrew Hyper Reef. This has no disco ball effect and comes with a stand, but on board control is limited, however it is suitable for SPS, anemones, etc. Your tank dimensions are right on the verge of too big for 2 of these. I think as long as you place corals carefully with low light corals on the ends of the tank you would be fine with 2 of these.

 

[Aparker2005]

I was wondering if 2 or 3 of the viparspectra would work with them placed on some sort of raised feet I could come up with.

The Nicrew hyper reef 100 watts don't look bad either

 

[Jekyl]

2 of the black boxes will work. Not sure if they have mounts for them or not now.

 

[Jekyl]

I started out with them. Ran them at 60% blue 20 white

 

[Jekyl]

If you're going to work out a way to suspend them anyway I'd go T5

Edit: just saw they are out of budget. Sorry

 

[Aparker2005]

Are there any strip led that would work? I love the Finnex and nicrew style I have on my freshwater tanks now with the legs on the lights themselves.

I would only have these Viparspectras a few inches above the glass. Would I still get enough spread over a 75 with 2 of them you think?

I wouldn't mind hanging them myself, but the wife definitely wants to avoid that and likes the on tank light setups (if we can).

 

[CanuckReefer]

Are there any strip led that would work? I love the Finnex and nicrew style I have on my freshwater tanks now with the legs on the lights themselves.

I would only have these Viparspectras a few inches above the glass. Would I still get enough spread over a 75 with 2 of them you think?

I wouldn't mind hanging them myself, but the wife definitely wants to avoid that and likes the on tank light setups (if we can).

I'm a T5 LED combo guy, but that's likely out of budget. I have read many pretty good reviews on the Orphek OR3 Light bars. They are kind of a bare bones minimum from what I know (controlability), but do apparently pack a bit of punch. I think they also sell a tank mount bracket. Under $200 bucks each (48 inch) usually.

 

[dhnguyen]

How are you with DIY skills? You COULD DIY LED lighting with $300 quite easily.

I built mine on my old tank

Here's a pic for ideas

 

[Jekyl]

I wouldn't mount black boxes closer than 12". They aren't very good at distribution

 

[Aparker2005]

I wouldn't mount black boxes closer than 12". They aren't very good at distribution

Crap. That likely puts them out then for us

 

[Jekyl]

Crap. That likely puts them out then for us

Most LED lights need 6" or so as far as I know except the strip lights probably

 

[Aparker2005]

I think we could get away with any (that would work) that mount on the back of the tank and hang over?

 

[Jekyl]

 

[lpsouth1978]

Here is my 40b with 2 of the Nicrew Hyper Reef 100W over it.

 

[Aparker2005]

Those nicrews look perfect! Would you recommend 2 or 3 for this tank?

 

[Jekyl]

2 would work. More is always better.

 

[Aparker2005]

Gonna go with 2 for now. Thanks guys!

 

[Aparker2005]

These are the lights I have on our 20g. I love the fact that they have an internal timer, and we can set the whites and blues separately, as well as a sunset/sunrise effect. I read Nicrew was coming out with new timer to do this on these Hyper Reef lights.

2 of these 48" lights wouldn't be enough for a 75 and our eventual hard corals/anenomes I'm guessing? Thanks again everyone!