Lighting for a Reef Tank

JimDog2015 · Oct 18, 2015

Ok, so we are well underway with setting up a 120 gal tank that we intend to keep corals (soft, etc).
The tank dims are 60 x 24 x 18.
I have done a bit of research and I think we have settled on LED fixtures as they seem prettier.

What I would like to know from you folks is what type and brand should I look at, or stay away from. I am new to the hobby and I don't want to break the bank with the lights.

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,
Jim

Lynn52 · Oct 18, 2015

I use Kessils along with their spectral controller and love them.

JimDog2015 · Oct 18, 2015

Thanks. Looking at their webpage I don't see 24" to 36 " fixtures. Do they make fixtures that long?

Lynn52 · Oct 18, 2015

They are individual pendant fixtures. You'd probably need 2 to 3 the size (160 vs 360w) would depend on the type of coral you want.

gcrawford · Oct 18, 2015

Check out reefbreeders photon lights. I have 3 and love them.

JimDog2015 · Oct 18, 2015

gcrawford said:
Check out reefbreeders photon lights. I have 3 and love them.

ok thanks

JimDog2015 · Oct 18, 2015

Lynn52 said:
They are individual pendant fixtures. You'd probably need 2 to 3 the size (160 vs 360w) would depend on the type of coral you want.

if I want the option to grow any type of coral in the future, would I choose 360w?

Reefing Madness · Oct 18, 2015

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3pcs-165W-L...632359?hash=item2c9e31ea27:g:3~AAAOSw37tWAPX-

Lynn52 · Oct 18, 2015

JimDog2015 said:
if I want the option to grow any type of coral in the future, would I choose 360w?

Yes

Lynn52 · Oct 18, 2015

JimDog2015 said:
if I want the option to grow any type of coral in the future, would I choose 360w?

Yes, and you would probably want 3 for a 5 foot tank.

JimDog2015 · Oct 19, 2015

Reefing Madness said:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3pcs-165W-L...632359?hash=item2c9e31ea27:g:3~AAAOSw37tWAPX-

Wow, these seem pretty in expensive from what I have been looking at. Are there any drawbacks that you might be aware of? Thanks

jadwv2210 · Oct 19, 2015

Those Chinese LEDs on EBay are extremely similar to the Reef Breeders Photon fixtures. The only thing I would be able to say about the Chinese fixtures on EBay is you may not get a reliable warranty with them. With the Reef Breeders fixture there's a company in the U.S. that resells those Chinese lights and handles the warranty claims for them. Reef Breeders offers a 2-year warranty on their fixtures. I own one and I don't have any corals yet but I like the light pretty well. No idea on how well corals grow under it but the general consensus seems to be that it does a fine job. The Reef Breeders fixture also comes with legs to mount it onto the tank rather than hanging it from a canopy or the ceiling which wasn't an option for me.

All in all the Reef Breeders Photon is pretty nice.

JimDog2015 · Oct 19, 2015

jadwv2210 said:
Those Chinese LEDs on EBay are extremely similar to the Reef Breeders Photon fixtures. The only thing I would be able to say about the Chinese fixtures on EBay is you may not get a reliable warranty with them. With the Reef Breeders fixture there's a company in the U.S. that resells those Chinese lights and handles the warranty claims for them. Reef Breeders offers a 2-year warranty on their fixtures. I own one and I don't have any corals yet but I like the light pretty well. No idea on how well corals grow under it but the general consensus seems to be that it does a fine job. The Reef Breeders fixture also comes with legs to mount it onto the tank rather than hanging it from a canopy or the ceiling which wasn't an option for me.

All in all the Reef Breeders Photon is pretty nice.

Ok, thanks for the input.

Lynn52 · Oct 19, 2015

I have two of those chinese LEDs that I ran for several months. They will grow softies and LPS. Not intense enough for anemones. I never tried SPS under them. The down side I found was they grew hair algae and cyano really good. Within two weeks of switching them out for a kessil A360WE and a 2 bulb T5HO fixture the algae and cyano was gone.