Lighting for approx. 36" x 16" tank?

BanjoBandito · Oct 4, 2021

I'm kicking around ideas for lighting for a tank upgrade....I'm prob settling in on a tank that's going to be around 36" long and 16" W, probably a peninsula style tank AIO, I'm looking for (affordable-which is a subjective term) lighting solutions. I'm kinda looking for something "rectangular", but I currently have a redsea reefled (I'm a led guy) on my current tank, and could just pair it with another but it'll look messy. Are there options out there other than the Kessil AP9X?

Quietman · Oct 4, 2021

A lot of this is going to depend on the type of corals you plan on keeping. If it's low light you'd be fine with a low profile Current USA Pro (one or two), if high light, then skies the limit. Are you considering just LED or is T5 supplement being considered...there's also the retro halide option with LED supplements.

Also a thin profile hood (say 12") just to house whatever lighting solution really can clean up the look and allow you to use existing and add to it without it being an eye sore.

blaxsun · Oct 4, 2021

A second ReefLED would look perfectly fine, and is probably your cheapest option already having one. You could also look at the new Neptune SKY.

BanjoBandito · Oct 4, 2021

Quietman said:
A lot of this is going to depend on the type of corals you plan on keeping. If it's low light you'd be fine with a low profile Current USA Pro (one or two), if high light, then skies the limit. Are you considering just LED or is T5 supplement being considered...there's also the retro halide option with LED supplements.

Also a thin profile hood (say 12") just to house whatever lighting solution really can clean up the look and allow you to use existing and add to it without it being an eye sore.

Right now in my current tank I have my trash favs GSP and xenia, plus acans, leptoseris and euphyllia. Honestly the bigger tank would be just for adding maybe a scoly. I'm not sure sticks are in my future with this tank. I've toyed with the idea of just running this lil' 50 watt and seeing what happens. It would give me a "shady patch" near the edge of the tank for some other low light corals.