Lighting help

Joybird

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I just upgraded to a 65 gallon tank and it came with a fluorescent canopy that just sits on top of the glass top. I'm planning to buy led this week, but I have a couple questions:
I can't break the bank here, so I'm looking at Mars aqua or there's a cheap version on ebay. (I think it's called MR 120 or something like that).
---They're 16" long, but my tank is 36" long, so do I buy two? (Right now I have fish only but planning to add soft corals).
--Is there some way to mount them without hanging? I see a rail that some lights can sit in (Like this: https://fragtasticreef.com/aqua-ill...tm_source=bc&gclid=CMSr_JGP8NACFQ64wAodleMKvw) Does anyone use that or something similar or is there some other mounting thing I'm not thinking of that doesn't involve hanging?
--As I'm looking at photos online, I'm realizing that it looks like almost all of these are hanging over open tanks. I can't have an open tank with my jumpers, nor do I want one. Will the glass top plus all the condensation that's built up on the underside of them diffuse the light too much?
--Are there other inexpensive options I should be looking at?
 
Do you have a spending budget in mind?

Do you have any inclination toward DIY?

There's nothing wrong with the lights sitting on the tank vs being suspended over it....depends on what you want/like/need. There are lots of ways to hang a light if that's what you'd want to do. Or even to hang a light that's low, down on the tank during normal operation, but that's on a lift (or counterweight in @Paul B 's case), for when you need to get into the tank.

A screened top is a pretty good alternative to cover glass.
 
I'm looking to keep it under two hundred for now. I'd love to just sit the led's right on the glass, but I'm worried about them making too much heat--hence my thinking that it needs to be somehow suspended above the tank. But I don't want to hang them from the ceiling or wall behind them. I'm looking for something that will clamp on to the tank or sit on a rack or ??? above it. We can weld up pretty much anything either--I just don't really know what I'm looking for.

Can I keep my glass top though with the led's?
 
Look up sb reef lights. They're in the us, having troubles atm from setting up an actual store. But they are black boxes from China still.
 
I'm looking to keep it under two hundred for now. I'd love to just sit the led's right on the glass, but I'm worried about them making too much heat--hence my thinking that it needs to be somehow suspended above the tank. But I don't want to hang them from the ceiling or wall behind them. I'm looking for something that will clamp on to the tank or sit on a rack or ??? above it. We can weld up pretty much anything either--I just don't really know what I'm looking for.

Can I keep my glass top though with the led's?
LED's don't put off much heat. I have mine under a splash guard about 6" above the tank, and they don't affect the temp much.
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%

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