Lighting Options - Not a boutique guy

[Salt1972]

I'm looking for a quality, low maintenance lighting option for our 6' 125g reef tank. I feel like a lot of the top brand fixtures pay 90% for the branding and profits to the people who sell them. I don't need a McLaren. Where's the Honda? Reliable / Reasonable.

We established our 125g reef tank in Sept '17 with (4) Kessil A360WE's & a Controller in addition to a backup A360WE and all requisite mounts. From my perspective, ~$2500+ in aquarium lighting was a serious premium. I thought we were DONE with lighting for life. Today, 3 of our 5 Kessil A360's are dead. Kessil wants $100ea + shipping to assess them for repair. To their credit, they will apply those dollars toward a repair or purchase of new lighting at a slight discount. Fair enough, but the discounted rate is ~$1200 for those 3 lights. I don't really want to spend $1200 MORE dollars on aquarium lighting, but if I have to, I don't want it to be with a company whose products only lasted 4 years (with considerable maintenance). How long will it be before the other 2 original fixtures need replacement? To compound the issue, the Kessil's have always seemed to be the weak link in our reefing efforts with low output.

Where is the fixture for people who love coral reefs and their inhabitants, not the gear?

 

[Chrisv.]

You could go with three metal halides in some decent reflectors and just plan to spend $300 a year on bulbs...

This is all highly dependent on what you want to keep. AI makes some nice lights at lower price points, but you will spend a few hundred dollars each.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

These will grow coral just fine. I agree, a lot of greedy priced reef tax products out there.

 

[Utubereefer]

I really like the Orphek OR3 light bars you can mix daylight and blues. I'm really impressed by their lighting spectrum.

 

[Salt1972]

BRS recommended (3) AI Hydra 32's. Those might be a nice mix - designed for reef tanks, support, features, quality, price. The VIPAR Spectra is less the half the $, but there are quality control issues revealed in the reviews.

 

[Chrisv.]

Another thing to consider is the user experience. Many of the name brands have really nice control apps these days. I really like the ai prime app. My kessil is on the equivalent of a light timer.

 

[piranhaman00]

This screams T5. All leds will fail eventually.

 

[Bigfish10]

I have a nice triple metal halide setup that will grow anything with radium bulbs. They are for sale if interested.

 

[Salt1972]

I just ordered a single AI Hydra 32HD from BRS to test. I figure I'll run that over the center section and place the 2 remaining Kessils over the ends until they take a similar fate. Thanks for the suggestions. Keep them coming.

 

[Chrisv.]

Sounds good!

 

[Chrisv.]

Additional suggestion: borrow/rent a par meter and dial things in that way.

 

[oldmonk]

Have a look at ReefBreeders Photon V2+ or V2pro. You will be sorted.

If you are ready for yearly replacement of T5s then a hybrid option with Photons is worth taking a peek at

Thanks

 

[TnFishwater98]

Coral Box Moon LED’s V3 are a great value. They look great and can adjust with app. They just released a newer version that rotates 360 degrees during the day. I don’t have the newer version but enjoy the V3’s....

 

[Radman73]

This screams T5. All leds will fail eventually.

Agree here. And you can usually pick up used, quality, T5 fixtures for cheap.

Or, go hybrid with one of the aquatic life 4 bulb T5 fixtures and put your favorite cheap LED fixture(s) in the middle.

 

[Salt1972]

Does anyone want 3 Kessil A360WE carcasses? One of them works without the fan. 2 are dead. Free and I'll ship within US.

 

[Bigfish10]

Does anyone want 3 Kessil A360WE carcasses? One of them works without the fan. 2 are dead. Free and I'll ship within US.

Yes. I’ll take them.

 

[Uncle99]

I'm looking for a quality, low maintenance lighting option for our 6' 125g reef tank. I feel like a lot of the top brand fixtures pay 90% for the branding and profits to the people who sell them. I don't need a McLaren. Where's the Honda? Reliable / Reasonable.

We established our 125g reef tank in Sept '17 with (4) Kessil A360WE's & a Controller in addition to a backup A360WE and all requisite mounts. From my perspective, ~$2500+ in aquarium lighting was a serious premium. I thought we were DONE with lighting for life. Today, 3 of our 5 Kessil A360's are dead. Kessil wants $100ea + shipping to assess them for repair. To their credit, they will apply those dollars toward a repair or purchase of new lighting at a slight discount. Fair enough, but the discounted rate is ~$1200 for those 3 lights. I don't really want to spend $1200 MORE dollars on aquarium lighting, but if I have to, I don't want it to be with a company whose products only lasted 4 years (with considerable maintenance). How long will it be before the other 2 original fixtures need replacement? To compound the issue, the Kessil's have always seemed to be the weak link in our reefing efforts with low output.

Where is the fixture for people who love coral reefs and their inhabitants, not the gear?

This is 5 CBB’s with T5 supplement each was about $100.
Grows everything.

 

[outhouse]

Smatfarm is the newest black box, with affordable pricing, with a quality spectrum and 0to 100% features and controllability.

Your schwin is viparspectra and my #2 pick for money equaling value and quality

 

[stephj03]

For the money, I've always heard reefbreeders photon V2+ is the best bang for your buck

2 36" units would do great provided you have a center brace.

 

[stephj03]

Fwiw If I had to do all over again I'd prob go with a bunch of Orphek OR3 and Reefbrite led bars.