Lighting suggestions for all zoa tank

Ahogue21 · Sep 8, 2017

Going to be picking up a deep blue 80 soon (48x24x16 and the plan is all zoas looking for some some led lighting options trying to lean on the budget as I don't think I need to go overkill on par

Suggestions?

saltyfilmfolks · Sep 8, 2017

2 mars aqua or 2 SB reeflight.

needbiggertanks · Sep 8, 2017

I agree with those suggestions, i just went with the 300 watt from mars aqua

Tuffyyyyy · Sep 8, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
2 mars aqua or 2 SB reeflight.

This. Also, Orbit Marine's Loop products are super cool.

Oceanwave45 · Sep 8, 2017

Tuffyyyyy said:
This. Also, Orbit Marine's Loop products are super cool.

I love my current led orbit ic. But I was told that the light isn't strong enough for some corals so you may want to check into that, I wish I did

Tuffyyyyy · Sep 8, 2017

Oceanwave45 said:
I love my current led orbit ic. But I was told that the light isn't strong enough for some corals so you may want to check into that, I wish I did

Fair point. I think OP said he went with another light, but curious about your input. The 36"-48" Orbit Marine IC has 144 LEDs and only uses 36 watts of power. Their website doesn't make mention of output.

Ahogue21 · Sep 8, 2017

Buddy owned the orbit and in all honesty I'd throw it on a fish only tank and that's about it

Oceanwave45 · Sep 8, 2017

Hey, take a look here - will show you the par information on the LED
http://current-usa.com/updated-orbit-led-specs/

saltyfilmfolks · Sep 8, 2017

Tuffyyyyy said:
Fair point. I think OP said he went with another light, but curious about your input. The 36"-48" Orbit Marine IC has 144 LEDs and only uses 36 watts of power. Their website doesn't make mention of output.

Ahogue21 said:
Buddy owned the orbit and in all honesty I'd throw it on a fish only tank and that's about it

Yup Chek the specs. The ic is the fourth or fifth version of the light.
Keep in mind lenses change intensity quite a bit so wattage becomes a bit irrelevant esp when comparing brains with mixed lens sets.

The ic gives you about 400 or 500 hundred par at 12 inches from the fixture at full. About the same as an ap700. But the current ic sits right ON the tank. So that power is 12in into the tank making the current the more intense light.
But for a frag tank you want it high up for an even spred. So the ap would be the better choise there. And you don't need that much Light anyway. About 125 par and the bottom for zoas.
Those are both in the $700 range.

However the two basic mars will be $160 and the two basic SB will be $260.
Both will cover that tank nicely hung at 16in.
Those BBs will do about a 20x20 from 12in. Like on my cube. and I'm not at full and have lenses pulled too. I'm in the high 100's to low 200s on the sand. But I have clams there.