Looking for some new lighting

[WaterWerks]

We have a fish only tank for around 20 years. After years of talking about I have finally dropped in a few softies and wanting to get some new lighting to help the corals “POP” in the tank.
Correctly running a 48” lifeguard aquatics 9k

tank is 24x24x60.

I am prob going to mainly do softies in the tank as I am still considering starting a whole new tank for a reef set up.

Any suggestions would be great. Mainly budget friendly as the next tank I am looking at will not be

 

[GatorGreg]

That’s a pretty big tank. How budget friendly we talking?

If you’re planning on upgrading soon and going super premium. Then I wouldn’t spend much more than Viparspectra 165w money on this tank. Unless the thought process could be buy the premium lights now and they can also be used on your premium build? For the corals you got you could probably get away with 2 or 3 Viparspectra black boxes off amazon. Probably 2 they’re pretty stronk.

If that’s TOO cheap for you. ReefBreeders are nice nice

 

[oreo54]

We have a fish only tank for around 20 years. After years of talking about I have finally dropped in a few softies and wanting to get some new lighting to help the corals “POP” in the tank.
Correctly running a 48” lifeguard aquatics 9k

tank is 24x24x60.

I am prob going to mainly do softies in the tank as I am still considering starting a whole new tank for a reef set up.

Any suggestions would be great. Mainly budget friendly as the next tank I am looking at will not be

I see a pretty substantial hood that may decide on what lights are a suggestion based on how they mount
and what they may appreciate for air movement.

What is in there at the moment?

Any opaque supports on the tank?

Oh and just to throw something in here .. 2 100W Nicrews will run about $350 for 2 plus a controller.
Average intensity for a 150gal tank.

2 150's is $400.

Please note the bb's mentioned above are 110-ish watts at best (100% both channels)

 

[WaterWerks]

That’s a pretty big tank. How budget friendly we talking?

If you’re planning on upgrading soon and going super premium. Then I wouldn’t spend much more than Viparspectra 165w money on this tank. Unless the thought process could be buy the premium lights now and they can also be used on your premium build? For the corals you got you could probably get away with 2 or 3 Viparspectra black boxes off amazon. Probably 2 they’re pretty stronk.

If that’s TOO cheap for you. ReefBreeders are nice nice

The tank planned tank will not be an upgrade but and addition in our living room/ office wall.

 

[WaterWerks]

Tj

I see a pretty substantial hood that may decide on what lights are a suggestion based on how they mount
and what they may appreciate for air movement.

What is in there at the moment?

Any opaque supports on the tank?

Oh and just to throw something in here .. 2 100W Nicrews will run about $350 for 2 plus a controller.
Average intensity for a 150gal tank.

2 150's is $400.

Please note the bb's mentioned above are 110-ish watts at best (100% both channels)

There is a lifeguard aquatics 48 in there now. 35 watt

As far as going to T5’s or something along those lines… yes the hood makes it pretty hot up top and that why we swapped to an LED LIGHT SYSTEM.
The corals seem to really like the light that it produces but just looking for the extra coloration that they have when I turn off the white and just the blue/night mode on.

 

[Spare time]

Reefbrite, Quanta, or Noopsyche

 

[kindafun]

Lot's of good options. I think Quantareef.com offers great lighting solutions at a good price point. I'm using their bars to supplement but if doing it over again I would solely use Quanta lights.

 

[oreo54]

Dup

 

[oreo54]

Tj

There is a lifeguard aquatics 48 in there now. 35 watt

As far as going to T5’s or something along those lines… yes the hood makes it pretty hot up top and that why we swapped to an LED LIGHT SYSTEM.
The corals seem to really like the light that it produces but just looking for the extra coloration that they have when I turn off the white and just the blue/night mode on.

Next is budget
You could throw a 60" (120 watts) AI blade in there but that's like $550 for the grow. Show is even costlier.

 

[Srfnhooker]

Lot's of good options. I think Quantareef.com offers great lighting solutions at a good price point. I'm using their bars to supplement but if doing it over again I would solely use Quanta lights.

Is there any control ability with the quanta pro or are they on and off?

 

[knockout]

Following

 

[WaterWerks]

Following

I ended up sticking 3 AI hydras 32’s on the tank and I couldn’t be happier so far. Great colors and the softies are are already growing on to my rocks.

Budget friendly. Not so much but after going to multiple suppliers and a small expo by me I new what I had to do.

Taken just now. Lights are about ten minutes from shutting down for the night so the zoas are closing up. The hammer has good coloring but is also shrinking up for the night as the output is rather low right now