Reef Brite LED fixture enough for 26 gallon?

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kangadrew

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I am trying to decide on a light for a new 26 gallon bowfront setup that I am designing, I think I want to go full LED. I would like to know if the Reef Brite Lumi-Lite LED Strip is going to be enough for my tank? I would go with a 24" model, 50/50 color combo. Link is posted below, thanks!

http://www.reefbrite.com/product/lumi-lite-led-strip/
 
WWC
ReefBot Lab, Automated Water Tester
Yes the Reef brite will work and you could use them on your next tank too. As you get grow in the hobby.:)
 
Thanks for the help everyone, and thanks for the offer @SR Aquaristix !

I am definitely willing to send you a few pictures come Monday, I do have one question though (for anyone) - which light would be better for possible growing some SPS? Would they both work out fine?
 
I just realized what you meant (I think) - would you like me to send pictures of the tank before you I purchase the light, or pictures of the tank w/ the light after it has been purchased? Either way, if it will grow SPS I am interested.

This tank is 21" deep if that makes a difference.
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
kangadrew said:
Thanks for the help everyone, and thanks for the offer @SR Aquaristix !

I am definitely willing to send you a few pictures come Monday, I do have one question though (for anyone) - which light would be better for possible growing some SPS? Would they both work out fine?
Click to expand...

Here is a picture of a tank set up my friend Nicks office. We decided to use two lights, probably overkill but he was definitely surprised at the amount of light output. We replaced a 150 watt HQI metal halide, he had great results with the two LED strips. You could always try one and if you need another one I would be able to honor that price for a second. I was interested in seeing pictures after the light was added. You seriously will not be disappointed with the quality and output of light.
All the best!
We also have more images in our online flip catalog. https://sraquaristik.com/catalog/

DSC_0023.jpg
 
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Do you think it would work out well enough to keep SPS? I They would be positioned near the upper part of the aquascape if so. My tank is 21" deep as well, so could I keep corals near the sand bed?
 

That is such a difficult question to answer, it depends on so many factors including water clarity type of coral etc. I don’t want to mislead you, but I think you should be fine with one light at that depth and size depending on coral and light duration etc. If you need a second light, it’s only a small investment for lights that will last you for the next five years.
 
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SR Aquaristik said:
That is such a difficult question to answer, it depends on so many factors including water clarity type of coral etc. I don’t want to mislead you, but I think you should be fine with one light at that depth and size depending on coral and light duration etc. If you need a second light, it’s only a small investment for lights that will last you for the next five years.
Click to expand...
Thank you! The tank is going to be heavily filtered. I plan on a custom 10 gallon sump, featuring three chambers and some baffles. The first chamber will have the water flowing into a DIY media rack with filter pads, rowaphos, activated carbon, and then purigen. There's also going to be a DIY skimmer in this section. Second chamber will be a shallow sand bed, some live rock rubble, some chaetomorpha algae, the heater, and a small LED light for the chaeto. Then the final chamber will be the return. So there's going to be pretty clear water

I don't plan on any super hard-to-keep corals, just some pretty common SPS - like acros, montiporas, and birdsnests. I will post a coral list (or wish list) when I make one

I will contact you soon, I am definitely interested in the light though :)
 
You will need two LED units to grow SPS. Having kept SPS. Since 1990 I have found that people are vastly under lighting their aquariums when using LED lighting.
 
reefwiser said:
You will need two LED units to grow SPS. Having kept SPS. Since 1990 I have found that people are vastly under lighting their aquariums when using LED lighting.
Click to expand...
You think so? Perhaps I will try one of them and see how the frags fare, and bump it up if I need to. I think my SPS population will consist of

ORA blue tort
ORA green slimer
ORA rose millepora
Rainbow montipora
Idaho grape montipora
Red monti cap
Green monti cap
Green stylophora
 
Sadly yes. I have been studying SPS corals for many years. They require very specific lighting and a great control if one uses LED's. If you want and easy time with lighting T5 light is a gold standard. Having used every type of lighting
 
reefwiser said:
Sadly yes. I have been studying SPS corals for many years. They require very specific lighting and a great control if one uses LED's. If you want and easy time with lighting T5 light is a gold standard. Having used every type of lighting
Click to expand...
I have an old fixture lying around, it may not be T5 though. Can you use a T5 bulb in a T8 or T12 fixture? My guess would sadly be no, but maybe I'm wrong.

I have a 4 foot fixture on the 60 gallon right now, and it's not going to be used when we tear it down to set up as an octopus tank. Maybe I could sell it and purchase a T5/LED hybrid fixture. Or maybe use it to buy two LED fixtures. I don't plan on running any special lighting on the octopus tank, and we won't have more than 18-24" of space to put a light on that tank. The fixture I've got is 24", I could probably get some bulbs for cheap
 
reefwiser said:
Sadly yes. I have been studying SPS corals for many years. They require very specific lighting and a great control if one uses LED's. If you want and easy time with lighting T5 light is a gold standard. Having used every type of lighting
Click to expand...

It's amazing what little tweaks in lighting will do, I recently switched out a couple of high output T12 on my 190, I wanted to try something with a red spectrum just to see what would happen. Lo and behold, I had some pink plants pop out of rock that I have had in my tank for nine years. I think you will be pleased with the light output with the LEDs, I also agree with reefwiser, T5 HO lighting also works well. I have used metal halide, LEDs T5 HO and traditional fluorescent lighting in the day. I think a good combination of different light spectrums and output is also a great idea.
 
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If you buy the light, lights and don't like them, ship them back in original condition and I will refund 100% of your money minus whatever I have to pay to ship it to you. Probably under 10 bucks.
 

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