Would this DIY work for reef tank?

[TheCheeseWizz]

Hey all, I'm a big fan of DIY projects and I was just curious if this would work as a suitable LED lighting system for a 24 gallon reef tank (mostly softies):

I would add some form of ventilation and other alterations. I'm just curious if the light would be the correct type for corals. The intensity should be fine right? Thanks!

 

[Russ265]

id be confident if the softies were placed midway up in the aquarium. those are some real weak leds. however, softies are pretty easy to keep ime.

tbh. id be more confident in a cfl, but i could be wrong.

hard to judge

 

[redfishbluefish]

First off, very nice DIY. I like the detail and the alternate use of the gutter. Great job.


I am also concerned about the amount of light. It sure would be nice if you could get a PAR meter to measure the light output. Don't go by what your eye sees....it's what is available for photosynthesis that's important.

 

[Dapperjman]

I've seen similar projects with these types of LEDs and it seems they lose intensity after a short time (months). It will be interesting to see how yours do.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

These strips are nice for a FOWLR but really lack the intensity for a Reef Tank.

Sanjay recommends a minimum of 100 PAR on the sand bed. I like to see at least 200 for carpet anemones

Bill