125 Gallon Reef Tank Lighting

[Aidan06]

I am currently in the process of upgrading my 45-gallon reef to 125. I'm not sure what lights I need. It is a reef tank and I will be moving all of my corals into this new larger tank. I really have no experience with the lighting and I want to make sure I have something that will look nice and be able to sustain everything inside.

The 125 is 6ft long and approximately 2 ft deep. It does have a canopy.

The lights have to be LED, and of course the cheaper the better ideally less than $400. If I can purchase them on Amazon/Ebay or online that is a bonus.

Thanks to anyone who is able to help me out. I will follow up with pictures of everything once it is done.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Best bang for that buck is going to be 3-4 Chinese black boxes.
3 if you get WiFi 4 If you he plain Jain and timers.

Def look at used gear.

 

[Aidan06]

Best bang for that buck is going to be 3-4 Chinese black boxes.
3 if you get WiFi 4 If you he plain Jain and timers.

Def look at used gear.

Do you have any recommendations on something specific on Amazon or eBay? I've looked a lot at their $100 lights but I really don't know what is considered good or bad.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

SBreeflight is the best.
Mars aqua , vita spar and bloomspek , galaxy hydro are best known.

 

[Aidan06]

SBreeflight is the best.
Mars aqua , vita spar and bloomspek , galaxy hydro are best known.

This is what I'm looking at as of now
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3PCS-Mars-...h=item33f399ed3f:g:-ZEAAOSwpZpcZNSo:rk:2:pf:1

 

[Jekyl]

Viparspectra are the ones I'm going with. Here are their par readings

https://lovefishtank.com/coral-reef-aquarium-led-light/

 

[Aidan06]

Viparspectra are the ones I'm going with. Here are their par readings

https://lovefishtank.com/coral-reef-aquarium-led-light/

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm not really savvy in the lighting game. Do you think these are a better bet than what I was looking at? also how many do you reckon I would need? probably 3?

 

[cracker]

I have older Mars Aqua's over my 180 They work just fine.

 

[Jekyl]

Not putting down any suggestions. Those are just the only ones I have readings for

 

[champagnereef]

Viparspectra are the ones I'm going with. Here are their par readings

https://lovefishtank.com/coral-reef-aquarium-led-light/

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm not really savvy in the lighting game. Do you think these are a better bet than what I was looking at? also how many do you reckon I would need

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

If you’re set on LED then I’d go for SB Reef. Slightly over your budget but the spectrum is better than a regular black box.

get 3 of these and call it a day https://sbreeflights.com/sbox-reef-lights/70-18-sbox-basic.html

if you’re willing to go T5 then I’d recommend this guy: Amazon product

Myself and several others ran those without issues for many years. Just swap out the stock bulbs with good ones. Even then you’re probably $100 under budget.

 

[Fishingandreefing]

These black boxes have gone up in price which means they are more popular than ever and it works.

 

[champagnereef]

If you’re set on LED then I’d go for SB Reef. Slightly over your budget but the spectrum is better than a regular black box.

get 3 of these and call it a day https://sbreeflights.com/sbox-reef-lights/70-18-sbox-basic.html

if you’re willing to go T5 then I’d recommend this guy: Amazon product

Myself and several others ran those without issues for many years. Just swap out the stock bulbs with good ones. Even then you’re probably $100 under budget.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm not really savvy in the lighting game. Do you think these are a better bet than what I was looking at? also how many do you reckon I would need? probably 3?

 

[Tuffyyyyy]

You could definitely start with two and add another if you need it.

 

[rfgonzo]

6ft long tank, go with 3 165W Black boxes set 10 to 14 inches above water line and you'll be good. JMO

 

[LesPoissons]

Those.l Viparspecta ones you mentioned are the ones I have on a 220g reef. My tank is 6feet long- I have 3 lights. The whites are on about 2% and the blues vary from 45 to 75 depending on which corals they are over. Running 4 years, 0 problems, everything grows, timers work great. Acros, nems, brain coral, montiporas, hammers, mushrooms, leathers, stylophora, psammacora etc.