20gal long lighting

[GerberGirth]

Have a 20 gal long with a nicrew light over it now, not seeing the growth Id hoped but again a super cheap light. Wanting to upgrade but just dont know what works best. Thought a AI prime but spread is 24X24 and tank is 30 inches long. Anyone with similar tank have some ideas?

 

[karsa]

I’m using 2 AI primes on mine with just LPS but I had them from a previous build. If buying new I’d probably looks at the blades.

 

[oreo54]

Have a 20 gal long with a nicrew light over it now, not seeing the growth Id hoped but again a super cheap light. Wanting to upgrade but just dont know what works best. Thought a AI prime but spread is 24X24 and tank is 30 inches long. Anyone with similar tank have some ideas?

30x12x2 even a "cheap" light should work with enough photons.
Which Nicrew are you using?

 

[GerberGirth]

30x12x2 even a "cheap" light should work with enough photons.
Which Nicrew are you using?

Their 32 watt light that stretches across the top of the rim.

 

[bluehusky424]

Have a 20 gal long with a nicrew light over it now, not seeing the growth Id hoped but again a super cheap light. Wanting to upgrade but just dont know what works best. Thought a AI prime but spread is 24X24 and tank is 30 inches long. Anyone with similar tank have some ideas?

I have 2 AI Prime 16hds i will be using if that helps, should be plenty of light

 

[oreo54]

Their 32 watt light that stretches across the top of the rim.

OK yea, I see that one. Ok here is the thing.
From a geometry and marketing point of view your 30" is err "not standard" for most brands.
AI blades come in 30", your Nicrew, and a few other that you would consider cheap.
Second issue is the narrow tank. So "pucks" have an issue being squarish. If you cover the 30 you spill on the 12" side.
Like a 15x15 footprint of light.

Next is what do you really want to grow? High light corals will need high light well obviously.
Now keep in mind that the Nicrew you have if run at 100% can probably hit 70-100 par at your substrate level.

Next what "color" do you like?
Then what control do you want?
How will you mount it?

There is anything from these cheap lights that fit on a rimless tank (x2) or rimmed under 3/4" (check specs)

Prism CC II LED Light Fixture - Marine

AquaMaxx Prism CC II LED Light Fixture - Marine The Prism CC is everything you love about the AquaMaxx Prism light, but in a Contemporary and Compact (CC) design. At .39" thick, it is almost as thin as a mobile phone, packing a full spectrum of 58 LEDs into its aluminum housing. Building upon...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

That would be 48 Watts total which is 50% more than you have now. But it is pretty "white" at 100% compared to what is err "popular" $240

A "Short" 60w light for $170

Prism II LED Light Fixture - Marine

Thinner. Lighter. Smarter. The new thinner and lighter AquaMaxx Prism II controllable full HD spectrum LED fixture is created from 100% recycled aluminum. Its brushed silver, ultra-slim profile design gives it an aesthetic edge over the competition, and its updated external smart controller...

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There is the 30" AI Blade Grow which though they have a 30" light also has a lot of "dead space " on the ends.

Blade Smart LED Strip - Coral Grow

Extremely Versatile Mounting, Spectrum, and Sizing Options.. Aquarium Lighting, Your Way! Available in 7 different sizes from 12 to 66 inches Balanced blue and white spectrum optimized for coral photosynthesis Mounting solutions for every tank need Cluster group LED diodes with 95 degree spread...

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$264 and DEF "blue". 60W and narrow optics.

LEDs (per cluster): 6x Cool White, 12x Royal Blue, 6x Blue

Up to this point probably the most par punch in 12" depth.
Technically has less of a spectrum than your Nicrew below

• Features 445nm and 460nm blue, 10,000K white, and RGB LEDs, a higher ratio of actinic blue spectrum LEDs balanced with full spectrum creates the ideal color combination for the saltwater environment
• Comes with the dual-channel timer to adjust the lighting spectrum, simulate a gradual sunrise and fading sunset through the gradual increase and decrease of light intensity

Want to blast the tank with 100w of light .. 2 50W Nicrew "pucks".
Plenty of light to waste on the front back spill.
$210


Then you could go crazy with a Kessil 9x

Recommended Coverage: 30" x 24"Power Consumption: AC 185W Max.

AP9X LED Lighting Panel

Kessil's AP9x has redesigned LED chips and optics along with updated, more versatile software and built-in Wifi connectivity. The AP9X represents the combination of Kessil's best features, in a lighting package perfectly suited to a variety of mixed reef systems. The Kessil AP9X is the...

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$739 plus ...

or 2 Radion gen 6's are also in this league.


40-80w if well placed is really all you need to get adequate par for most stuff.
Want the best spectrum.. Pretty open question and I'll let others debate that.

Typical "cheap" led par ..Will help in judging what you need for what you want..

typical recommendations

Higher light corals such as SPS do well in 200-400 PAR, while many LPS corals prefer less light (50-200 PAR). Soft corals usually prefer lower amounts of par (25-125).

 

[nereefpat]

I'm not surprised with lack of growth. 32 watts over 30" isn't much.

I would be tempted to keep the Nicrew and add another bar. Quanta Bars are popular, but only come in 2 or 3' lengths.

2 of the Noopsyche K7 minis (pendant style) + your Nicrew would cover the 30" and would be cheap.

 

[fishyjoes]

I have a 20 gallon long with 2 of the noopsyche k7 mini

I have them mounted about 7 inches off the water surface, about 8 inches in from either side and angled slightly back so the lighting "cone" is angled slightly from front to back.
I get very minimal light spill out the front and sides (almost none), with some out the back (it's going to spill front or back, so I choose back).

They are 60 watts each, and I run them at a max of 15% white, 25% blue, 15% "uv" - this gives me PAR of around 60 on the sand, up to 130 on various places at the top of my rocks (about 7" up from the bottom at the highest). I measure using parwise.

The lights themselves seem fine for the cost. The app isn't great but gets the job done. I could only get them to connect in "AP" mode, meaning I have to change my phone's wifi to connect to each one separately when I want to make changes. There is no option to link the lights together to set the same schedule on both at once (I think that's only available on the k7 pro)
I did notice that one of the lights is brighter than the other at the same settings. To me this is fine considering the cost.