Affordable lighting

[Ricky Martinez]

Hello Everyone my name is Ricky

I am fairly new to saltwater reef tanks I have a 30gl tall/long Acrylic tank. I am looking for a decent not so crazy led lighting. The prices are insane though. My question is can someone direct/suggest a company for lighting for this tank that if fairly affordable around a price range of about 150-200 of possible. There are so many that i am not sire which to get.
thank you

 

[PicassoClown04]

AI is my favorite brand. I use 2 AI Prime HDs over a 20 gallon long tank. They cost me $100 each

Euphyllia, sps, clams, bubble tips, zoas, goniopora, alveopora, softies, whatever. It all grows really nicely!

 

[Ricky Martinez]

AI is my favorite brand. I use 2 AI Prime HDs over a 20 gallon long tank. They cost me $100 each

Euphyllia, sps, clams, bubble tips, zoas, goniopora, alveopora, softies, whatever. It all grows really nicely!

 

[Hugh Mann]

I'm using two Mars Aqua 165w leds. Run about $120US each, give or take, depending on where you shop. Pretty sure you could get away with one on a 30 gallon. I don't have much for coral, but at 50%, grows GSP pretty well.

 

[Ricky Martinez]

wow, beautiful setup, I’m not that deep yet just getting started. right now I am setting up lighting. The light I currently have I don’t think is strong enough I had it on a 8 gl tank that was given to me.

 

[Ricky Martinez]

I'm using two Mars Aqua 165w leds. Run about $120US each, give or take, depending on where you shop. Pretty sure you could get away with one on a 30 gallon. I don't have much for coral, but at 50%, grows GSP pretty well.

Funny you mention that brand I actually have that 1 in my cart saved on amazon. Just didn’t pull the trigger on it just yet. I may want to find a bracket cause where I have the tank the ceilings e way to high to hang mount, although I am sure I could probably rig something up. I rather just buy a bracket

 

[Hugh Mann]

I just grabbed myself some 2x4s and built a stand over the tank. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but gives me a place to hang the lights, controllers, powerbars, etc.

 

[GoVols]

Hello Everyone my name is Ricky

I have a 30gl tall/long Acrylic tank.

Ricky,
Welcome to Reef 2 Reef

Could you post the dimensions of your tank?

Length x depth x height


Freddie

 

[Ricky Martinez]

Ricky,
Welcome to Reef 2 Reef

Could you post the dimensions of your tank?

Length x depth x height


Freddie

Ty Freddie, I will have to do that on Monday my tank is in my office at work.

 

[Udest]

On affordable lighting I've heard good things about nicrew lights for a while now they run about 29 bucks for my nano 5 gal I run a regular daylight bulb and it works okay

 

[ReQuackulous]

China black boxes, brs has a "shootout" video of them. IF youre open to other lights you can get a t5 fixture and be set. I started with an AI Hydra 32 LED then upgraded to a T5 hybrid fixture. Tbh I should have started with the T5 hybrid and then added the LED later. For my 24x24 frag tank I get better light spread and more even par due to T5s.

 

[Devaji]

what are your goals for the light? we also need tank dems.

@footgal beat me to it. i love the AI prime lights great little lights. add the 3D reefing defusers
can pick them up ( Ai prime) used and save even more.

other options are:
reef breeders photon V2s

Photon V2+ - ReefBreeders.com

www.reefbreeders.com

noopKs7II :

Aquarium LED Fixtures & Strip Lights | Aquarium Specialty

Your #1 source for top brand aquarium supplies for aquariums. We offer free shipping, price matching, fantastic technical and customer support.

www.aquariumspecialty.com

also check out there Fb group. lots of great tanks there. IMHO there better than the "black box"

if your handy you can DIY a basic light. but how cheap good lights like the noops are it would be hard to beat that price point.

 

[fishface NJ]

Mars Aqua and/or T5

 

[Udest]

As for me I don't have a hate for the high end lighting but that's one thing that deters a lot of newcomers to reefing is the cost of a single piece of equipment.

So diy or alternatives are always welcome to my builds. Just do research on products and methods and avoid blanket terms like "black box" you gotta remember those guys too make stuff for their domestic market too so it all can't be crapola.

 

[Dilan Patel]

i use sb reef lights. 6 on one tank and 3 on another

 

[Weasel1960]

I'm using two Mars Aqua 165w leds. Run about $120US each, give or take, depending on where you shop. Pretty sure you could get away with one on a 30 gallon. I don't have much for coral, but at 50%, grows GSP pretty well.

I just looked at these on Amazon, can they be tied to a central control like Apex or ReefPi?

 

[Hugh Mann]

I just looked at these on Amazon, can they be tied to a central control like Apex or ReefPi?

I have no idea. They just plug into a standard 120v outlet. Manual dimmers. Days and blues on separate channels/plugs. I just use a generic digital timer to control them.

 

[Ricky Martinez]

I just grabbed myself some 2x4s and built a stand over the tank. Not the prettiest thing in the world, but gives me a place to hang the lights, controllers, powerbars, etc.

Hey. I found this 1 used , asking 300 with bracket Ecotech RADION XR15W G3 PRO with RMS Mount. any thoughts??

 

[Chibils]

Having the dimensions of your tank would help a lot in determining what would be good and what would not. I know you said you can't check it now. An XR30 pro is a great light and you can't go wrong - just understand that a gen 3 is going to have some significant hours on it.

 

[Ricky Martinez]

Having the dimensions of your tank would help a lot in determining what would be good and what would not. I know you said you can't check it now. An XR30 pro is a great light and you can't go wrong - just understand that a gen 3 is going to have some significant hours on it.

13x24x24 .. sorry for the delay