Beamworks DA 10000K for corals?

[LayT27]

So I have a beamworks DA light that I was using for my cichlid tank which is now being turned in to a saltwater tank. I plan on starting off with FOWLR for awhile until I get the tank well established and then maybe add corals. Would this light work for corals at all or should I start planning to upgrade the lighting?

• Lumen: 5200
• LEDs: 120x 0.50 watt
• Config: 104x 10000K, 16x Actinic 460nm LEDs

 

[lilgrounchuck]

How deep is the tank? Are there lenses over the leds? It would probably be ok for softies. The current orbit marine is all .5 watt diodes and it works ok on shallower tanks for lower light corals.

 

[LayT27]

How deep is the tank? Are there lenses over the leds? It would probably be ok for softies. The current orbit marine is all .5 watt diodes and it works ok on shallower tanks for lower light corals.

The tank is a standard 75 gallon 48"long and 21" deep and the light is the 48" light

 

[lilgrounchuck]

You could probably keep some low light corals in the upper 1/2 with it, but if you really want to keep a reef tank you should get a new light. If you’re sticking with FOWLR for awhile it’ll do fine. Then when you want to add coral later on pick up the light then.

 

[oreo54]

First, do you like how it looks?

Main issue is the 120 degree lensing on the 1/2W (run more like .2-.3W) diodes not getting enough deep water penetration.
Advantage is ease of dimming/controlling.
Would recommend that and another bar as a cheap way to light things..but still limited PAR as shown here
roughly double it for 2:

 

[LayT27]

Yea Im definitely going to need a new light. Just really didnt want to go $500+ for lighting anytime soon. But we do what we must :p. So your saying I should add another Beamworks to get things started? Ive thought about going the dual Current Orbit Marine route as that would run me about $400...decisions, decisions.

 

[oreo54]

2 "black box" lights are cheap and proven successful...
Mars Aqua, Evergrow ect..
Manual 2 channel dimming. Not fancy but not junk..
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dimmable...841897?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=7663

 

[LayT27]

2 "black box" lights are cheap and proven successful...
Mars Aqua, Evergrow ect..
Manual 2 channel dimming. Not fancy but not junk..
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dimmable...841897?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=7663

Do they make a mount for them? I looked at them earlier but I wasnt a fan of hanging them from the ceiling...I suppose I could build a canopy for them to sit on.

 

[jerrod]

Yea Im definitely going to need a new light. Just really didnt want to go $500+ for lighting anytime soon. But we do what we must :p. So your saying I should add another Beamworks to get things started? Ive thought about going the dual Current Orbit Marine route as that would run me about $400...decisions, decisions.

I did the dual Current Marine pro lights when I first started out and they were decent lights, they kept everything alive and corals slowly grew but when I switched to t5s then later to better LEDs the corals thrived and grew insanely compared to the Current brand. If planning on softies or zoas the Currents work well though. I think it depends what corals you eventually want to stock.

 

[oreo54]

Do they make a mount for them? I looked at them earlier but I wasnt a fan of hanging them from the ceiling...I suppose I could build a canopy for them to sit on.

Plenty of diy type mounts..
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2622878

 

[LayT27]

I did the dual Current Marine pro lights when I first started out and they were decent lights, they kept everything alive and corals slowly grew but when I switched to t5s then later to better LEDs the corals thrived and grew insanely compared to the Current brand. If planning on softies or zoas the Currents work well though. I think it depends what corals you eventually want to stock.

So what are you currently running now then?

 

[LayT27]

So what are you currently running now then?

There’s a guy on Facebook selling the dual lights, brackets, Loop system and 2 wave makers for $350

 

[Mandrew]

This is a 60g tank I had as my first reef tank. I had the same exact beamswork LED you’re referring to. It did well for pallies, zoas, frogspawn, and Kenya trees and mushrooms. The 60g was roughly the same size as the 75g you have it was just taller and skinnier. So yes it will grow corals. Not the best option but it will definitely work.