Best CHEAP light?

vetteguy53081

Well known Member and monster tank lover
View Badges
Joined
Aug 11, 2013
Messages
90,832
Reaction score
200,074
Location
Wisconsin -
Rating - 100%
13   0   0
MARS LED
 

Nanorock1970

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 2, 2018
Messages
582
Reaction score
1,159
Location
Palm Bay, FL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Don't forget you can get some good stuff from folks shutting down a tank or upgrading..Softies do not need crazy SPS lighting. I'm running 2 current USA light strips. an orbit and an orbit IC in a 24 inch deep tank with zoas, shrooms, Just got a pipe organ I have up at the top of my tank and in just a week is already showing growth from when I got it.
 

blasterman

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
1,730
Reaction score
2,018
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
T5 is cheaper and better if you are just starting out stay away from leds

Yeah....the lack of dimming on T5's is such an advantage on new tanks.

Show me a T5 fixture not sold by second hand Ebay sites that matches the PAR / per $$ dollar of a black box LED.
 

hotdrop

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 29, 2019
Messages
608
Reaction score
567
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah....the lack of dimming on T5's is such an advantage on new tanks.

Show me a T5 fixture not sold by second hand Ebay sites that matches the PAR / per $$ dollar of a black box LED.
T5 are readily available used often locally for significant discount. Sure you can get a black box led to burn the **** out of anything for 100$ a pop but it will be built poorly, corrode quickly and you will still get pretty poor coverage. 200$ will light a 48” tank with used T5s with really little shadowing.

I picked up a used ATI dimmable for less than 200 you can get non dimable for even less.
 

jda

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 25, 2013
Messages
14,325
Reaction score
22,134
Location
Boulder, CO
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Get some used lights. Look on FB marketplace (if you can stand them), CL or the like. Keep your options open and look for any kind. A local was selling a 6 foot 150w Aquamedic MH and T5 fixture with ballasts for $40. T5 units can be cheap too.

Unless you are a unicorn, pegasus or dragon, then you will be moving past softies soon. People who say that they are going with just softies are then stay with just softies are indeed mythical creatures.
 

hotdrop

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 29, 2019
Messages
608
Reaction score
567
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Get some used lights. Look on FB marketplace (if you can stand them), CL or the like. Keep your options open and look for any kind. A local was selling a 6 foot 150w Aquamedic MH and T5 fixture with ballasts for $40. T5 units can be cheap too.

Unless you are a unicorn, pegasus or dragon, then you will be moving past softies soon. People who say that they are going with just softies are then stay with just softies are indeed mythical creatures.
Agreed everyone wants to try sps eventually. That being said Some LPS could probably grow on a 2 bar T5ho fixture from home depot
 

MeMyFishandI

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 20, 2020
Messages
166
Reaction score
195
Location
Lower Mainland, B.C.
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Good things come to those who wait. Keep checking the used market (craigslist, facebook reefing groups, lfs, local aquarium forums, this forum) eventually a good deal will pop up!
 

hotdrop

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 29, 2019
Messages
608
Reaction score
567
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Good things come to those who wait. Keep checking the used market (craigslist, facebook reefing groups, lfs, local aquarium forums, this forum) eventually a good deal will pop up!
Agreed but certain stuff gets a much better used discount than others. Used black box and T5s are cheap because demand is low
 

Jonreefer

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
1,603
Reaction score
841
Location
Pittsburgh PA
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
A good cheap light that isnt low on build quality or function.
The noopsyche K7 pro II lights.
I ran them on my last tank and they are very nice lights for the price. I actually have 3 coming today that I am replacing my radion XR15's with because I was disappointed with the par output from the XR15 and I wasnt spending another $300 for a 3rd XR15.
they are only $160 per light and the controller can control up to 16 lights
 

Kjeldh

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 2, 2018
Messages
44
Reaction score
16
Location
Palm Coast
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
A six bulb ATI Sunpower T-5 fixture will provide some economical relief over higher-end leds
 

tbrown

Nominated Cronie Intern - Might be failing?
View Badges
Joined
Nov 22, 2019
Messages
48,474
Reaction score
101,536
Location
Peoria, AZ
Rating - 100%
2   0   0

nelsonmiami

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 27, 2022
Messages
14
Reaction score
4
Location
miami
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Don't forget you can get some good stuff from folks shutting down a tank or upgrading..Softies do not need crazy SPS lighting. I'm running 2 current USA light strips. an orbit and an orbit IC in a 24 inch deep tank with zoas, shrooms, Just got a pipe organ I have up at the top of my tank and in just a week is already showing growth from when I got it.
I have 2 ic orbita on a 6ft tank was debating if its enough for softies what u think i was about to go try find something stronger or add another
 
Back
Top