Best LEDs for acros?

teethdoctor23 · Jun 11, 2023

It’s been a couple years since I’ve seen a good post about this, but I’m getting a Redsea 525XL this week and I’m wondering which lights to go with. I plan on doing an Acro dominant tank with some torches, gonis etc in the lower par areas but im between ReefLEDs from redsea, Orphek, Kessil, Radions. What do y’all think? For overall growth and coloration. It’s about a 5ft tank.

Hurricane Aquatics · Jun 11, 2023

teethdoctor23 said:
It’s been a couple years since I’ve seen a good post about this, but I’m getting a Redsea 525XL this week and I’m wondering which lights to go with. I plan on doing an Acro dominant tank with some torches, gonis etc in the lower par areas but im between ReefLEDs from redsea, Orphek, Kessil, Radions. What do y’all think? For overall growth and coloration. It’s about a 5ft tank.

Of your choices, Radion, Orphek, and Reef Breeders will all work fine. It's really about water chemistry, flow, and stability, lighting is probably 30 percent of the equation.

If you don't have enough nutrients etc, then lighting is not a major factor. Higher par equals higher nutrients and flow.

The only Kessil I would use would be the 500x and have about 6 of them for coverage. Coverage is key with SPS.

FrugalReeferJon · Jun 11, 2023

I've seen amazing SPS reef tanks grown under high end high priced LEDs. I've also seen amazing SPS reef tanks grown under low end low priced LEDs. IMO, any LED will grow SPS as long as they are able to provide good PAR and spectrum. I also believe in mounting them high and running them full blast when using LEDs for an SPS tank.

Rusty_L_Shackleford · Jun 11, 2023

FrugalReefer said:
I've seen amazing SPS reef tanks grown under high end high priced LEDs. I've also seen amazing SPS reef tanks grown under low end low priced LEDs. IMO, any LED will grow SPS as long as they are able to provide good PAR and spectrum. I also believe in mounting them high and running them full blast when using LEDs for an SPS tank.

Agreed. As long as you're hitting the PAR numbers and spectrum you're good to go. Although personally I'm not a fan of the open top tanks with hanging lights, but hey to each their own.