Help me set expectations for my LED lighted tank

[Michael.Brock]

I had a technical 175 gallon reef tank a decade or so ago. I downsized to a freshwater planted tank in a 40g breeder and am now wanting to convert that to a macro-algae live rock setup without the focus on keeping the high light requiring corals.

I have two Beamworks DA 6500k on the tank I am going to use for this and I am considering supplementing the two 6500k lights with a more actinic/10k led strip, Something like this nicrew

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0899BVX9Q

The two Beamworks 6500k each have 84 6500k lights + 16 actinic lights, .5w each for a total of 50W. So two of those gives me 100w of lighting.

The Nicrew light gives me another 36w (and claiming 87 par at 12" in air) of more blue-skewed light (a mix of 72 10k leds/30 445nm leds/ 30 460nm leds / 18 rgb leds).

So a total of 136W of light.

I suspect that this would be more than sufficient for macro algae and some soft corals. Could I successfully keep a bubble tip anemone and some zoas under these lights? How about a clam? Where is a reasonable expectation for what I can keep?

Thanks!

 

[Gumbies R Us]

@oreo54

 

[PPBlimpy]

I had this whole thing typed up and then realized you are wanting to do a macro tank. My thoughts go to reef always

I think your plan will work very well for a very natural looking macro tank. Whatever bar you ad I would do only actinic, forget the 10k.

Should grow like weeds and look very nice.

 

[Michael.Brock]

@PPBlimpy Thanks for the response! How far could I go towards keeping corals? Would this be sufficient for a bta?

 

[PPBlimpy]

I am not sure about the wattage being enough for corals or bta.
If you plan on doing that corals and bta eventually would look at a different light, one for par and the other for color.

budget friendly options
2 popbloom rl60
or 2 noopsyche k7 @ $139 currently.

I personally run my tanks a lot whiter then most, more natural but still look for some color pop.
I am from the days of Halides. The windex looks bothers me but 6500k is way to yellow for me.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

The total overall wattage looks fine, but the 40 breeder is 18" deep, how deep can a 36 watt light push into the water, even a 50 watt light, know what I mean, I don't think the light would reach the bottom. Just my opinion.

 

[Michael.Brock]

That makes perfect sense. I'm vacillating between going with what I have and sticking to Macros...or replacing the lights entirely to grow a wider variety. I'll probably stick with what I have for now and see where it takes me. Thanks!

 

[PPBlimpy]

That makes perfect sense. I'm vacillating between going with what I have and sticking to Macros...or replacing the lights entirely to grow a wider variety. I'll probably stick with what I have for now and see where it takes me. Thanks!

thats what i would do. get thetank together, cycled, healthy, full of pods and good life and stable. Then upgrade if you want.

 

[oreo54]

I had a technical 175 gallon reef tank a decade or s ago. I downsized to a freshwater planted tank in a 40g breeder and am now wanting to convert that to a macro-algae live rock setup without the focus on keeping the high light requiring corals.

I have two Beamworks DA 6500k on the tank I am going to use for this and I am considering supplementing the two 6500k lights with a more actinic/10k led strip, Something like this nicrew

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0899BVX9Q

The two Beamworks 6500k each have 84 6500k lights + 16 actinic lights, .5w each for a total of 50W. So two of those gives me 100w of lighting.

The Nicrew light gives me another 36w (and claiming 87 par at 12" in air) of more blue-skewed light (a mix of 72 10k leds/30 445nm leds/ 30 460nm leds / 18 rgb leds).

So a total of 136W of light.

I suspect that this would be more than sufficient for macro algae and some soft corals. Could I successfully keep a bubble tip anemone and some zoas under these lights? How about a clam? Where is a reasonable expectation for what I can keep?

Thanks!

The Beamswork DA Fspec's alone can push about 40+ par at 18".
So you are around 80 + for 2 lights @ 18".
I believe that is a bit conservative and from older models (same model, different gen so to speak, they added a timer. )

If you are going macro ect I'd add a more daylight light into the mix. Not the "blue skewed" one even though it has "color". BUT this is a personal choice.
This Hygger @ 36" is 60 watts..

So a blanket of small emitters totalling 160 system watts.
The depth thing is due in part to larger diodes with narrower (90 or smaller degree lenses and density say 2w vs .5w in the same space).
You can get it with sheer numbers.

ONE advantage IF the Beamswork power supply is 20V you can get a bigger wattage power supply and run all the lights off one power pack. Voltages need to match. I don't remember what the DA's run at.

 

[Michael.Brock]

Doubling down on the white light with an extra 60w! This had not occurred to me but I can see the appeal

 

[Michael.Brock]

An update: I did buy that Hygger light (up to 3 Hygger products now) so I have 160W of 6500k-10000K lights over the tank. It's cycled but the only macros are what came on the first round of live rock. Those little bits are doing well though so far. At least they are growing.

 

[PPBlimpy]

Very cool. got a picture of the tank?

 

[Michael.Brock]

That's with all lights at 100%. The brown on the sand is a bit of live sand I picked up w/ my live rock from Gulf Live Rock. I am starting to get a little brown algae on the inside of the glass. I have been feeding phyto in attempt to keep the clam alive (top right hand corner of the second photo). I have pods arriving today and an order for some Macros from Macro Lady in progress (taking a while).