Light recommendations

Noob_reefer · Mar 31, 2020

I currently have a 90 gal tank that will be sps barebottom. I was wondering what lights you guys would reccomend that won't tear a hole in my pocket. Its 48L×18W×24H

DesertReefT4r · Mar 31, 2020

Whats your buget? I have a similar sized 75g and use 2 AI Hydra 32s but will add a 3rd once the tank grows in more. Love these lights!

Noob_reefer · Mar 31, 2020

DesertReefT4r said:
Whats your buget? I have a similar sized 75g and use 2 AI Hydra 32s but will add a 3rd once the tank grows in more. Love these lights!

I don't have a radion budget and I was looking for ideally one fixture if possible. I have a coral life t5 fixture but it's only 2 bulbs I wanted an led option for the main light and shimmer

Sabdali · Mar 31, 2020

For one fixture you could look into some of the nice black box style lights like reefbreeders photon or something like that. Or even do 2-3 Mars aqua

Lighting a 4ft with just one especially for sps is difficult on a budget tbh. I went with an 8 bulb t5 unit because that was the cheapest option I could find that would work. My tank is 4ft x 2ft x 30 inches tall

Noob_reefer · Mar 31, 2020

Sabdali said:
For one fixture you could look into some of the nice black box style lights like reefbreeders photon or something like that. Or even do 2-3 Mars aqua

Lighting a 4ft with just one especially for sps is difficult on a budget tbh. I went with an 8 bulb t5 unit because that was the cheapest option I could find that would work. My tank is 4ft x 2ft x 30 inches tall

Are the Mars aqua good lights?

Sabdali · Mar 31, 2020

Noob_reefer said:
Are the Mars aqua good lights?

They're not the best. In terms of functionality I've seen many tanks that have grown healthy corals. The issue is sub quality parts leads to shorter lifespan of the lights and unreliability over long periods of time.

Another solid black box light is the ocean revive t247 lights. There's a good amount of literature in the forum and on YouTube covering this light.

I will add that I never used black boxes extensively so this is all second hand advice. I had a viparspectra for about 2 months but it was too big for the aquarium I was running it on so I had crazy light bleed. Worked fine though and coral did grow

Noob_reefer · Mar 31, 2020

Sabdali said:
They're not the best. In terms of functionality I've seen many tanks that have grown healthy corals. The issue is sub quality parts leads to shorter lifespan of the lights and unreliability over long periods of time.

Another solid black box light is the ocean revive t247 lights. There's a good amount of literature in the forum and on YouTube covering this light.

I will add that I never used black boxes extensively so this is all second hand advice. I had a viparspectra for about 2 months but it was too big for the aquarium I was running it on so I had crazy light bleed. Worked fine though and coral did grow

I have the ocean revives currently on my 75 and 40 gal tanks. They grow coral great