Lighting Recommendations for 60 gallon cube SPS/LPS

[Newbie54]

I have had a fish and live rock only tank for about a year with a corallife light on it (not the right size for the tank). I am looking to get more into the coral game and am wondering what my best change for a rookie lighting fixture would be? Looking and hoping to spend under 300$ but would consider 500$ and under. Thanks for any recommendations you have!

 

[Spare time]

Any preference for mounting style, shimmer, spectrum, etc?

 

[twentyleagues]

Reefi uno pro 2.0.
AI Blade x2 21"
Kessil 360x
All are $500 but all are nice. Biggest bang for the buck is Reefi.

 

[ryanjohn1]

If you’re not looking to break the bank. Look at “black box”. Otherwise you’re going spend so cash.

 

[jerl77]

6 bulb t5

 

[Newbie54]

Reefi uno pro 2.0.
AI Blade x2 21"
Kessil 360x
All are $500 but all are nice. Biggest bang for the buck is Reefi.

Thank you for the recommendations!!

 

[Newbie54]

Any preference for mounting style, shimmer, spectrum, etc?

I would prefer not to have it mounted from the ceiling, other than that im open!

 

[Jekyl]

If wanting sps you'll most likely need more than 1 light. Otherwise shading will become an issue. My choice would be a kessil 500 with an LED strip

 

[Spare time]

I would prefer not to have it mounted from the ceiling, other than that im open!

You could do noopsyche, reefi uno, or maxpect jump (I don't know much about this light. Those should all be in the budget.

 

[The_Paradox]

Have a 60g cube and it really needs either a ton of T5s, MH, or at least 2 banks of LEDs. My vote would be two 100w Hipargero.

Wall mounted mine.

 

[slogan315]

I have a 60g cube mixed reef and it’s gone through a few lighting iterations.

I had a kessil 360x at first. It looked great, but wasn’t enough power. Had sps not doing great.

Added 4 T5 aquatic life hybrid with the kessil. That worked well and looked good.

Changed the kessil for a noopsyche k7 v3 pro. The kessil looked a little better and more polished, but price for power, you can’t beat the noop. It still has nice looking colors, and is growing my corals better. Also I only have it around 60% with the t5. My kessil was maxed out and I needed more power.

If I was starting fresh, I’d do 2 noops on my 60g. If you have a canopy, that’s about $300 shipped. If you need mounts, that’s $400 shipped. I’m also really interested in the reefi uno 2.0. If I didn’t have a canopy, and could go as high as I needed for spread, I would probably try that.

 

[twentyleagues]

I have a 60g cube mixed reef and it’s gone through a few lighting iterations.

I had a kessil 360x at first. It looked great, but wasn’t enough power. Had sps not doing great.

Added 4 T5 aquatic life hybrid with the kessil. That worked well and looked good.

Changed the kessil for a noopsyche k7 v3 pro. The kessil looked a little better and more polished, but price for power, you can’t beat the noop. It still has nice looking colors, and is growing my corals better. Also I only have it around 60% with the t5. My kessil was maxed out and I needed more power.

If I was starting fresh, I’d do 2 noops on my 60g. If you have a canopy, that’s about $300 shipped. If you need mounts, that’s $400 shipped. I’m also really interested in the reefi uno 2.0. If I didn’t have a canopy, and could go as high as I needed for spread, I would probably try that.

I have a canopy with a reefi. I did cut the canopy top to accommodate the reefi but after I decided to mount it inside the canopy 11" off the water. Mostly lps and zoas 120 degree reflector ramping up to 127w currently I was getting around 80-90par on the sand and 175-190par most of the top rock with the taller at the time rock 205-215 at 107w. I figure this push will get sand bed 100+ and all rock tops around 200. 28x28x24" inside dimensions. Of course there is shading and 2 would probably negate that but right now doesnt matter, may look at adding a blade in the future or just getting a bigger tank and more of these.