Lighting
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redfishbluefish
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Assuming a conventional 125 (72 x 18 x 21 inches), I'd go with what has been termed Chinese Black Box. Three 165 watt fixtures should provide more than enough light to grow anything. Brands that immediately come to mind...SB Reef lights and Mars Aqua.
redfishbluefish
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I'm not sure what Current fixture you're looking at, but in general they tend to use low power LEDs that don't penetrate well (for corals). The Chinese Black Boxes come with 3 watt LEDs providing enough light to grow any and all corals. I'm currently running three SB Reef fixtures over my tank.
As far as hanging them, you have many options....from the ceiling, from the wall (using shelf brackets as an example), or coming up from the stand. What I've done with all my lights is to first mount them to an L-bracket made from inexpensive fir strip from HD. These then simply rest in my canopy. Here are two examples of Fathom fixtures (black L-brackets) and combination of Apollo and Mars Aqua fixtures (white L-brackets).
Here's the white rack hanging in the canopy:
And finally, showing you this just for the idea....coming up from the stand to support the lights. These are very crude posts to temporarily hold the lights over holding tanks. Not pretty, but you get the idea. This kind of thing could be done to look pretty.
I'm not sure what Current fixture you're looking at, but in general they tend to use low power LEDs that don't penetrate well (for corals). The Chinese Black Boxes come with 3 watt LEDs providing enough light to grow any and all corals. I'm currently running three SB Reef fixtures over my tank.
As far as hanging them, you have many options....from the ceiling, from the wall (using shelf brackets as an example), or coming up from the stand. What I've done with all my lights is to first mount them to an L-bracket made from inexpensive fir strip from HD. These then simply rest in my canopy. Here are two examples of Fathom fixtures (black L-brackets) and combination of Apollo and Mars Aqua fixtures (white L-brackets).
Here's the white rack hanging in the canopy:
And finally, showing you this just for the idea....coming up from the stand to support the lights. These are very crude posts to temporarily hold the lights over holding tanks. Not pretty, but you get the idea. This kind of thing could be done to look pretty.
I'm not sure what Current fixture you're looking at, but in general they tend to use low power LEDs that don't penetrate well (for corals). The Chinese Black Boxes come with 3 watt LEDs providing enough light to grow any and all corals. I'm currently running three SB Reef fixtures over my tank.
As far as hanging them, you have many options....from the ceiling, from the wall (using shelf brackets as an example), or coming up from the stand. What I've done with all my lights is to first mount them to an L-bracket made from inexpensive fir strip from HD. These then simply rest in my canopy. Here are two examples of Fathom fixtures (black L-brackets) and combination of Apollo and Mars Aqua fixtures (white L-brackets).
Here's the white rack hanging in the canopy:
And finally, showing you this just for the idea....coming up from the stand to support the lights. These are very crude posts to temporarily hold the lights over holding tanks. Not pretty, but you get the idea. This kind of thing could be done to look pretty.
I was looking at the 72 inch current usa loop. I cant figure out what watt each bulb is. I see what you mean by the black box say high par! Everything just has such mixed reviews!
Look at the par specs on the current USA site. They are pretty accurate.
They are better now as it seems after years of low power reviews they’ve upped thier game.
Bbs are a good way to go too.
They are better now as it seems after years of low power reviews they’ve upped thier game.
Bbs are a good way to go too.
redfishbluefish
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I believe this is the Current fixture you're looking at:
Model: 4108
UPC: 842959041082
Description: 72” Orbit™ IC LED Light
Max. Watts: 63
Dual Actinic 445nm/460nm LEDs: 36/36
Dual Daylight 6,700K/10,000K LEDs: 28/28
RGB LEDs: 16
Total LEDs: 144
IP Rating: IP65
Voltage: 12VDC
Dimensions: 70.8" x 3.5" x 0.44"
Warranty: One Year
Each of the CBBs, although sold as 165 W, actually draws 120W, and each fixture has 55 LEDs.
So three CBB's would provide up to 360 watts of light through 165 LEDs, while the Current only supplies 63 watts of light through 144 LEDs.
Model: 4108
UPC: 842959041082
Description: 72” Orbit™ IC LED Light
Max. Watts: 63
Dual Actinic 445nm/460nm LEDs: 36/36
Dual Daylight 6,700K/10,000K LEDs: 28/28
RGB LEDs: 16
Total LEDs: 144
IP Rating: IP65
Voltage: 12VDC
Dimensions: 70.8" x 3.5" x 0.44"
Warranty: One Year
Each of the CBBs, although sold as 165 W, actually draws 120W, and each fixture has 55 LEDs.
So three CBB's would provide up to 360 watts of light through 165 LEDs, while the Current only supplies 63 watts of light through 144 LEDs.
Black boxes.
Charlie C
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This is a good info for me. Just had my 125 delivered today, with matching stand and canopy. Any additional lighting suggestions for a closed canopy... so fixtures maybe will be attached to the canopy. Starting with fish and live rock only and may not have coral at all.
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