Lights which one is better

[Buddy77]

Which one should I get for any other recommendations about the same price

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Without knowing a lot more about your tank and what you plan to keep, it's impossible to offer you much advice...

 

[Buddy77]

Which one should I get for any other recommendations about the same price

75 gallon tank and no expensive Coral just some mushrooms and enemies and stuff like that

 

[sheeb]

Which one should I get for any other recommendations about the same price

75 gallon tank and no expensive Coral just some mushrooms and enemies and stuff like that

First or 2nd option. Leaning towards the first light. 3rd is too small imo

 

[ZombieEngineer]

None of them. No name chinese amazon lights never work out long term IME. If you are trying to stick to a budget, you are substantially better off looking for a used light from a reputable brand than paying full retail on Chinese garbage that will break in 6 months and won't have a real warranty.

Good options to look out for when searching used.

- Radion
- AI Hydras
- Kessil
- ReefBreeders
- NooPsyche

 

[MaxTremors]

Of the lights you listed, the Smatfarm is probably the best (you’d need two or three for a 75g tank). For just a little more I would highly recommend the Noopsyche K7 V3. It’s an excellent light that IMO is every bit as good as the higher end brands, it just lacks a lot of the features those lights have. It’s not app controlled and doesn’t have any acclimation or moon simulation modes, but it is fully programmable/customizable. You’d still need two or three of them. I just looked and they’re on sale right not for 33% off, the light with the mounting arm is $195, and you’d need the controller as well ($39), so you’d be able to light your tank and grow pretty much anything for less than $500.

 

[adittam]

Of the lights you listed, the Smatfarm is probably the best (you’d need two or three for a 75g tank). For just a little more I would highly recommend the Noopsyche K7 V3. It’s an excellent light that IMO is every bit as good as the higher end brands, it just lacks a lot of the features those lights have. It’s not app controlled and doesn’t have any acclimation or moon simulation modes, but it is fully programmable/customizable. You’d still need two or three of them. I just looked and they’re on sale right not for 33% off, the light with the mounting arm is $195, and you’d need the controller as well ($39), so you’d be able to light your tank and grow pretty much anything for less than $500.

This^

 

[Jedi1199]

None of the above.... This is a money sink. Those Amazon lights look great, on Amazon. Over your tank, not so great. I have a SmartFarm 165 over my 32g and I am not happy with it.

What can you get for a similar price? The same garbage. Save your money and get good lights, you, and your corals, will be happier for it.

 

[Jeffcb]

RS is proven to grow corals.

 

[Dbichler]

None of them. No name chinese amazon lights never work out long term IME. If you are trying to stick to a budget, you are substantially better off looking for a used light from a reputable brand than paying full retail on Chinese garbage that will break in 6 months and won't have a real warranty.

Good options to look out for when searching used.

- Radion
- AI Hydras
- Kessil
- ReefBreeders
- NooPsyche

Noopsyche and reef breeders both Chinese

 

[Pntbll687]

Noopsyche and reef breeders both Chinese

Not to mention that AI lights melt lenses all the time

 

[X-37B]

Not to mention that AI lights melt lenses all the time

Ai lens issue has been adressed on the newer units. I run 8 with no problems.
I do have replacement lens.
Replacement lens are all of $4 a piece. My 45 frag system running 3 16hd's.

 

[NotoriousDMC]

None of them. No name chinese amazon lights never work out long term IME. If you are trying to stick to a budget, you are substantially better off looking for a used light from a reputable brand than paying full retail on Chinese garbage that will break in 6 months and won't have a real warranty.

Good options to look out for when searching used.

- Radion
- AI Hydras
- Kessil
- ReefBreeders
- NooPsyche

Agreed re used market, and would add Red Sea ReefLEDs as an option. I upgraded from two ReefLED90s to two Radion G5 30 Pros over a 65G (hobby and SPS hooked me really quick!!!), but the Red Sea lights were fine. And I sold them at less than 1 year old back to my LFS for $150/each with the mounts. That was a ridiculous deal, for sure, but what goes around comes around

 

[NotoriousDMC]

Ai lens issue has been adressed on the newer units. I run 8 with no problems.
I do have replacement lens.
Replacement lens are all of $4 a piece. My 45 frag system running 3 16hd's.

Note to self: need a frag tank like that

 

[nereefpat]

75 gallon tank and no expensive Coral just some mushrooms and enemies and stuff like that

In the range you're looking at, I would get 2 Viparspectra 165W models. Lots of folks have success with those lights.

 

[X-37B]

Note to self: need a frag tank like that

Well its only money, lol.
This one is 36x24x12.
My 20g nano cube running 2 16hds.

 

[Pntbll687]

Ai lens issue has been adressed on the newer units. I run 8 with no problems.
I do have replacement lens.
Replacement lens are all of $4 a piece. My 45 frag system running 3 16hd's.

That's cool.

My point was more that people knock Smatfar/Nicrew lights as "cheap", but the premium branded light at $250ea has issues with melting lenses.

Watts are watts and as long as the other light's can match spectrum, they are a legit offering. The warranty period of some premium branded lights could be a deciding factor, but most of these lights will last a year no problem (which is the standard warranty offered by others).

And if the OP is looking at a nicrew 150w light, he/she would probaby be looking at xr30/hydra64/sky or multiples of hydra32/xr15 to get the coverage they need. The price difference and savings may be worth the lack of warranty.

Personally, I'm a generation (maybe 2) behind the times. I recently switch out my metal halide and power compact fixture for some kessil360we with t5 hybrid. I got them used off of facebook. I knew I was buying used and anything could happen to them in only a few days. I could have bought the nicrew lights and got at least a 30 day warranty period from amazon.

I find it interesting that in some areas like lighting anything from amazon or China is considered "cheap" by many people. But then you turn around and look at dosing pumps and Kamoer is highly recommended brand, that comes from china.

 

[ZombieEngineer]

Noopsyche and reef breeders both Chinese

Yes, but they are reasonably high quality for being so. They at least still use good diodes and have a decent track record on R2R for growing coral well. I personally use Radions and wouldn't get either but if I was on a strict budget I might consider those chinese lights.

 

[Bucs20fan]

I have two Nicrew 150w on my 60 breeder and they are insane. The par is nuts and they come with mounts for 200 dollars. Customer support was not difficult by any means and the controller for them is only 45 dollars. No they dont have bells and whistles but they dont feel cheap by any means and have the power to grow anything.

 

[X-37B]

That's cool.

My point was more that people knock Smatfar/Nicrew lights as "cheap", but the premium branded light at $250ea has issues with melting lenses.

Watts are watts and as long as the other light's can match spectrum, they are a legit offering. The warranty period of some premium branded lights could be a deciding factor, but most of these lights will last a year no problem (which is the standard warranty offered by others).

And if the OP is looking at a nicrew 150w light, he/she would probaby be looking at xr30/hydra64/sky or multiples of hydra32/xr15 to get the coverage they need. The price difference and savings may be worth the lack of warranty.

Personally, I'm a generation (maybe 2) behind the times. I recently switch out my metal halide and power compact fixture for some kessil360we with t5 hybrid. I got them used off of facebook. I knew I was buying used and anything could happen to them in only a few days. I could have bought the nicrew lights and got at least a 30 day warranty period from amazon.

I find it interesting that in some areas like lighting anything from amazon or China is considered "cheap" by many people. But then you turn around and look at dosing pumps and Kamoer is highly recommended brand, that comes from china.

I am a long time, 30+ year halide guy. I have used black boxes and still have one. It was on my 30g remote fuge for several months with good results before I replaced it with a 16hd.

I setup a 20g cube to test the 16hds. I was so impressed that I replace my 250 watt halide that was over my 45 frag system.

I then took down my 120 running halides because it became over grown and I was tired of standing on a step ladder to service it. I also injured my back so I replaced it with an 80g.
The 80g is running 2 xr15's and 2 16hds.
So with the start of the nano I retired the halides and am now 100% leds.