Lights?

[Matt Smothers]

I have a 40 gallon long reef tank and I am wondering opinions on the best lighting

 

[reefertank]

Budget?

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Welcome to the club. Hope you posted a new to R2r member thread to introduc yourself.

What light is a loaded question. It is like going to Cheesecake Factory and asking what cheesecake is good. You have any idea of what type, what your goals for the tank are, etc. there are lots of options but let’s get an idea of what you are trying to do so we can set a plan up.

Again, welcome

 

[Matt Smothers]

As I mentioned I have a 40 gallon long tank that I am setting up as a reef. I have several small zoas and am thinking they will be my main type of coral but of course I will want to add others also. Fish are minimal

 

[Matt Smothers]

Budget?

Not a ton

 

[Mastiffsrule]

Myself, I would look into a t5 fixture. There are some fairly cheap options out there. It Sounds like you are not gonna need a high amount of par for the tank or the zoa’s. If I remember correct the 40 long is not too deep. There are less expansive LED but t5 to me is more plug and go.

I was actually talking to a friend in the maintenance side of aquariums. I just picked up the AI hydra 52s hd for my tank last month and now wish I had gone to a t5 hybrid. Look around online, check the reviews and see what fits for your needs.

 

[Matt Smothers]

Thanks

 

[reefertank]

If you are on a tight budget and are sticking with zoas, I would start with a China black box. See how you like the hobby, you can always upgrade. Like Mastiff said T5 are fantastic but changing the bulb every 8 months can get expensive. But just my 2 cents.

 

[Matt Smothers]

If you are on a tight budget and are sticking with zoas, I would start with a China black box. See how you like the hobby, you can always upgrade. Like Mastiff said T5 are fantastic but changing the bulb every 8 months can get expensive. But just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the info guys

 

[JAMSOURY]

I agree with the black boxes. You can’t go wrong with those for soft coral