Need help picking a light

[805reeftank]

Just got a 48g fijicube 30x24x16 looking for light recommendations. Aquascape is about 22-24Lx12W.

Planning on it being a mixed reef sps towards the top half of the tank hammer/torch middle to bottom zoas on the sand

been out of the game for about 10yrs lighting has changed over to leds (was a t5 guy previously) so many options ecotech, AI, kessil, reefbreeders, and list goes on.

I’m not opposed to having 2 units but I wouldn’t mind having a single unit also. Only thing is need a mounting solution that has 2 legs/mounts this tank as a center overflow that will not allow for a single mount located in the middle.

Im open on budget but id liked like it to be worth it and not just paying for brand name. Also how do you guys feel on buying used on there led units? Thanks for help in advance.

 

[Dburr1014]

Reefbreeders photon v2 32"
Get them now before they are phased out(it has started) for the maridian.
You can get a good deal on them now. Mine is 8ish years old and still good. You can grow anything you want.

Edit: you may have to get the 24" if you want legs for your size tank.

 

[805reeftank]

Reefbreeders photon v2 32"
Get them now before they are phased out(it has started) for the maridian.
You can get a good deal on them now. Mine is 8ish years old and still good. You can grow anything you want.

Edit: you may have to get the 24" if you want legs for your size tank.

I was going to say wouldn’t the 32” spill a lot of light. But 24in seems like it would work since my aquascape is about 24in long. I’ll looking into these.

 

[nereefpat]

been out of the game for about 10yrs lighting has changed over to leds (was a t5 guy previously) so many options ecotech, AI, kessil, reefbreeders, and list goes on.

You can still be T5! If you want. A 4 or 6 bulb at 24" would light that tank well.

If you want to go LED, it kind of depends on what features you want. A "black box" like marsaqua or viparspectra has pretty much no options. Then there are some brands you mentioned that have all the options. There are also middle of the road type fixtures like Noopsyche, and amazon brands like Nicrew and Smatfarm.

 

[ReefStable]

I'm personally a fan of the Orphek OR3 bars. The OSIX let's them be Dimmable now too.

 

[twentyleagues]

just tossing this out there AI blades

 

[805reeftank]

You can still be T5! If you want. A 4 or 6 bulb at 24" would light that tank well.

If you want to go LED, it kind of depends on what features you want. A "black box" like marsaqua or viparspectra has pretty much no options. Then there are some brands you mentioned that have all the options. There are also middle of the road type fixtures like Noopsyche, and amazon brands like Nicrew and Smatfarm.

Knowing myself I’d like to get into something that’s adjustable but not overly complicated. I’m more of the middle of the road kind of guy I’m not really interested in t5s anymore seems like a dead technology have to move on with the times.

 

[805reeftank]

I'm personally a fan of the Orphek OR3 bars. The OSIX lets them be Dimmable now too.

I’ll look into them thanks

 

[805reeftank]

just tossing this out there AI blades I’m

there We’re one of the light I was originally looking into not too complicated and not super expensive. I was thinking 2 24” suspended.

 

[twentyleagues]

there We’re one of the light I was originally looking into not too complicated and not super expensive. I was thinking 2 24” suspended.

Ive got a 20" grow on the extended legs on my welcome back to the hobby tank. It really nice tbh all lps and softies are doing great. If id have to do it again id go with 2 12" one of each or 3- 2 grow 1 glow. My new tank is an 80g cube 28x28x24 I got a reefi for it.

 

[Reefing102]

I’m just gonna put this here: metal halide

In all seriousness, if you’re looking into LED, my understanding is pretty much anything will work, and as mentioned it just depends what features you want. Even the cheapest are generally dimmable, however, whether or not you have sunrise/sunset, that really good flourescent pop, etc, will depend on the features each has. I have a smatfarm on my wife’s 32 Biocube. Works great. The sunrise/sunset and pop features, in my opinion quite frankly suck. I have since added custom AliExpress bars to give that extra pop

 

[exnisstech]

Reefbreeder photon 24 would be my choice for that tank. I have one on my reefer 170 24x20x20. The legs would sit right on your tank and are included with the light. I like the panel style light vs puck, especially in a living room because you don't get all the light spill that you get with pucks. I also have two photon 32s over another tank 36x24x24. I also have radions, Ai hydra, Noopsyche K7 and black boxes. I like the reefbreeders best out of all that I have.

 

[TX_REEF]

I use kessils because I love the shimmer, if that's important to you. Obviously they are also fully controllable with spectrum, intensity, schedule, etc as well. you definitely pay for the aesthetic.

 

[X-37B]

Just depends on budget.
Radions, AI's is what I have used.
I ran both for 2 years and now will be running reefbreeders on my new 170.
I went with them before the new meridian hits the market.

 

[805reeftank]

Ive got a 20" grow on the extended legs on my welcome back to the hobby tank. It really nice tbh all lps and softies are doing great. If id have to do it again id go with 2 12" one of each or 3- 2 grow 1 glow. My new tank is an 80g cube 28x28x24 I got a reefi for it.

Another one I that just caught my eye. How do you like the reefi? How many did you use for that size tank?

 

[805reeftank]

I’m just gonna put this here: metal halide

In all seriousness, if you’re looking into LED, my understanding is pretty much anything will work, and as mentioned it just depends what features you want. Even the cheapest are generally dimmable, however, whether or not you have sunrise/sunset, that really good flourescent pop, etc, will depend on the features each has. I have a smatfarm on my wife’s 32 Biocube. Works great. The sunrise/sunset and pop features, in my opinion quite frankly suck. I have since added custom AliExpress bars to give that extra pop

One of the reasons I try and stay away from the more cheaper side you tend to end up spending the same to try and get it equal to a more expensive light. I’d like to get something that does everything good doesn’t have to be the great or the best.

 

[805reeftank]

Reefbreeder photon 24 would be my choice for that tank. I have one on my reefer 170 24x20x20. The legs would sit right on your tank and are included with the light. I like the panel style light vs puck, especially in a living room because you don't get all the light spill that you get with pucks. I also have two photon 32s over another tank 36x24x24. I also have radions, Ai hydra, Noopsyche K7 and black boxes. I like the reefbreeders best out of all that I have.

You are the person I need to talk to then. Sounds like you have the whole gambit. How long have you been running them? What’s the pro and cons of the reefbreeders vs say radion/hydra.

 

[805reeftank]

I use kessils because I love the shimmer, if that's important to you. Obviously they are also fully controllable with spectrum, intensity, schedule, etc as well. you definitely pay for the aesthetic.

Kessil when I left the hobby was the one I liked the most because of the shimmer doesn’t seem like anyone has been able to reproduce that effect. How’s the spectrum on those? Do you have any experience with other lights/brands to compare too?

 

[X-37B]

You are the person I need to talk to then. Sounds like you have the whole gambit. How long have you been running them? What’s the pro and cons of the reefbreeders vs say radion/hydra.

Adam at battlecorals runs them which is good enough for me.
Also look at thermans. He has been running them for 10+ and his corals speak for themselves.

 

[805reeftank]

Just depends on budget.
Radions, AI's is what I have used.
I ran both for 2 years and now will be running reefbreeders on my new 170.
I went with them before the new meridian hits the market.

Reefbreeders seems like a real contender for me. What’s the difference vs the new meridian?