Super economy light help?

[reef_grrrl]

Hey you guys.

I'm looking for an el cheapo light fixture for my 20 high. I keep mostly LPS, some monti, a few softies and a bta.

My current light is a woeful wave point 16w blue and white thing. It does grow all my coral, but I know I need to upgrade my light.

My budget is around $100, so I've been eyeing the evergrows on eBay and this Aquamana 156w COB on Amazon.

Any insight or suggestions? Here's the obligatory picture or two!

 

[jgraz]

I assume your stuck on LEDs?

If not then check out the odyssea t5 fixture. A 4 bulb 24" t5 will pretty much handle anything you can throw at it in that size tank.

They can be found on aquatraders

 

[G_Sanab922]

Evergrows are nice and well priced. If you are handy I would look into doing your own LEDs.

 

[reef_grrrl]

I assume your stuck on LEDs?

If not then check out the odyssea t5 fixture. A 4 bulb 24" t5 will pretty much handle anything you can throw at it in that size tank.

They can be found on aquatraders

I saw those too, but I've always done LEDs on all my tanks since they became available. My problem is with that fixture I'd be buying $80 worth of ATI bulbs to go in it, every year.

 

[reef_grrrl]

I'm not handy, but I have a "friend of a friend" who can do anything with LEDs, I might look into that too!

 

[Themaddhatter]

I just bought a lumia 5.1 incorporated into a high Bay style warehouse light fixture. I actually bought three for my 6' 125g-tank. I was going to DIY my own using the lumia 5.1 chip, but this solution was tempting. Just screws into a regular light fixture. No dimming or 5 channel control but the chip is full spectrum . DHL just dropped it off an hour ago, so I'll keep Y'all posted.

 

[reef_grrrl]

I just bought a lumia 5.1 incorporated into a high Bay style warehouse light fixture. I actually bought three for my 6' 125g-tank. I was going to DIY my own using the lumia 5.1 chip, but this solution was tempting. Just screws into a regular light fixture. No dimming or 5 channel control but the chip is full spectrum . DHL just dropped it off an hour ago, so I'll keep Y'all posted.

Oh that looks interesting, def keep us updated!

 

[Reefing Madness]

165W Dimmable Full Spectrum LED Aquarium Light Marine Reef Coral Fish Tank Lamp | eBay

 

[Themaddhatter]

I just hung these last night. There's three over a 6' tank. The two on the middle and right are 5" above the surface. The one on the left is about 9" above the surface. Going from T5s, there's ALOT of shimmer! I'll have to reduce surface agitation a bit, but it settled down at the 5" mark. When they were all at 9" it was giving me a headache because my pump returns are slightly above the surface and agitate the surface quite a bit. Don't have much in the way of corals, just a few zoas. I keep Y'all posted as to how they do.