Which lights?

[thesoulpatch]

So i was kind of set on upgrading my 2 ai prime hds to 2 hydra 26s but after looking more into this forum I noticed there were a bunch of similar or better quality lights. So my question to you r2r is this I have a 40 gallon nuvo, i would like eventually have more acros in my tank. With the primes they are surviving not really thriving. I don't know my par levels it's almost my turn for the par meter, but they are in the top part of my tank.


So my question is with 2 lights and the mount the price is about $900 which I was given the go ahead, which lights would be good to have but still be able to keep and possibly add to a larger tank in the next 2-3 years?



I also can't hang or drill into the wall as my apt wouldn't really like that. So whatever you advise needs to be able to sit on the tank.

 

[Reefguy13]

Interested in the responses for this. Im setting up a nuvo 40 as well and I though ap700, hydra 52 or 2 hydra 26s. Now im leaning towards a t5 hybrid with a 52 in the middle. I just found out they make arms you can drill into the stand to hang the light fixutre

 

[jurgenph]

do the math. see what fits your budget, any of the popular light will be able to grow your corals.

one thing i like about AI, is that ... all you need to do is buy lights. no controllers, no wifi dongles, no cables to interconnect them. some other brands require extra equipment to be purchased.

the nuvo 40 has an interesting footprint though

Display DIMS: Length 23” Width: 15” Height: 18.89”

are you looking to have a single light source, or multiple and even it out across the entire tank?

- four AI primes?
- two AI hydra26hd
- one hydra52hd
- one XR30
- two XR15
- one or two kessils?
- others

J.

 

[Bpb]

I vote two XR15

 

[lpsouth1978]

I am a fan of the AI lights. To save money you could just get an additional pair of Primes and have 4 lights over the tank. Plus, it would save about $400, which you could use for more things to go in the tank.

 

[thesoulpatch]

Okay well how can i mount 4 primes over the tank? I have no room on the back to place anymore mounts. Which is why I liked the hms and they can be centered over the tank. Unless there is some mount for the primes like that?


There would be multiple lights.

 

[jurgenph]

four of these, two on the back, one on each side.

or built something custom?