Quick lighting question

[Invicitus]

Would it be better for a 75 gallon tank that I plan on growing all types of corals in, to buy a single high quality, customize able light ( Current usa ), or two black box lights. I would also appreciate any advice about lighting in reef aquariums, or specific brands I should look at. Thanks!

 

[vampireshrimpfan]

saltwater60 recommended me these lights
Aqua or Viparspectra (1 per 2 foot cube of tank)
Ocean Revive Arctic T-247B (1 per 2 foot cube of tank)
AI Prime 16HD (1 per 2 foot cube of tank ONLY IF YOU ARE DOING SOFTIES AND EASIER LPS CORALS, NO SPS)
You could also do a T5HO or T5HO/LED Hybrid fixture if you don't mind replacing bulbs once in a while

 

[saltwater60]

I’d personally go with LED’s. I love LED lights. If your handy at all you can build one yourself. I did it and it worked out great.
Check out rapid LED if you’re interested in that.
So what are you looking to spend. That kind of depends on what is recommend. Also most tanks you can move things around and shade them to make one light set on one setting work.
Are you looking to do clams or SPS? If so you’ll need one that has high intensity.

 

[Invicitus]

I’d personally go with LED’s. I love LED lights. If your handy at all you can build one yourself. I did it and it worked out great.
Check out rapid LED if you’re interested in that.
So what are you looking to spend. That kind of depends on what is recommend. Also most tanks you can move things around and shade them to make one light set on one setting work.
Are you looking to do clams or SPS? If so you’ll need one that has high intensity.

I would like to spend no more than $200 usd, and though I would not be doing clams or SPS at the moment, this is my first major saltwater tank, though I would like to have the option later.

 

[saltwater60]

If you’re only willing to spend $200 or there about a and want to cover a 4 ft and have clams and sps I’d highly recommend you look at rapid led and build your own. Even at building your own you would still likely be over $200.
there are $200 lights out there but none that will cover a 4 ft tank and grow sps and clams. Other option would be to get one pendant now and stock one side then get another pendant and do the remaining half.
Check out rapid led under the DIY section. You can do the solderless and add more later if you decide to go with clams and sps. I did separate controllers for the blue and whites leds and was able to customize my color to what I wanted perfectly. I only made the blues dimmable. Whites were 100% all the time. The cree leds are exceptional.

 

[saltwater60]

Or you could go with two of these. Still at $300 though for them. For that price I’d build my own.
These get good reviews. I’ve never used them though.

 

[Invicitus]

Or you could go with two of these. Still at $300 though for them. For that price I’d build my own.
These get good reviews. I’ve never used them though.

To compare, how much would lighting for only soft and LPS cost?

 

[saltwater60]

I think you could get away with the larger mars aquatic fixture for softies and LPS. I’d put the softies or nonphotosynthetic corals at the edge and the LPS in the middle and up on the rocks. I think that one was $200 for the larger one.
One thing I’ve noticed on this forum is people don’t really know the full cost of saltwater tanks and especially reef tanks. I had a 75 gallon reef tank and I was up over $5,000 easy when fully stocked and the equipment.

 

[Invicitus]

What would your recommendations for lighting be with a budget of around $400 for the same tank to hold mixed corals.

 

[saltwater60]

I think I would go with two Kessil 150’s. Should work well. You’d be at right about $450. They get good reviews are controllable color and intensity wise and are made by a very respectable company.
They are about $220-$230 per unit and you’d need two.
kessil a150w 15k ocean blue led review