Cheap Lighting

[RC51]

Hi. I currently have a 5.5 gallon with 2 clownfish and 1 turbo snail. The tank has an oversized canister filter filled with bio media and a HOB filter too. I am wanting to get into corals, starting with easy ones such as star polyps. I have a budget of 25 ~ 30 USD for lights.
I found these on amazon.
Link
Link
(Sorry, it's all in Japanese. I live in Japan and I'm Japanese.)
I currently have a normal white only light that can emmit 588lm, 8000k 10 watts. I also have 3 light stands for the E26 socket that I'm not using so if the bulbs are E26, I can use those.
The lights don't have to cover the full tank becasue I'm fine with having all the coral in one corner.

Thx

 

[HeyJay]

There's a budget par38 bulb called ABI Tuna Blue that I believe is popular with nano-reefers

 

[DDenny]

Look at PAR38 bulbs they were used (some still use them). Will have a better spectrum for coral I believe. Maybe someone else will chime in.

 

[RC51]

.

 

[RC51]

Is it this?
Link

So should I get this and also get a blue one?
Or is there a blue PAR38 bulb?
Or should I get this?
Link
It's an RGB controllable light which says that it is PAR38

By the way, why are PAR38 lights better for corals?

Look at PAR38 bulbs they were used (some still use them). Will have a better spectrum for coral I believe. Maybe someone else will chime in.

Look at PAR38 bulbs they were used (some still use them). Will have a better spectrum for coral I believe. Maybe someone else will chime in.

 

[oreo54]

Is it this?
Link

So should I get this and also get a blue one?
Or is there a blue PAR38 bulb?
Or should I get this?
Link
It's an RGB controllable light which says that it is PAR38

By the way, why are PAR38 lights better for corals?

Par 38's are usually just more focused .
Most prefer a bluer bulb like this:

Your first one in your first post w/. 8 blue and 4 red diodes would look horrible.
Second one is all blue. Also not the best for fish/ coral tanks visually.
Your 8000k is quite useable but not preferred.
Plain white leds might not work the best. I' m not sure
8000k in t5's and metal halides are spectrally different.

The one I posted has a broader and better spectrum and more realistic but quite blue as well. Fish won't t be brightly displayed in real colors.
Question is can your light stands hold Par 38 type bulbs?
If you want your clowns colorful you will need some orange/ red component.
Rgb bulbs may work ok with the red turned down. Still the blue band is very narrow.

A little better. Does it tell you the color temp of the white diodes?

 

[RC51]

Par 38's are usually just more focused .
Most prefer a bluer bulb like this:

Your first one in your first post w/. 8 blue and 4 red diodes would look horrible.
Second one is all blue. Also not the best for fish/ coral tanks visually.
Your 8000k is quite useable but not preferred.
Plain white leds might not work the best. I' m not sure
8000k in t5's and metal halides are spectrally different.

The one I posted has a broader and better spectrum and more realistic but quite blue as well. Fish won't t be brightly displayed in real colors.
Question is can your light stands hold Par 38 type bulbs?
If you want your clowns colorful you will need some orange/ red component.

Yes. I think my light stands can hold them if the socket is E26.

 

[oreo54]

Yes. I think my light stands can hold them if the socket is E26.

Outside the usual box but definitely will give you colorful fish.

It would be errr " experimental".
Higher red component than normal.
More a "daylight" very shallow coral lighting.
Too much red has been proven to be detrimental to corals. How much is too much is ???.
Like I said, experimental .
Over your budget and not dimmable. 60 degree beam angle needs to be considered.

 

[RC51]

Outside the usual box but definitely will give you colorful fish.

It would be errr " experimental".
Higher red component than normal.
More a "daylight" very shallow coral lighting.
Too much red has been proven to be detrimental to corals. How much is too much is ???.
Like I said, experimental .

The link doesnt work..

So. What do you suggest for the best light for soft coral for around 20$ to 35$

 

[oreo54]

Better

 

[RC51]

Better

You amazon links dont work. Can you Cmd+K it pls

 

[oreo54]

You amazon links dont work. Can you Cmd+K it pls

Sorry I'm old and on my phone
Not sure why links aren' t working. They're just c/p.
Does a word search help you?

Aquarium Light Coral Leaf Fluxium Sample Seaweed Tank 54W PAR38 E27 LED Aquarium Light Coral Reef Plant Glow Lamp (Color: S18C)​

There are 5 variations on "colors"..Roughly going from daylight to actinic.

Brand: YSVSPRF

$48.....approx.

NOTE: at 54W if actual watts not 3X # of diodes it's pretty strong for a nano tank.

 

[dedragon]

 

[dedragon]

lmk if that link worked found the same light oreo did

 

[JedClampett]

Box China led lights are cheap and grow everything just fine.

165w LED Aquarium Light Full Spectrum Dimmable Lighting Lamp for Coral Reef Fish for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 165w LED Aquarium Light Full Spectrum Dimmable Lighting Lamp for Coral Reef Fish at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

 

[oreo54]

Box China led lights are cheap and grow everything just fine.

165w LED Aquarium Light Full Spectrum Dimmable Lighting Lamp for Coral Reef Fish for sale online | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 165w LED Aquarium Light Full Spectrum Dimmable Lighting Lamp for Coral Reef Fish at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

5.5gal tank and budget is way below those lights but yea they would work.

 

[RC51]

Sorry I'm old and on my phone
Not sure why links aren' t working. They're just c/p.
Does a word search help you?

Aquarium Light Coral Leaf Fluxium Sample Seaweed Tank 54W PAR38 E27 LED Aquarium Light Coral Reef Plant Glow Lamp (Color: S18C)​

There are 5 variations on "colors"..Roughly going from daylight to actinic.

Brand: YSVSPRF

$48.....approx.

NOTE: at 54W if actual watts not 3X # of diodes it's pretty strong for a nano tank.

Ok... Is there a cheaper option? Or should I get either of these?
Link
Link

Also, do normal aquarium lights like this Link grow soft coral like star polyps? It has a white blue and red mode and a red, blue only mode.

 

[Stellar Aquatics]

For my nano set up, I use the aquaknight led hooked to a timer, still gives me really nice color and growth, a little over price range around 60 but is designed really clean looking, definitely can be found for a cheaper price if you shop around!

 

[RC51]

For my nano set up, I use the aquaknight led hooked to a timer, still gives me really nice color and growth, a little over price range around 60 but is designed really clean looking, definitely can be found for a cheaper price if you shop around!

Ok! Thx for the great suggestion.
Do you know the product name or something?

 

[monkeyCmonkeyDo]

Amazon.com: LED Aquarium Light Bulb, KINGBO 18W Refugium Light Aquarium LED Light Fish Tank Bulb with 6 Band Full Spectrum for Coral Reef Saltwater Tank Plants Growth: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: LED Aquarium Light Bulb, KINGBO 18W Refugium Light Aquarium LED Light Fish Tank Bulb with 6 Band Full Spectrum for Coral Reef Saltwater Tank Plants Growth: Home Improvement

www.amazon.com

Ive used par38s in the past. I used ecoexotics with 60° optics.
Id maybe save up and wait till i had $60-$80 but its a nano. Lol
-d