How can anyone be happy with the lighting options out there?

[91yjeeper]

Somebody talk some sanity into me. Seems like every lighting setup has some major flaw. I have a 29 Gallon -

and I am have the HARDEST time finding a good lighting option. I just can't pull the trigger on ~$600 when I'm not confident I'll have success.

T5's - Simple success, but are just as expensive as some LEDs, have no shimmer and no controlability. Bulb replacements arent so bad I guess.
Metal Halide - Old, power hungry, unsightly, but give great results.
Puck LEDs - Expensive. Either spotlights or disco ball. Kessils are great but $$$ and are known to go out after 2 years. Maybe Redsea 50's?
Strip LEDs - Economical. Not many newer models out there. Some have huge paneling on them. Barely generate enough PAR for SPS. Just as expensive as pucks, but look worse.
LED + T5 Hybrid - Performance king. BRS recommended. But can't help wonder why I would spend $$$ to add LEDs in later if they are just for aesthetics? Plus, who wants a HUGE fixture above their tank?

I've narrowed it down to:

Budget option - 1 or 2 Orbit Marine LED Strips - $150

Economical option - Maxspect Razer X R5 - $450

Ideal option - 2xRedsea Reefled 50's - $520

Dream option - 1xRadion XR30 G5, or Orphek v4 compact

What am I missing here?

 

[Retro Reefer]

Welcome to R2R!! Lots of people running hybrid set ups to get the best out of multiple lighting options.. IMO, T5's combined with LED's are hard to beat.

 

[RCS82]

Finding a good price on Gen4 radions could be my choice for going all LED. The Gen5s have been a train wreck but Gen4s, great light, still a little pricey though if you buy a reef link for one XR15.

 

[Perthegallon]

Somebody talk some sanity into me. Seems like every lighting setup has some major flaw. I have a 29 Gallon -

and I am have the HARDEST time finding a good lighting option. I just can't pull the trigger on ~$600 when I'm not confident I'll have success.

T5's - Simple success, but are just as expensive as some LEDs, have no shimmer and no controlability. Bulb replacements arent so bad I guess.
Metal Halide - Old, power hungry, unsightly, but give great results.
Puck LEDs - Expensive. Either spotlights or disco ball. Kessils are great but $$$ and are known to go out after 2 years. Maybe Redsea 50's?
Strip LEDs - Economical. Not many newer models out there. Some have huge paneling on them. Barely generate enough PAR for SPS. Just as expensive as pucks, but look worse.
LED + T5 Hybrid - Performance king. BRS recommended. But can't help wonder why I would spend $$$ to add LEDs in later if they are just for aesthetics? Plus, who wants a HUGE fixture above their tank?

I've narrowed it down to:

Budget option - 1 or 2 Orbit Marine LED Strips - $150

Economical option - Maxspect Razer X R5 - $450

Ideal option - 2xRedsea Reefled 50's - $520

Dream option - 1xRadion XR30 G5, or Orphek v4 compact

What am I missing here?

I used the kessil 80 and they were 100$ and perfect for a 30 gallon tank I know people who have great tanks that run cheap lighting that cost around 20$

 

[homer1475]

I think there is plenty of options out there for lighting. Just pick one and go with it.

I personally opted for T5's. Simple on and off, with no guessing what my par or spectrum should be set to. I also could care less about shimmer, or turning my tank into a windex bottle.

 

[NS Mike D]

check out the black box cheap Chinese LED thread. Seems users are proving the snobs wrong and growing great corals.


Off the radar are the RapidLED Coronas. At $375 they light up my 29gal, you can check out their published PAR map for your self and the fishbit app is very easy to use and flexible

I have a thread somewhere and a number of users are very happy with them.

 

[atoll]

check out the black box cheap Chinese LED thread. Seems users are proving the snobs wrong and growing great corals.


Off the radar are the RapidLED Coronas. At $375 they light up my 29gal, you can check out their published PAR map for your self and the fishbit app is very easy to use and flexible

I have a thread somewhere and a number of users are very happy with them.

I proved the ignorant doubters wrong when they were just blue and white LEDs. When I showed my results and growth with colour with my SPS frags they strangely shut up, not a word, nothing.

 

[lilgrounchuck]

check out the black box cheap Chinese LED thread. Seems users are proving the snobs wrong and growing great corals.


Off the radar are the RapidLED Coronas. At $375 they light up my 29gal, you can check out their published PAR map for your self and the fishbit app is very easy to use and flexible

I have a thread somewhere and a number of users are very happy with them.

Mine has been going strong with a Mars Aqua on it. No regrets at all and it didn't break the bank. One 300W over a 50 gal. They'll grow whatever you want.

 

[Bpb]

Never really got on board with the whole aesthetics of the light fixture thing. I don’t personally find 4-5 separate panels with their own cables and mounting arms any more attractive than 2 metal halide pendants.

 

[Payedjay]

t5 is the best for coral growth u can buy a basic $100 setup with blue plus and put 2 reef brite blue antic color will be amazing

 

[Daquan44]

I went with Radion Gen 3's, Gen 4's, and now Gen 5. All work well. You can find Gen 3's and 4's on here for a great price now. With Radions you will at least have the confidence to know you have one of the best and others were successful with that fixture. Use the AB+ template and don't worry about it.

 

[KJoFan]

What about a ReefBreeders 24" panel? Right around $400, so not a wallet buster, but many have good results with them.

 

[Crabs McJones]

Welcome to R2R!! Lots of people running hybrid set ups to get the best out of multiple lighting options.. IMO, T5's combined with LED's are hard to beat.

Agree completely! I was extremely happy with the growth and coloration of my corals under a hybrid setup.

 

[MTBake]

How about one of these? Loads of options and opinions about light choices.

Photon 24-V2 Pro - ReefBreeders.com

Our Photon V2 Pro is designed for reef tanks from the bottom up. Grow your SPS like never before with some of the best LED lights in the industry!

www.reefbreeders.com

 

[Trylobyte]

I see that one of your "narrowed" options include the "Orbit Marine LED". Personally I'd make sure you at least get the "Orbit Marine IC LED" (you'll get more PAR & bluetooth controller). And if you do then you can also get their "e-flux" pumps and control both lights and pumps through their app via Bluetooth. This is sort of an alternative to spending $800+ on a APEX controller (though APEX has much more functionality) that will allow you to properly control flow and your lighting (including syncing them to ramp down during your lunar/night cycle) for a budget friendly option.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I love my LED/T5 hybrid. I like that I get the best of both worlds. T5 has proven results growing and coloring anything. LED provides shimmer, color pop, and additional PAR. Aesthetically, the fixture is not such an eyesore, IMO. Here is a picture of my system with the light hung above it. This picture is a couple months old.

20200211_194413 by Lyle Southard, on Flickr

 

[lpsouth1978]

I just realized that pic was before I got the T5's installed.

 

[NS Mike D]

t5 is the best for coral growth u can buy a basic $100 setup with blue plus and put 2 reef brite blue antic color will be amazing

I think part of the issue here is that very few hobbyist actually measure the PAR and PUR of their actual light set ups so there is a lot of user errors due to the ability to customize the way LED lights are set up. MH and T-5s are more along the set it and forget it with much user anecdotes to provide guidance as to how to use them properly. The reality is that t-5s degrade faster, and well before the 1 yr common practice to replace them. yes they work, but I don't know a blanket declarations they are the best when properly used LEDs have proven to result in great coral growth and color.

And i am not saying LEDs are any better, either.

 

[EMeyer]

Somebody talk some sanity into me. Seems like every lighting setup has some major flaw. I have a 29 Gallon -

and I am have the HARDEST time finding a good lighting option. I just can't pull the trigger on ~$600 when I'm not confident I'll have success.

T5's - Simple success, but are just as expensive as some LEDs, have no shimmer and no controlability. Bulb replacements arent so bad I guess.
Metal Halide - Old, power hungry, unsightly, but give great results.
Puck LEDs - Expensive. Either spotlights or disco ball. Kessils are great but $$$ and are known to go out after 2 years. Maybe Redsea 50's?
Strip LEDs - Economical. Not many newer models out there. Some have huge paneling on them. Barely generate enough PAR for SPS. Just as expensive as pucks, but look worse.
LED + T5 Hybrid - Performance king. BRS recommended. But can't help wonder why I would spend $$$ to add LEDs in later if they are just for aesthetics? Plus, who wants a HUGE fixture above their tank?

I've narrowed it down to:

Budget option - 1 or 2 Orbit Marine LED Strips - $150

Economical option - Maxspect Razer X R5 - $450

Ideal option - 2xRedsea Reefled 50's - $520

Dream option - 1xRadion XR30 G5, or Orphek v4 compact

What am I missing here?

You're missing black boxes, the affordable option.

 

[Aqua Man]

this might help your decision

Viparspectra 165watt, Anyone using these?

60% on the blue channel might be a bit high then. Lots of LPS in this tank... I suppose it depends on the mounting height also if the lenses are still on. It would be interesting if there were par readings without the lenses.

www.reef2reef.com