In the market to upgrade light for my little beginner tank

NoobTank

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I’ve got some recommendations already from a Reddit thread but wanted some ideas for back over hang lights for a 20 tall. I’m rocking a simple hood but I need something that’s adjustable, timer and all that. Also affordable, but not cheap, and different options, if you get what I’m saying thanks!

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sfin52

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I’ve got some recommendations already from a Reddit thread but wanted some ideas for back over hang lights for a 20 tall. I’m rocking a simple hood but I need something that’s adjustable, timer and all that. Also affordable, but not cheap, and different options, if you get what I’m saying thanks!

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T5ho is very good option. Cheaper than an led and really easy to set up. A lot are plug and play.
 
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NoobTank

NoobTank

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I'd buy a used ai prime 16 hd. Fantastic light. Set you back about a hundred and fifty bucks if you buy it from another reefer
I haven’t heard of that one yet, I’ll have to look into it. I’m weird about getting used stuff cuz idk how honest people are when selling stuff like that but I’ll look around
 

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You will need 2 new bulbs i recommend coral plus and blue plus. If you get a simple timmer you are set. About 110 and you have a light that will grow anything
 

Chrisv.

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I haven’t heard of that one yet, I’ll have to look into it. I’m weird about getting used stuff cuz idk how honest people are when selling stuff like that but I’ll look around
You know, I've been doing reef tanks for a lot of years and I have never been burned. My suggestion is to look on your local reef tank forum and transact in person. Honestly I have bought dozens of items and never had a problem. Aqua illumination (who makes the AI prime light) does a nice job, and the light has some pretty sweet features given it's price point.
 

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You will need 2 new bulbs i recommend coral plus and blue plus. If you get a simple timmer you are set. About 110 and you have a light that will grow anything

IMO, you’d need a 4 or 6 bulb fixture to really grow ‘anything’. You also need to factor in the cost of bulb replacements every 9-12 months. It also depends on what kind of lighting you want aesthetically. I loved the growth I got from T5s, but compared to LEDs or Halides they look flat and washed out, and you don’t get any of the shimmer or caustics. You do get better spread, but some people like the higher contrast and shadowing you get from single point light sources.
 

Chrisv.

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Thank you! I read the reviews and it looks like something I’m definitely interested in. Top of my list for now
You will find that joining your local club will make this hobby so much easier, cheaper, and more enjoyable. You can buy amazing corals at a fraction of the cost that experience no shipping stress. And when your corals grow, you can hook up other reefers with frags. $15/year membership dues to my local fish club is the best reef money I spend.
 

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If it is a standard 20 Tall then the tank is 24" wide. You can use a single Prime if you are going softie only or maybe even lps with some sps near the very center but a Prime 16HD will not adequately cover a 24" width.

You should look into T5 or 2 Primes or maybe a used Hydra 32. If you want predominately sps then Primes are great for 12", okayish for 18" and inadequate for 24". For lower-light-tolerant lps and for most softies it would be okay.

Moral of the story. It depends on what your tank goals are.
 
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NoobTank

NoobTank

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If it is a standard 20 Tall then the tank is 24" wide. You can use a single Prime if you are going softie only or maybe even lps with some sps near the very center but a Prime 16HD will not adequately cover a 24" width.

You should look into T5 or 2 Primes or maybe a used Hydra 32. If you want predominately sps then Primes are great for 12", okayish for 18" and inadequate for 24". For lower-light-tolerant lps and for most softies it would be okay.

Moral of the story. It depends on what your tank goals are.
I did want to have a little bit of both honestly, I like the looks of a mix that I’ve seen. I’ll look into the hydra
 

MaxTremors

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I did want to have a little bit of both honestly, I like the looks of a mix that I’ve seen. I’ll look into the hydra
A much less expensive option that would give you the same spread as the Hydra 32 is the Noopsyche V3 K7. I was running an AI Prime and was gifted a Noopsyche (wasn’t really in the market for a new light), and I’ve been really impressed with it, so much so that I’m sticking with it over the prime (I think the spectrum is slightly better and all of my corals have responded really positively, growth has exploded and coloration is great). There is a catch though, the controller is pretty awful. It doesn’t have an app and uses this little remote control, it is fully programmable and each channel can individually be adjusted, but it’s just not as intuitive or user friendly as most of the other lights that are app controlled. It also lacks features like an acclimation mode or feed mode. That said, the quality of the actual lighting is excellent and the price is very affordable.
 
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