What lighting type(s) do you use over your primary coral tank?

[KingReefTank]

Changing the t5 bulb every 6 months is the most inconvenient for me so for that reason I will only love the LED instead of T5. Besides LED will left me some money in my pocket to buy some awesome corals ;-)

Look on my Instagram (KingReefTank) for photos. I’m currently using 4 Philips CoralCare Gen 1 Version 2 + a Orphek 150 OR3 UV. I’m considering to add a second OR3 UV.

 

[Nonya]

It is the customers choices that will decide. If most of the reefer choose one technologie believe me some manufacturer would follow

Well, the answers to this poll indicate there are many preferences. LEDs are dominant today, but you never know what the next trend will be.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Im an Orphek Person. Recently, I am running Orphek and Noopsyche which offers great shimmer and reach within tank

 

[editour2]

I currently strictly utilize only LEDs. My 215 DT is lit by 3 x Orphek Icons supplemented by 4 x 60 inch OR3 bars. In the past I've had all T5's and a hybrid LED T5 setup.

 

[Fishfreak2009]

I run all LEDs. My larger tanks all run 165W Viparspectras, whereas my fluval evos run off either a Nicrew 50W pendant style light (looks like a kessil) or an AI Prime 16HD. I like them all, but my favorite lighting system I've used are the Viparspectras. They work great, give off good color, are very reasonably priced, easy to use, and grow the coral very well.

 

[Viking_Reefing]

I think I follow your tank on YouTube and Instagram. One of my favorites.

How do you like the V8?

Thanks man! If you follow someone called Viking_Reefing that would be me haha.

It’s a very good light. Tons of power and even though the price tag for the pro model I'm using sounds high at 2700ish that’s good value since it can light my entire 1000L tank.

 

[Nonya]

One day left to participate.

 

[Quiverfull]

Im an Orphek Person. Recently, I am running Orphek and Noopsyche which offers great shimmer and reach within tank

@vetteguy53081 - quick question... since you are an Orphek guy, I have a standard 120g (48x24x24) and am considering replacing my current T5 Blue + 54W x2 and MH 250W HQI (14K DE Phoenix bulb) x2 fixture with 2 Icons mounted with long axis parallel. Do you think I need to add a couple for OR3 bars (120) to get an equivalent light output (mostly SPS, some euphillia) and if so, what spectrum OR3 would you recommend?

 

[vetteguy53081]

@vetteguy53081 - quick question... since you are an Orphek guy, I have a standard 120g (48x24x24) and am considering replacing my current T5 Blue + 54W x2 and MH 250W HQI (14K DE Phoenix bulb) x2 fixture with 2 Icons mounted with long axis parallel. Do you think I need to add a couple for OR3 bars (120) to get an equivalent light output (mostly SPS, some euphillia) and if so, what spectrum OR3 would you recommend?

A great supplement would be:
One ORS-120 sky Blue
One OR3-120 Blue Plus

 

[Quiverfull]

A great supplement would be:
One ORS-120 sky Blue
One OR3-120 Blue Plus

Great, thanks. How would you configure that one toward the front and one toward the back? Which would you put toward the front?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Great, thanks. How would you configure that one toward the front and one toward the back? Which would you put toward the front?

Blue plus Front and sky blue center or rear

 

[Shooter6]

@vetteguy53081 - quick question... since you are an Orphek guy, I have a standard 120g (48x24x24) and am considering replacing my current T5 Blue + 54W x2 and MH 250W HQI (14K DE Phoenix bulb) x2 fixture with 2 Icons mounted with long axis parallel. Do you think I need to add a couple for OR3 bars (120) to get an equivalent light output (mostly SPS, some euphillia) and if so, what spectrum OR3 would you recommend?

Dam if your set on replacing your current lighting with leds ive got a far cheaper way to go about it then 2 1000.00 lights plus multiple couple hundred dollar bars on top.

Feel free to pm me.

 

[Nonya]

Dam if your set on replacing your current lighting with leds ive got a far cheaper way to go about it then 2 1000.00 lights plus multiple couple hundred dollar bars on top.

Feel free to pm me.

X400s?

 

[Shooter6]

X400s?

X400 is to long, and not released yet. A single x200 superblue would be sufficient with those dimensions.

 

[Nonya]

bump

 

[Nonya]

So what are your thoughts of these results after three weeks?

 

[minus9]

I'm not surprised by any of the results. LED's are super popular, so I expected them to be on top, but hybrid systems give you more versatility. To be honest, lighting is the easiest thing to get right in the hobby and I find a lot of people over-think it. Most of us use what we know works and go on from there. There's no right or wrong here, each tank/system will have different needs and sometimes aesthetics play a big roll in that. Personally, I think the fundamentals get lost, especially with new reefers, so it's important to learn about the history of the hobby and focus on the basics. You need to learn how to walk before you can run.

 

[Nonya]

I'm amazed that 80% of people who responded are using LEDs or LEDs and T-5. I'll have to see how people respond in a year.

 

[Sean Clark]

I'm amazed that 80% of people who responded are using LEDs or LEDs and T-5. I'll have to see how people respond in a year.

What were you expecting? I doubt people will change their light in a year's time simply due to the cost of changing them over to something different.

 

[vlangel]

I was a die hard T5 gal. Unfortunately my tank is 30" left to right front glass and so was my Coralife t5 fixture. Do you know how hard it is to find 30" high output T5s these days?
So I bit the bullet and with fear and trembling over the tech, I bought a ReefBreeder Photon V-25. Turns out that it was easier to program and set up than I ever dreamed. I love that it is 14" off the water and I can see when I am working in the tank. I also love the clean, low profile look of the fixture. Price wise it was not a lot more than my T5 fixture but does not need 4 bulbs changed every year, so yeah, I am really happy with LEDs.