lights advice for 75g mixed reef?

[FreedR]

Finally making to revive the 75 gallon reef. (Having a kid can take time away from the box of water.)

I used to run 2x 175w MH on an old energy hog of a magnetic ballast plus 2x VHO actinics. That old MH ballast died completely, and I need to totally rebuild the hood and lighting. I am thinking LEDs, for their lower heat output and energy efficiency, especially because over heating used to be a problem for my tank in the summer.

Any advice on LEDs for a reef? Are metal halides still the gold standard for growing coral?

Thanks in advance... Looking forward to getting things up and running again.

 

[dz6t]

Metal halide still around but not much for VHO. Normally you need a large luminbright type of reflector to fully utilize a single ended halide. A spider type reflector wastes a lot of energy.
T5 is more popular than halide these days in terms of traditional lighting method.
Led has progress a long way and it is a good option as well.
I have a lot of used and new lights if you are interested.


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[Skeeter7424]

Yeah this has come up a bunch of times in the past year, and I think the discussion (argument) may even have ruined a few friendships!

You will find people who love LED, love MH, love T5, and love any combo of the 3. You will also find that people can find one way or another that all 3 are the worst invention ever lol. Personally, if I had a bigger tank, I would run MH with a T5 or LED supplement. However with that said, my past 2 tanks (75 gallon, and 32 gallon) are both completely LED lit and I love it.

The questions to ask are: How much do you want to spend on a lighting system? Do you mind a yearly upkeep cost for systems with bulbs? Are you worried about power consumption? Are you worried about heat production? And what are you trying to sustain in this tank?

Start there and you will find people can give you more concise opinions. However remember, they are just that, opinions. There is no right answer on this one.

 

[Skeeter7424]

Also, I run the Reefbreeders LED system (which somebody posting above me may or may not sell ). Complete control, crazy output, great spectrum, great support.

 

[FreedR]

I should not at all be surprised that lighting continues to be a huge source of controversy. Always has been in this hobby. I was starting to think that LEDs had taken over, but then started to dive into a 100+ page thread on RC, and pretty quickly was diasbused of that notion. There's no consensus out there, and lots of people have firmly held opinions.

 

[dz6t]

The arguments on RC can last forever because t5, MH and LED all work well on the coral we have in the hobby.
It is really a personal preference.

 

[FreedR]

Will check out the Reefbreeders LED. Thanks for the input.

 

[Reefer508]

I am also running Reefbreeder V2 and love them. I've had t5, MH , and VHO in the past. Once again, all have pros and cons.

 

[Sean Irwin]

Your choice of light should primarily be based upon your budget and especially the type of corals you want to keep. Beyond just a mixed reef, what species appeal to you? Even similar species vary greatly in terms of their light requirements.

As for lighting, LED fixtures have significant advantages over T5 and MH. Properly designed LED fixtures offer longevity, thermal/electrical efficiency and controllability (spectrum and intensity). The downsides of LED's include greater up-front expense and unequal, spotlight-like intensity.

With Summer approaching, you also need to consider how you're going to keep your tank temp stable. LED's, T5's and especially MH generate heat. The amount of waste heat from T5 and MH can be substantial. LED'S get hot too, and you really need to make sure that they are cooled properly as high temps dramatically reduce LED lifespans.

Before you buy, I suggest checking out some of Sanjay Joshi's reviews (https://reefs.com/lighting/). Sanjay is an aquarium lighting expert and he has tons of good info.

 

[gurumasta]

Here's my advice if still available... Insane deal

http://bostonreefers.org/forums/index.php?threads/aurora-48-t5-led-hybrid-giesemann-1450.160631/

Or go talk to Dong he always had good deals on used stuff..

 

[dz6t]

Thanks guys, I am a dealer of Reefbreeders in MA and I can get you Reefbreeders led, and service them locally, if such a need arise.


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[dz6t]

I also carry used ATI t5, I am totally out of the Metal halide game at this time.


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[One Eye]

I cleaned him out of metal halide!

 

[dz6t]

Yup, I dont even know where to get more used ones.
Those new ones are more expansive than LED.


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[Bao]

6 bulbs Sunpower is the PERFECT light for that tank.
Get it, set it and worry about everything else except the light.

 

[dz6t]

Yes, that is a great choice.