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    Thread: Noob in need of advice on lighting.

    1. #1
      anotherfish is offline Registered User
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      Noob in need of advice on lighting.

      So I got my tank a few months ago from someone who had abandoned it. It is a 60gal tank. When I got it it was plastered in red slime, about 30% of the water was evaporated. Not in good shape. It had 2 24" aquaticlife t5x4 lights. When I first started playing with the tank I quickly relied that when I reached into the water I would get zapped. So, I went to my lsf and got the cheapest saltwater light they had as I was worried for the fish in the tank. It's a fluval 36". I don't know how many watts or k it puts out, either. The light has worked great up until now as I'm starting to add corals to my tank. It seems like my zoas at the bottom of the tank are discolored and fully extended.So I think I need a stronger light.

      So this is where I'm at. I have these two t5 fixtures I could fix up and hang. Cost of 8 bulbs, 8 at connector for one bulb. That would cost about 160 or so. (They go for 250 each new) or buy some new either t5s or leds.

      I really like the way the less look, but I want healthy corals more.
      I was looking at this led light.

      http://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-A.../dp/B00H3Y4YQ2

      Anyone have some advices or experience that could help me out before I blow a couple hundred bucks on the wrong thing?

    2. #2
      crabbysd's Avatar
      crabbysd is offline Registered User
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      Hopefully someone chimes in with a sweet deal for you.
      inexpensive leds would work fine the chinese black box are fine. They give enough light to set your fish on fire
      http://www.ebay.com/itm/165W-Dimmabl...gAAOSwSdZWgk-9

      http://www.ebay.com/itm/300W-Dimmabl...oAAOSwL7VWsKTL
      those have enough fire power to set your fish on fire.

      But t5 are a well established light source. What bulbs are you using is my first thought. you can balance a 4 bulb with a couple 10k 14k (for intensity w good spectrum)and put in a blue or a 420 to increase the par from there.
      The long strips dont seem to put out enough lumens and its usually recommended to use 2. if you have space the led strip + t5 is a good option too.(i do this) but look at the current pro. Lot o light but not quite enough as a standalone.

      Mostly budget call. and look of the tank.

      It is best to just do it right if you can afford it. So...

      This is the Bad ass light I would like for a 30 in tank.$300
      https://sbreeflights.com/sbox-reef-l...-32-timer.html

      A review thread and a guy who set his bounce shroom on fire.
      http://www.reef2reef.com/threads/rev.../#post-2733615

      I did forget to ask what the tank dims are.
      Last edited by crabbysd; 02-12-2016 at 02:47 PM.

    3. #3
      SmilinAvnger is offline Registered User
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      The Chinese boxes seem to be fine by most reports. As Crabby mentioned. I like the set on the link below:

      https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/re...-led-fixtures/

      I got one of these for Christmas and have been really happy with it.

    4. #4
      anotherfish is offline Registered User
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      Ya I only wanna get lights once. Im in the 200$ range. Someone from the forum sent me a text about a good deal pair of kessils 150a ocean blues

      Not a whole lot more than the Chinese ones you guys shared.
      You guys know about these at all?



    5. #5
      crabbysd's Avatar
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      Quote Originally Posted by anotherfish View Post
      Ya I only wanna get lights once. Im in the 200$ range. Someone from the forum sent me a text about a good deal pair of kessils 150a ocean blues

      Not a whole lot more than the Chinese ones you guys shared.
      You guys know about these at all?


      I know 2 of them arent in the $200 range

      what tubes you got and the tank dims. Ive been shopping for my tanks lately so I have some things book marked.
      Do you have a canopy?

    6. #6
      h20poloman's Avatar
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      what are the dimensions on your 60g and what kind of corals/inverts do you plan on keeping?
      187G Reef Savvy 60x30x24


      00/0Feedback

    7. #7
      anotherfish is offline Registered User
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      They are used. Tubes? 48x12x20 no canopy.

    8. #8
      anotherfish is offline Registered User
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      48x12x20
      Mostly softies but sill would like some stonies. Wife wants several starfish sea apple. I want a nem.

    9. #9
      crabbysd's Avatar
      crabbysd is offline Registered User
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      The reason I ask about what kind of tubes specifically is because the is a difference in par and intensity. If you have poor tubes you have little par.
      If you put better tubes in you will get better par and likely some more intensity. I had for years used odyssey brand tubes. They are pretty good and a full set is thirty bucks and they last just under a year. I have a light meter to check. Look at my t5 wanted thread. If you put those in you increase par al lot but not intensity. When I turned them all on some of the corals got mad even thoug the intensity did not change much on my light meter.
      True SPS do like high par and you don't always need high intensity to get it.
      Personally I don't like looking at the light so I don't want the black box or kessel until I build a tall canopy.
      So knowing what the tubes are can help diagnose what light to reccomend. You might only need four decent tubes.


      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

    10. #10
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      jason142 is offline SDR Moderator
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      So your tank is 12" wide? If that is the case you would be able to do 4 54w T-5's and keep any type of coral you wanted. Post a link or a picture of the current fixture you are using and a of the T-5 that you already have and are thinking about using.

    11. #11
      anotherfish is offline Registered User
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      Yes 12" wide. I have 2 of these, the t5 fixtures 24x4 so they take 4 bulbs each


      This is what's on it now, I've sachet high and low for specs can't find any they are discontinued, I'm guessing for the "full spectrum" ones they have..



      Like I said I have a short on one of the t5 fixtures, so it needs to be fixed and I would buy 8 new bulbs, hangers... Cost would still be around 200 or so.

    12. #12
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      Well, those kessils definitely are not going to work for a 48" tank. If I were you I would do some major searching and see if you can score a great deal on a 48x4 54w T-5 fixture. There was a couple I was looking at on custom aquatics website, sure you could find something.

    13. #13
      crabbysd's Avatar
      crabbysd is offline Registered User
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      48. ?Gimme a few. How long is the led


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    14. #14
      anotherfish is offline Registered User
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      It's 36", it said 36"-48" wish I would have known better when I got it.

    15. #15
      anotherfish is offline Registered User
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      The Kesisles page say up to 24"cubed. Why would 2 not be enough?
      All the cheaper 48" t5 ones I've seen so far people seem to want better bulbs at well(ati) in paticular.

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