Need Lighting recommendations for a 75 gallon tank

[Javier]

My old led lights have gone bad (Fans no longer work and lights are flickering) and i am now ready to purchase new LED lights for my 75 gallon Reef tank. The tank has soft and hard corals. I haven't shopped for LED lights in over 7 years now. Was wondering if i could get a recommendation on LED lights that you would put on your 75 gallon reef tank. Was thinking 2 lights  for full coverage with a canopy that would hold them (nothing hanging).  Would like to stay under $1000 if possible, but i'm flexible. Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

 

Javier 

[FishingandReefing]

Kessil, radions, …. With 1K you have a lot of options, check your inbox


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[gastone]

That's a healthy budget, Javier.  I'd recommend that you go to a few of the local stores and see if you like what they are running over their tanks.  We are lucky to have some great stores in the DC area.  You can also look at the member tanks in the dedicated tanks forums to get an idea, but then you are left to the whims of they photographer and camera and spectral accuracy doesn't always translate well in reef photography.

[ranger]

3 g5 from amazon and a blue light bar.....700.00

3g6 and a blue light bar......850.00

Having a canopy i would put 3 plus a bar.

Smatfarm g5/g6 are my fav when it comes to

 price and color and shimmer.

I have tried most leds think kessils for shimmer

 and radions color...my 2 cents.

[ranger]

I think the g5 is the best leds for the mh look......

HONESTLY they should be way more popular then

 they are they really do look like mh.

[YHSublime]

You’ll get a lot of suggestions. Turns out, light grows things. @telegraham brings the most educated discussion to the table, imo.

 

I’ve personally marched to my own/cheap drum. And short term, it’s worked. 
 

good luck!

[ranger]

When you used mh like i did for 20 years all leds look like crap to me.....

The new kessil and smatfarm g5 are ok....everything else looks like crap.

[FishingandReefing]

Speaking of Mh or T5. I got this sitting in my garage lol. Whoever wants it.


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[telegraham]

On 3/4/2025 at 7:26 PM, ranger said:

When you used mh like i did for 20 years all leds look like crap to me.....

The new kessil and smatfarm g5 are ok....everything else looks like crap.

Assuming that you haven't seen the Quanta Atlas. Mimics very well the Ushio 14,000K MH. https://www.quanta-lights.com/products/quanta-atlas-sps

[telegraham]

On 2/28/2025 at 1:48 PM, Javier said:

My old led lights have gone bad (Fans no longer work and lights are flickering) and i am now ready to purchase new LED lights for my 75 gallon Reef tank. The tank has soft and hard corals. I haven't shopped for LED lights in over 7 years now. Was wondering if i could get a recommendation on LED lights that you would put on your 75 gallon reef tank. Was thinking 2 lights  for full coverage with a canopy that would hold them (nothing hanging).  Would like to stay under $1000 if possible, but i'm flexible. Appreciate any suggestions. Thanks!

 

Javier 

Under $1k for two lights means ReeFi, Quanta, Nicrew, Smatfarm, or other brands that offer similar or better spectrum/power offerings for less. Consider that Quanta also offers dimmable bars with three different fixed spectrums to give you what you need. I don't align well with the big name lights, and I will no longer purchase Ecotech, AI, Kessil, etc. 

 

I have comparative data on many lights; the spectrum and distribution of light. Let me know if you need data.

 

Jim

Edited March 8, 2025 by telegraham

[ranger]

The large single point light from a mh is what is hard to copy not the spectrum.

For its price the g5 is special to me because of its dual dual pods  close together.

Seems to give a mh effect to my eyes.

Look all the leds and t5s grow sps well they look like crap compared to a good mh setup.

A couple of g5s are the way to go to me.....my 2 cents

[telegraham]

On 3/9/2025 at 3:17 AM, ranger said:

The large single point light from a mh is what is hard to copy not the spectrum.

For its price the g5 is special to me because of its dual dual pods  close together.

Seems to give a mh effect to my eyes.

Look all the leds and t5s grow sps well they look like crap compared to a good mh setup.

A couple of g5s are the way to go to me.....my 2 cents

I hear you, but I have an Atlas and SmatFarm G5 here, I've used a G5 over a tank, it's VERY similar to a Noopsyce V2, I've tested all three over a common config, and Quanta's Luca is a MH guy at heart. Aside from the UV and any IR that may make it past the MH's glass, the Atlas is great MH copy.

I stole this from Eric Rood's Instagram, but this is a good shot of his growout lit with Quanta Atlas. 

Edited March 13, 2025 by telegraham