Led lighting advice ($200-300)

[Ali]

Hi all,

 

I'd appreciate some advice about lighting. I'm running a 90 gallon FOWLR (well, I have some zoas and a scrubby kenya tree, but nothing really light dependent), with 2 2X64 PC units; two actinic bulbs, two daylight. I've been running the tank for about two years, and this lighting have never been great. The bulbs are expensive, it can't support any real coral, and I suspect my long running battle with nuisance algae has something to do with these lights. (I know parameters are important, of course, but the lights have not been helping).

 

I'd like to upgrade, and would love to be able to keep some soft corals and, hopefully, curb this algae issue.

 

However, I can't spend as much as I would like. Does anyone have any thoughts on the following:

 

Evo Quad 48-51; $239,

8640 Lumens (really? can that be right?)

Super energy efficient 3 watt high output LEDs

48x 10,000K LED; 16x Actinic 460nm LED

 

http://www.aquatrade...ght-p/56237.htm

 

Or, a couple of these taotronics units --- they run $158/each on Ebay:

 

2200 Lumens per unit (so 4400 total)

25 3 w blue LED; 30 3 watt white leds.

 

http://www.ebay.com/...#ht_5130wt_1271

 

Any help the group could offer about these or other options would be great.

 

Thanks!

 

Ali.

Edited October 17, 2012 by Allen

[surf&turf]

Try one of these, not LED, but a good price for T-5.

 

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/store/product_info.php?cPath=71_136&products_id=1423

 

 

[Der ABT]

We are doing a group buy on the Evergrow LEDs in the group buy forum....for 270 you would have two D120 units shipped....going to close the gb buy in a few days but if your wanting to pull the trigger let me know, plenty of info on them on the internet....not the worlds nicest units but very hard to beat for the price.

 

for a 90g you should need 2 units....there are pics in the first group buy thread (link in the current group buy thread)...

[Brian Ward]

Lumens isn't a good predictor of ability to support corals. PAR, or photosynthetically available radiation, is the common metric used for aquarium lighting. 48 10k & 16 Actinic (maybe Royal Blue?) LEDs is probably enough over a 90 but the price is suspect. Typical prices are closer to $3/LED for the high-quality CREE LEDs. While I don't have any personal experience with the cheaper fixtures, I'm not sure many would recommend them for a reef tank.

 

The PC lighting will probably make it tough to support a reef and I'd recommend upgrading to T-5 if cost is a primary driver. 6 T-5 bulbs should give you enough light to keep certain SPS near the top and softies & LPS toward the bottom of the tank.

[zygote2k]

For $250, you should be able to pick up a Current 2x250mh / 4) 54w T5 combo used from the forums.