Lighting your reef... Best bang for your buck.

[Jess1ca]

As tax season approaches I've decided that I'm gonna bite the bullet and buy new lights on my 75g reef. I'm currently running a homemade 4 bulb T5ho fixture, that was my upgrade from a power compact. It's not as pretty as most fixtures but for now it's doing the job and i don't really have any corals, just some mushrooms, but I do have 2 nems. My husband and I talked and my budget will be around $900. It would be really awesome to not spend the full $900 on lights since I'm trying to get my predator tank operational and I would love to use some of that money to get it going. BUT if I have to spend a full $900 to get some awesome lights that would allow me to keep almost anything my little heart desires, so be it.

I've been looking around online and there are a couple of fixtures I've been looking at. The AI Sol super blues have caught my eye but the price has me a little sticker shocked since I would need a minimum of 2 for my 48" tank. I looked at the Aquactinics Solar Flare, again a whopping $850..... Thought about taking the MH route but the heat output and frequent bulb changes are turning me off. LED would probably be nice to save on energy costs, not to mention most are coming with timers and such. I guess I'm pretty confused on what the "best" is. Google searches tell conflicting stories & being a novice to saltwater I'm really not sure what I should go with. Would love some input on what would be the best bang for my buck! Thanks in advance!

 

[Mrc8858]

One word for you, Taotronics

 

[Jess1ca]

One word for you, Taotronics

Please elaborate! Lol! I'm lights illiterate & my service sucks and id love to not spend 1/2 an hour trying to pull it up on google lmbo! I was up till 330am last night looking at lights & that was only looking at 5 fixtures, seriously cannot wait to get my Internet hooked up!!

 

[BallinCrew10]

I agree. I bought the taotronics and am very happy with them. People say the fans are loud but I can hardly hear mine. For a fraction of your $900 limit you can't go wrong.

 

[Mrc8858]

Chinese dimmable leds (taotronics) they come in dimmable and non dimmable and I believe 120-240 watt selection. Lots of people have switched over to them in the last year or two. They don't have the programmable options like sols or anything but they are still very effective and you could get 2 for 3-4 hundred.

 

[Jess1ca]

Chinese dimmable leds (taotronics) they come in dimmable and non dimmable and I believe 120-240 watt selection. Lots of people have switched over to them in the last year or two. They don't have the programmable options like sols or anything but they are still very effective and you could get 2 for 3-4 hundred.

Reallllly?!?? That would be pretty perfect! I'm gonna google them now would absolutely LOVE to not drop $900 on JUST lights!

 

[Mrc8858]

Oh I feel you there... I spent about $700 on lights and then I found the taotronics.... Very dissapointing lmao.

 

[Jess1ca]

Oh I feel you there... I spent about $700 on lights and then I found the taotronics.... Very dissapointing lmao.

Lol! I was blown away by the prices of some of these lights! The super blues are so enticing! Thunderstorms? Clouds? Moon phases? Disappointing when I seem that 2 is the bare minimum for 5 bills a piece I was like ohhh Emmmm geeee!!!

 

[BallinCrew10]

Search for them on eBay.

 

[mr_X]

Just put this in your search line on ebay- dimmable led aquarium light
Now they are even making them with reds and greens. Those I haven't seen in person, but I have the blue and white only and I like the way they look, and grow coral.

 

[Jess1ca]

Just put this in your search line on ebay- dimmable led aquarium light
Now they are even making them with reds and greens. Those I haven't seen in person, but I have the blue and white only and I like the way they look, and grow coral.

Answers my question! Perfect! Appreciate it! Ok, reds & greens do what for coral? Sorry if that's a dumb question!

 

[mr_X]

There is some argument about some of the LED units out there not being full spectrum. Some say they lack the red and green spectrum necessary to grow coral. I haven't found this to be true as of yet. As stated, I use the first generation Taotronics fixtures which aren't dimmable, over my 300 gallon. I can grow acropora on the sand bed with them. I did purchase this-
TaoTronics TT AL09 Dimmable Coral Reef Tank Light LED Aquarium Light 120W 55 3W | eBay
for my frag tank, which I like a bit better since you can adjust the blues and whites to your liking, but this wasn't available when I was lighting my reef.
Neither of these have reds and blues but it does not seem to matter.

 

[Jess1ca]

There is some argument about some of the LED units out there not being full spectrum. Some say they lack the red and green spectrum necessary to grow coral. I haven't found this to be true as of yet. As stated, I use the first generation Taotronics fixtures which aren't dimmable, over my 300 gallon. I can grow acropora on the sand bed with them. I did purchase this-
TaoTronics TT AL09 Dimmable Coral Reef Tank Light LED Aquarium Light 120W 55 3W | eBay
for my frag tank, which I like a bit better since you can adjust the blues and whites to your liking, but this wasn't available when I was lighting my reef.
Neither of these have reds and blues but it does not seem to matter.

I don't need fancy colors lol I just want enough light to keep my nems & future corals happy ;D thank you all so much for helping me out! What a relief it is knowing there is a wallet friendly light out there! I was beginning to think there wasn't anything at a decent price haha! Now I will be able to get the other tank running and get my coral eating Rabbitfish out of the reef tank

 

[mr_X]

oops...I meant that they don't have reds and GREENS.

 

[Jess1ca]

oops...I meant that they don't have reds and GREENS.

I knew what ya meant

Sooo I'm pretty sure im definitely gonna go with the Taotronics. If I do I should get 2 of the dimmable 120w? Or 2 212w? Looks like the 212 is not dimmable which is probably a nice option since I will probably have to light acclimate everything when they come... Right? Also I was looking at this controller http://www.marinedepot.com/Digital_...iums-Digital_Aquatics-DA1131-FITEMOMI-vi.html can I use that with these lights? I googled timers for lights and that came up.... Looks pretty cool if I can use it!

I'm worried if I skimp on lights ill pay for it next year... Not knockin Chinese products but the AI Sols have a lifespan of 10 years & since this is Kinda a once in a lifetime deal that I will be able to spend this kind of money on lights I just wanna get something that will last me awhile! How long have you guys been running your lights? Have you had any problems???

 

[Animal-Chin]

Wow i want to jump on this too. I see a bunch of adds, some from america, that dont say taotronics. Are they just as good?

 

[Jess1ca]

Wow i want to jump on this too. I see a bunch of adds, some from america, that dont say taotronics. Are they just as good?

I really don't know! I'm really new to the reef

The taotronics are affordable, look nice, don't have things like timers, but there are ways around that. I guess I'm just worried that if something failed there wouldn't be any customer service to deal with... Or am I wrong for assuming that? I've only really seen them on eBay. I can't seem to find a clear answer on they're lifespan....

 

[flemdogg]

Checkout the kessil tuna blue 350w. Im going to use 2 of them to light my 90g reef with my tax money!

 

[Mr. D]

The AI SOL is nice, my buddy has the Vega on his tank and really likes it. It sucks that their expensive but good quality I hear. Innovative Marine also has fixtures but they are only really for soft corals in that rice range for 2 fixtures.

I have t-5ho and am happy with them but wish I got a 6bulb if not LED's

 

[Animal-Chin]

what are 90 degree optics? I can get them with or without, i feel as though I should but honestly i have no idea what they are...lol