Best lights?

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150 watt metal halide. A 2 bulb fixture or 2 seperate bulb fixtures... most people will recommend led fixtures... you should really look into the taotronics leds
 
Yes they would! Do they come with the ballast though?

Ive used the chinese leds they do work for most coral and will keep coral growing and healthy but imo if you have the money i reccommend cree leds with a good driver like meanwel my coral have much better color with these lights i also reccommend a fixture with a couple uv bulbs i believe coral benefit from uv but im speaking mostly for sps coral some of the newer chinese fixtures also have a full spectrum now but i believe leds will be the best route
 
Ive used the chinese leds they do work for most coral and will keep coral growing and healthy but imo if you have the money i reccommend cree leds with a good driver like meanwel my coral have much better color with these lights i also reccommend a fixture with a couple uv bulbs i believe coral benefit from uv but im speaking mostly for sps coral some of the newer chinese fixtures also have a full spectrum now but i believe leds will be the best route

I agree but with leds, you usually pay for what you get. The Chinese ones are the best one I know of so far. Rapid leds have a great sauderless kit to make AMD it's reletivley cheap. They use cree leds and everything. That is just another option too
 
But with the metal halides they will have good color and will grow just about anything. and what is a ballast do i need one.
 
I just have to ask... I've answered several questions you've asked and so have other members about lighting/lights/metal halide/LEDS/ etc etc etc...

Why do you keep making threads about the same thing. It's confusing and to be honest a little annoying when I see other members helping you (which is why were here) BUT...

You go make other threads asking the same thing only title it differently. Please try and keep to one thread an you'll get an array of options, opinions, links etc etc etc.

It's confusing after reading one thread and commenting and hearing what others have to add then bounce to another thread with the same questions.

This...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/help-on-lights-239724.html

And this...

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f14/led-vs-metal-halide-236748.html
 
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I am just trying to be safe because I have already messed up once on my lights.
 
I am just trying to be safe because I have already messed up once on my lights.

If you want the best imo for 300$ a piece you can build a 120w led fixture using cree leds and a meanwel driver imo use 60/40 blue/white add a couple uv and youll have what i think is close to mh without any heat and low power consumption
 
If you want the best imo for 300$ a piece you can build a 120w led fixture using cree leds and a meanwel driver imo use 60/40 blue/white add a couple uv and youll have what i think is close to mh without any heat and low power consumption

Can you send me a link to the lights.
 
I do not want to spend $300+ on lights can I just use 2 of the metal halides that I posted the link from before.
 
A light is under 300 bucks you may have trouble finding one that you need for anemones and clams. The light is one of the most important if not the most important piece of equipment in a reef system. when I first started saltwater I didnt know much an many of my lfs just wanted to sale me over priced lights. I asked them questions they gave me answers that wasnt true. They said the t5 light I had would grow many corals including anemones. I have t5 2bulbs I trusted them and got the anemone. Ive had it for about 8 months still alive no color. I just bought leds for my 140 which I will be setting up soon. But I wish I put forth more money and research on to what my aquarium needed. My aquarium right now is a 55g and the only color I have in my tank is gsp and mushrooms. Softies you can get away with, with any light pretty much. They have leds that many people use tao tronic and bridgelux. Ive heard many people who hVe had success clams anemones and sps type corals. If you decide to get these get dimmable it will make you life easier. With these on a 48 in long tank you will need 2 fixtures. So you can spend between 325- 500 on led lights. There is another brand my friend is getting its called "kessil a150s" these are suppose to be pretty good leds also. They are small you will need 2 of these also. They run about 225 each I think. Rapid led you can the kits they also have solderless kits you pretty much glue and connect idk the price for the 55g kit though. I read parts of the forum I didnt click on any of the link with metal halids I would get a known brand atleast for the ballast bc I would afraid that ones like on ebay there ballast may burn out to quick they are prolly poorly made. Also you may end up buying a chiller to keep ur tank cooler bc the metal halid with raise the temp if not enough airflow between the light fixture and water.
 
With the rapid led what colors would I need and how many LEDs.
 
48 leds total 18cw 20rb 6uv 2r 2g.
you will need prolly 3 or 4 dimmable drivers heatsink(s) which ever u prefer. Get the solderless leds it will be easier to put togeather.

You can always send them a email. And ask what you need for a 55 g reef aquarium. You to beable to have sps anemones and clams. They will give you all the information to put it togeather after they tell you go add it to your cart and thats how much it will cost. Tell them you want the solderless leds.
 
48 leds total 18cw 20rb 6uv 2r 2g.
you will need prolly 3 or 4 dimmable drivers heatsink(s) which ever u prefer. Get the solderless leds it will be easier to put togeather.

You can always send them a email. And ask what you need for a 55 g reef aquarium. You to beable to have sps anemones and clams. They will give you all the information to put it togeather after they tell you go add it to your cart and thats how much it will cost. Tell them you want the solderless leds.

It is a great idea, they have solid customer service and would be willing to help
 
Yea I was gpong to make some but ended up getting some led lights for xmas. They helped alot. You could even get the kit for 75 gal
 
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