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

[Dav3]

How big are these and how much space do they light? I'm thinking of possibly adding some basic corals or anemones next summer after my 240g is more established.

which fixtures are you referring to?

 

[TheTodd]

The eBay taotronics. I've seen them there, but never see sizes. I've never used LED, so I'm not familiar with what I would need.

 

[mr_X]

They are good for about a 2 x 2 area, 30" deep or so. People raise them up and light entire 36" tanks with one of them, but I would want 2.
So, if you are talking about the 8 foot 240, then you want 4 of them. If you are getting the 6 foot tank, You need 3.
I recently had a 7 foot long 265 and was able to get away with 3 of them.

 

[Gregcoyote]

They are good for about a 2 x 2 area, 30" deep or so. People raise them up and light entire 36" tanks with one of them, but I would want 2. So, if you are talking about the 8 foot 240, then you want 4 of them. If you are getting the 6 foot tank, You need 3. I recently had a 7 foot long 265 and was able to get away with 3 of them.

The 60 degree lenses are only for deep tanks. You want the 90-120 deg. for most normal installs unless you want the fixture way above the tank.

 

[mr_X]

60 degree? Don't you mean the opposite? I would use them with the 120's personally.

 

[Gregcoyote]

My mistake, made correction.

 

[dmolavi]

Holy inflated prices, batdog...supermart168's "full spectrum" fixtures are up to $235 now...I can get Tao's with built-in timers for less from Amazon.

 

[Gregcoyote]

LEDs started out at over $700 for a panel. Chinese prices vary a lot depending on shipping costs. We just got spoiled with $120 panels. There are some bargains still out there. But the real picture can be your power bill over the years. Even with LEDs my system uses about $7 of electricity, per DAY. When I used MH it was quite a bit more, so over the short term LEDs pay for themselves, fast. For you horrified with the power bill here is how it works; (Total of up to 2500 watts per hour, average electric rate of $.13 kWh.) Fish room is in basement, DT is 10' above. Big iwaki pump lifts water for the past 23 years. Several other big iwaki pumps power the rest of the system downstairs. So LEDs is only 1/3 of the total power bill. I also have a chiller running as I like to keep the tank ultra stable at 77 degrees.

 

[Jeegan]

I just got two 120 watt panels from a Chinese company that really did a fantastic job. They have 3 channels, 26 LEDs each on 1 and 2 and 3 LEDs on 3. Channels 1 and 2 have knob dimmers and channel 3 is simply on/off. They also have built in digital timers which control all 3 channels. They are heavy duty metal casing as well. They do custom light setups as well. I customized mine to be very similar to the aquailumination hydra fifty two lights. I am very pleased with them.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/time...0-watt-led-reef-coral-aquarium/681954351.html

 

[Morangus]

Just picked up two AL09 120w ****able units on Amazon for $169 each + free shipping ... Less $10 off from the seller for a reef discount. Figured I might as well get them now before prices keep going up.

 

[ants86]

Holy inflated prices, batdog...supermart168's "full spectrum" fixtures are up to $235 now...I can get Tao's with built-in timers for less from Amazon.

I assume you're referring to the $219.99 taotronics 120w on Amazon? Does anyone have the programmable version? It sells for $399.99 on Amazon. If so, any thoughts as to whether the extra $180 is worth the money?

 

[mr_X]

I just got two 120 watt panels from a Chinese company that really did a fantastic job. They have 3 channels, 26 LEDs each on 1 and 2 and 3 LEDs on 3. Channels 1 and 2 have knob dimmers and channel 3 is simply on/off. They also have built in digital timers which control all 3 channels. They are heavy duty metal casing as well. They do custom light setups as well. I customized mine to be very similar to the aquailumination hydra fifty two lights. I am very pleased with them.

odyssea sunrise and sunset led aquarium light,lunar cycle light 120 watt led reef coral aquarium-in Other Lights & Lighting Products from Lights & Lighting on Aliexpress.com

These are fully programmable? Why the dimmer knobs?

 

[dmolavi]

These are fully programmable? Why the dimmer knobs?

My guess is the programming is basic on/off and maybe dimming up/down to the level set by the dimmers.

 

[manbeast]

That's the same timer as the tt-al16's and as you suspect it only performs basic on/off for three color channels blue/white/moonlights and there is the option of multiple on/off cycles per channel in case you want to run multiple photoperiods throughout the day

 

[Jeegan]

Correct, just on/off function. Channels 1 and 2 are manual dimming. Channel 3 is only on/off. However they offer units with digital dimming and on/off but they cost more, like $260 each.

 

[Spechty37]

Do you have any pictures with the lights on I just am not smart enough to figure out all the specs to figure out what I want I have 400 to spend on LEDs I would need two I think I seen where Mrx had described the ones he had and I think he has what I want maybe I should get ahold of him to. I want the best of both worlds ones that will grow good coral and ones that really make the colors pop I have the orbit or current now with the two 150w halides and two of the 130w power compact actinic one of the actinic burnt out and I don't want to spend the 65 bucks for a new one when I'm going to be switching to LEDs they don't make my colors pop the way I want anyways the color is kinda right but they just don't seem bright enough

 

[Morangus]

Look at the taotronic tt-al09 on Amazon. $169 each shipped to your door. Total on two was $329. Shipping is free and no sales tax for me either. They're dimmable which you will want. I think that's the cheapest I've found right now.

 

[MaiTank]

Reefbreeders.com. Two value fixtures and you deal with a good service, American rep. You could even get optics for under $400 for two.

 

[Jmkb02]

Do you have any pictures with the lights on I just am not smart enough to figure out all the specs to figure out what I want I have 400 to spend on LEDs I would need two I think I seen where Mrx had described the ones he had and I think he has what I want maybe I should get ahold of him to. I want the best of both worlds ones that will grow good coral and ones that really make the colors pop I have the orbit or current now with the two 150w halides and two of the 130w power compact actinic one of the actinic burnt out and I don't want to spend the 65 bucks for a new one when I'm going to be switching to LEDs they don't make my colors pop the way I want anyways the color is kinda right but they just don't seem bright enough

This is in another topic but here's some pics showing the difference between full spectrum and straight b/w

 

[Gregcoyote]

This is in another topic but here's some pics showing the difference between full spectrum and straight b/w

I have both and I prefer the warmer look on the right. Great side by side pictures. Is the fist panel more blues than whites? Mine look whiter but are 50/50 blue and white. The extra two red LEDs and the violet ones (uv) warm the colors up. It's just up to the individual as to what they like the most.