LED light selection help.

[Help my cat loves sushi!]

I'm thinking of going lidless on my biocube 14. I have to replace the fluorescents and rather than spending 50$ on bulbs I am going to put it to new lights. I am looking for something budget friendly, under 100$. I have mostly soft corals, a few fish that I would like to have the colors pop on and some zoas and a duncan that fluoresce. 

 

I have read good reviews about this light. It has Cree LEDs and is only 60$. But it doesn't have as many LEDs as some others and isn't very adjustable.

HIPARGERO LED Aquarium Light – Aquarium LED Lights 30W Saltwater Lighting with Touch Control and 3W Cree Chips for Coral Reef Fish Nano Tank 

 

My other option has some better controls and isn't much more expensive at $83. It doesn't have cree LEDs, but it has 100 LEDs and an app that I can adjust the lights on a 24hr timer. 

 

Fluval Sea Marine Nano Bluetooth LED (20 Watt)

 

I have also read good things about the MicMol brand, but I don't know much about this nano light. It's more expensive than I like,  but the options for timers and flexibility for colors is compelling.

MICMOL - LED Reef Light – Aqua CC 30W Marine Aquarium LED Lights Programmable with Full Spectrum for Saltwater Coral Reef Fish Nano Tank …

 

Anyone use these, or have other better suggestions? Trying to keep costs down, but still want something nice. I have no plans on keeping sps corals, but I will have some LPS. I have a firefish, and will be getting a clownfish and royal gramma later. 

[Jesterrace]

As long as you get some sort of screen top to prevent jumping I see no issue with it.  As for the lighting, if you are going to the $100 mark, I would bump it up to $109 and get a light that is more than adequate to grow what you want with a Mars Aqua 165 watt black box:

 

https://www.amazon.com/MarsAqua-Dimmable-165W-LED-Aquarium/dp/B017GWDF7E/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=OZETBGEWLVPK&keywords=mars+aqua+165w&qid=1553401955&s=gateway&sprefix=Mars+Aq%2Caps%2C185&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

 

It offers little to nothing for customization but it will definitely grow just about anything you want though.  

[Help my cat loves sushi!]

I am making a custom lid out of plexiglass and egg crate. I had been looking at that light too, but was drawn more to those that offered a custom light cycle. I will keep it higher on the list.

[Gourami Swami]

I have the hipargero, I like it and I think it's enough light to grow most corals as long as they are directly under it and not off to the side. I do think a single one might be a little small for a 14g. The controls are annoying- can't raise percent, can only lower and if you want to raise need to cycle down thru 0 again.  But it's cheap and gets the job done.

I've been looking at a viparspectr 165w. It's like the marsaqua but with a timer/controller built in. People seem to have great success with it for 120$

Theres also one called a lumini asta20 which I've read good things about, they are very cheap, you could get 2 of them and it would be enough light. They look like kessil lights too.

[Help my cat loves sushi!]

Ah thank you. I was concerned about the ability to control the hipargero. Glad to hear you like it. I was also looking at the viparspectr for that timer. So many good options I'm finding it hard to decide!

[Clown79]

The hiperagero has great reviews, the fluval doesn't.

 

I use this micmol on my 10g nuvo and really like it.

 

https://www.amazon.com/MICMOL-Aquarium-Dimmable-Programmable-Spectrum/dp/B078F9KY26/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=micmol&qid=1553470742&s=gateway&sr=8-2

[Help my cat loves sushi!]

Ok, been reading through posts in lighting section more. I think I'm going  to go viparspectr with the timer. It's a little big and more than I initially wanted to spend, but most like it and if I upgrade to the larger cube later it should still work.

[Naekuh]

Macegrow has CREE's its basically a upgraded version of Hipargero.

Also has dusk and dawn timers, and u can control 6 independent channels. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Macegrow-Aquarium-Light-Dimmable-Saltwater-Spectrum/dp/B07G42FR32/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=macegrow&qid=1553743534&s=gateway&sr=8-3