How do I pick the right light?

[Jerad81]

Hello all, I'm in the process of setting up my first ever reef tank but I'm currently having trouble finding reliable sources on lighting. I recently purchased a IM nuvo fusion 20 pro and trying to find a good light for it. All the sources I've been finding so far just seem to be a sales pitch for their favorite brand but none offer any information on how to figure out what size/wattage of light I should be looking for. If anyone can offer me some advice or links to sources that can help me I would greatly appreciate it!

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

Lighting isn't nearly as hard as it seems at first. 

 

A couple of things you need to think about :

 

What corals are you wanting to keep? If you're just wanting "softies" (zoas, mushrooms, leathers, etc), than you won't nearly as strong of a light as you would if you were going to keep SPS. 

 

The other consideration, is how are you going to light your tank? Is this light something that's going to be mounted on the tank? Can you create bracket off the wall? Are you planning on hanging it from the ceiling? 

[Jerad81]

38 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

Lighting isn't nearly as hard as it seems at first. 

 

A couple of things you need to think about :

 

What corals are you wanting to keep? If you're just wanting "softies" (zoas, mushrooms, leathers, etc), than you won't nearly as strong of a light as you would if you were going to keep SPS. 

 

The other consideration, is how are you going to light your tank? Is this light something that's going to be mounted on the tank? Can you create bracket off the wall? Are you planning on hanging it from the ceiling? 

Because I'm new to the hobby I'm planning on sticking with "easier" corals like softies, leathers and mushrooms. Also, since I live in an apartment at the moment, I would prefer a light I can mount to the tank.

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

6 minutes ago, Jerad81 said:

Because I'm new to the hobby I'm planning on sticking with "easier" corals like softies, leathers and mushrooms. Also, since I live in an apartment at the moment, I would prefer a light I can mount to the tank.

Ok  - that gives us a starting point. What kind of budget are you working with? 

[Jerad81]

I was planning to make about $250 my max.

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

Sky's the limit at that budget! You've got plenty of options. 

 

If it was me, I'd probably look for a lightly used AI Hyrda HD 26 - They can be found at that price point, with a mounting bracket. This light would probably be a little bit of overkill for your tank and softies, but if you were ever to upgrade you'll all ready have a light.

 

You could also go with a the AI Prime, but the outside of your tank (If I'm remembering correctly, that tank is 24" wide) wouldn't have a ton of coverage, but the softies on the outside would be fine, and just keep the LPS/SPS under the light, it'd do great. This would be cheaper than the 26, but it doesn't have as much coverage if you were to upgrade tanks, you'd probably need a second one. 

 

Another good option would be a used NanoBox Duo. I've had one on my tank, and got very good results with it (I'm not using it currently, but I've held on it it because I liked it so much). 

 

I'm sure others will chime in with suggestions, and it'll at least give you some ideas to research. 

[Jerad81]

Thanks for all your advice! I really appreciate it. I will definitely look at both of those. 

[Clown79]

Lighting is a complicated one because dimensions of tank, livestock choices, and then personal expectations/needs come into play.

 

Wattage is really hard when it comes to LED lighting which most ppl don't consider.

14w of LED is different than a standard 14w lightbulb.

 

Going through various hobbyists journals, reviews, and threads is helpful but everyone has not only their own experiences with various products, we have our preferences too 

 

When making your choice, consider 

 

1. Livestock needs for lighting

2. Do you want plug n play(a light that can be used with a timer and no controllability, or do you want to be able to customize it.

 

 

There are many great choices in lighting from budget lights to name brand.

 

Here is a list of commonly used lights that have favourable reviews and in different price ranges.

 

AI Prime

 

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/prime-hd-led-module-black-body-aqua-illumination.html

 

(Discontinued due to new version release)

 

Kessil

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/kessil-a160we-tuna-blue-led-light.html

 

(Need to buy separate controller to control it)

 

Nanobox

 

http://nanoboxreef.com/mini.html

 

Current Orbit Marine

 

https://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Marine-Aquarium-60-Inch/dp/B00GFTSV24

Mars Aqua

https://www.amazon.com/MarsAqua-Dimmable-165W-LED-Aquarium/dp/B017GWDF7E/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=viparspectra+165w+reef+led&qid=1578445696&sprefix=viparspectra+165&sr=8-4

 

Viparspectra

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Control-Dimmable-Aquarium-Spectrum/dp/B07SHR6HW1/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=viparspectra+165w+reef+led&qid=1578445662&sprefix=viparspectra+165&sr=8-3

 

Abi Par 38( 2 would be needed)

 

https://www.amazon.com/ABI-Aquarium-Light-White-PAR38/dp/B073V64KC9/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=abi+tuna+blue+23w&qid=1578446008&sprefix=Abi+tuna+blue&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySTZUVVc2STVYTE4yJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzA2MjQzNjRPT0NWMjQ2T1NJJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzNjMzNDIxR1U5TkIyTFBPSEI2JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mazzy21]

I would check out the user interface on each of the ones @NoOneLikesADryTang mentioned and see what you like better or seems easier to use to you too (and others if you look at other lights). This wasn't something I considered at all and I find my light overly complicated (EcoTech XR15 Pro), which makes it annoying to set up light cycles. You may not have that issue but just mentioning it cuz it is something I wish I had looked at before purchasing.

[Clown79]

1 hour ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

Sky's the limit at that budget! You've got plenty of options. 

 

If it was me, I'd probably look for a lightly used AI Hyrda HD 26 - They can be found at that price point, with a mounting bracket. This light would probably be a little bit of overkill for your tank and softies, but if you were ever to upgrade you'll all ready have a light.

 

You could also go with a the AI Prime, but the outside of your tank (If I'm remembering correctly, that tank is 24" wide) wouldn't have a ton of coverage, but the softies on the outside would be fine, and just keep the LPS/SPS under the light, it'd do great. This would be cheaper than the 26, but it doesn't have as much coverage if you were to upgrade tanks, you'd probably need a second one. 

 

Another good option would be a used NanoBox Duo. I've had one on my tank, and got very good results with it (I'm not using it currently, but I've held on it it because I liked it so much). 

 

I'm sure others will chime in with suggestions, and it'll at least give you some ideas to research. 

AI prime coverage is 24x 24

 

I've run 1 single prime on both the IM 25 and 20. No shadowing.

 

I have 2 on my 25g now and run each at lower percentages. (Kinda sucks spending money and not using the lights to its full capacity)

 

I've fried a few corals under this light, its powerful.

[Jerad81]

32 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Lighting is a complicated one because dimensions of tank, livestock choices, and then personal expectations/needs come into play.

 

Wattage is really hard when it comes to LED lighting which most ppl don't consider.

14w of LED is different than a standard 14w lightbulb.

 

Going through various hobbyists journals, reviews, and threads is helpful but everyone has not only their own experiences with various products, we have our preferences too 

 

When making your choice, consider 

 

1. Livestock needs for lighting

2. Do you want plug n play(a light that can be used with a timer and no controllability, or do you want to be able to customize it.

 

 

There are many great choices in lighting from budget lights to name brand.

 

Here is a list of commonly used lights that have favourable reviews and in different price ranges.

 

AI Prime

 

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/prime-hd-led-module-black-body-aqua-illumination.html

 

(Discontinued due to new version release)

 

Kessil

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/kessil-a160we-tuna-blue-led-light.html

 

(Need to buy separate controller to control it)

 

Nanobox

 

http://nanoboxreef.com/mini.html

 

Current Orbit Marine

 

https://www.amazon.com/Current-USA-Marine-Aquarium-60-Inch/dp/B00GFTSV24

Mars Aqua

https://www.amazon.com/MarsAqua-Dimmable-165W-LED-Aquarium/dp/B017GWDF7E/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?keywords=viparspectra+165w+reef+led&qid=1578445696&sprefix=viparspectra+165&sr=8-4

 

Viparspectra

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Control-Dimmable-Aquarium-Spectrum/dp/B07SHR6HW1/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?keywords=viparspectra+165w+reef+led&qid=1578445662&sprefix=viparspectra+165&sr=8-3

 

Abi Par 38( 2 would be needed)

 

https://www.amazon.com/ABI-Aquarium-Light-White-PAR38/dp/B073V64KC9/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?keywords=abi+tuna+blue+23w&qid=1578446008&sprefix=Abi+tuna+blue&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEySTZUVVc2STVYTE4yJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNzA2MjQzNjRPT0NWMjQ2T1NJJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTAzNjMzNDIxR1U5TkIyTFBPSEI2JndpZGdldE5hbWU9c3BfcGhvbmVfc2VhcmNoX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU=

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

32 minutes ago, Mazzy21 said:

I would check out the user interface on each of the ones @NoOneLikesADryTang mentioned and see what you like better or seems easier to use to you too (and others if you look at other lights). This wasn't something I considered at all and I find my light overly complicated (EcoTech XR15 Pro), which makes it annoying to set up light cycles. You may not have that issue but just mentioning it cuz it is something I wish I had looked at before purchasing.

Wow, thanks for all the info! This helps out a lot.

Thanks for telling me about the user interface Mazzy21, I would have never thought about that either.

[Reef Aquatics]

I have a 20 gallon long and had the MARS Aqua and was never happy with the

coverage. Two months ago I purchased a Micmol G2 Series 600 and I'm very

happy with it. The coverage is complete with no dead spots and the light is completely

programmable from sunrise to sunset. It has legs that allow it to sit on the tank and they

are adjutable from 23" to 35". My only complaint is the controller only has 2 buttons and it

takes a few tries to get the hang of it. But other then that, I'm really happy with it. It is ultra

thin and has no fans. So it is very quiet.

 

They are on Amazon for $149. If you have prime, you can get free 2 day shipping.. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/MICMOL-Aquarium-Programmable-Spectrum-Saltwater/dp/B075Q8LDX3/ref=sxts_sxwds-bia?cv_ct_cx=micmol&keywords=micmol&pd_rd_i=B075Q8LDX3&pd_rd_r=2404470b-685c-47ed-93a9-1640492c56c8&pd_rd_w=depUu&pd_rd_wg=kbC13&pf_rd_p=1cb3f32a-ccfd-479b-8a13-b22f56c942c6&pf_rd_r=SJ5MQ6T8Q3XRCGQSN6JD&psc=1&qid=1578451836

 

 

 

[hotdrop]

Buy a used high end ati or geissman T5 fixture and you will never have lighting issues. Leds are significantly more expensive and have a lot of shadowing problems that become apparent after the first year of growth. 

[MainelyReefer]

Any single LED puck will have shadowing, but an ai prime would be a good start point for a beginner.  A kessil 160 would be easier to set exact spectrum IMO as the AI prime is extremely customizable.  Currently I am setting up a lagoon 25 with an aquaticlife t5 hybrid (4x 24w bulbs) and two kessil 360’s.  Sure it’s overkill but I’ll be able to ramp the LED’s down which will elongate their life as they won’t be running too hot.  I would aim for a minimum of 3w per gallon so an AI prime on max would almost hit that threshold for your NUVO 20.  If only keeping softies less light could work but if you stick with the hobby you likely won’t only have softies haha

[mcarroll]

14 hours ago, Jerad81 said:

 

Wow, thanks for all the info! This helps out a lot.

Thanks for telling me about the user interface Mazzy21, I would have never thought about that either.

IMO for your first light at least, I'd recommend staying away from the hyper-customizable lights like EcoTech and AI.

 

I'd suggest most of the other options Clown listed vs these two.

 

Kessil is a hybrid that can be simple ON/OFF with manual color and intensity controls OR it can be run with a controller, which (like the others, but less-so) is more complicated.

 

K.I.S.S. theory should rule on system design.  Especially when you're starting out.  👍

[debbeach13]

I would send nano box a message and ask if he (Dave) has any older versions of the nano box duo's left or any slightly damaged or used units. I got an old version with no controls plug it in is on unplug is off. I use it with a common timer and it works great. I do agree if you can afford a hybrid with T5 and LED that is the best of both worlds. IMO you should save $ and pass on the hybrid for now till you know you are hooked on reefing.

[Clown79]

55 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

IMO for your first light at least, I'd recommend staying away from the hyper-customizable lights like EcoTech and AI.

 

I'd suggest most of the other options Clown listed vs these two.

 

Kessil is a hybrid that can be simple ON/OFF with manual color and intensity controls OR it can be run with a controller, which (like the others, but less-so) is more complicated.

 

K.I.S.S. theory should rule on system design.  Especially when you're starting out.  👍

AI isn't really a difficult light. I'm so not techy and I can use it. 

 

I have heard Radions are more difficult and they need a controller which is an added cost to an already very expensive light. 

 

 

[Mazzy21]

48 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

 

 

I have heard Radions are more difficult and they need a controller which is an added cost to an already very expensive light. 

 

 

Radions don't require a controller. Your phone can be your "controller". It has a microUSB port to plug your phone into the light and then use the EcoTech website to program. 

I use the Reeflink (also part of EcoTech) which does the same thing, but wirelessly instead of me hooking up my phone. But IMO it's just A LOT if you aren't an expert at lighting and lumens knowledge. You can control every individual color, intensity, intensity at each time point... does adding a little extra purple here make the colors pop more? but if I do that are the corals getting enough of their full spectrum needs? is 60% white, 50% dark blue, 70% light blue, and 30% UV too intense or not intense enough and then what specific color needs to be turned up or down??? THAT is how the Radion is. And I know for some that would be amazing, but for me, and I believe for someone just starting out, it just gets overwhelming and annoying to deal with. I have went along fine with my light and then felt the color wasn't popping enough and lower some white, raise some blue, add a dab of red, etc, etc, and viola - in a week the whole tank is bleached. 😞 You really need to know your stuff with that light. I honestly bought it because I had the MP10 and wanted the Reeflink (which allows you to program your EcoTech MPs), and I thought it would be cool to be able to coordinate my pump and my lighting, but in hindsight I would have just left my pump on the same setting all the time (like most do) and went with a simpler light. 

So these are the things I experience with my light, OP, and you can consider your knowledge of lighting/lumens and whether that would be something that interests you. The one thing I can say about the Radion is that there will be nothing you can't grow no matter what corals you may upgrade to in the future, and there are some "fun" settings but they don't provide any benefit to your tank: storms or cloudy days, etc, but even then the storms can actually get annoying because the "lightning" is very bright flashes. Oh, you can also download other people's lighting program (people post them on forums) and use it for your light but honestly I can't figure out how to make that work. lol
 

[Clown79]

31 minutes ago, Mazzy21 said:

Radions don't require a controller. Your phone can be your "controller". It has a microUSB port to plug your phone into the light and then use the EcoTech website to program. 

I use the Reeflink (also part of EcoTech) which does the same thing, but wirelessly instead of me hooking up my phone. But IMO it's just A LOT if you aren't an expert at lighting and lumens knowledge. You can control every individual color, intensity, intensity at each time point... does adding a little extra purple here make the colors pop more? but if I do that are the corals getting enough of their full spectrum needs? is 60% white, 50% dark blue, 70% light blue, and 30% UV too intense or not intense enough and then what specific color needs to be turned up or down??? THAT is how the Radion is. And I know for some that would be amazing, but for me, and I believe for someone just starting out, it just gets overwhelming and annoying to deal with. I have went along fine with my light and then felt the color wasn't popping enough and lower some white, raise some blue, add a dab of red, etc, etc, and viola - in a week the whole tank is bleached. 😞 You really need to know your stuff with that light. I honestly bought it because I had the MP10 and wanted the Reeflink (which allows you to program your EcoTech MPs), and I thought it would be cool to be able to coordinate my pump and my lighting, but in hindsight I would have just left my pump on the same setting all the time (like most do) and went with a simpler light. 

So these are the things I experience with my light, OP, and you can consider your knowledge of lighting/lumens and whether that would be something that interests you. The one thing I can say about the Radion is that there will be nothing you can't grow no matter what corals you may upgrade to in the future, and there are some "fun" settings but they don't provide any benefit to your tank: storms or cloudy days, etc, but even then the storms can actually get annoying because the "lightning" is very bright flashes. Oh, you can also download other people's lighting program (people post them on forums) and use it for your light but honestly I can't figure out how to make that work. lol
 

I didn't know that, on their site it's very confusing the way they describe the controllability.

 

 

[mcarroll]

2 hours ago, Mazzy21 said:

Radions don't require a controller.

Point was that they are more complicated than most other lights which don't require a phone or a controller or wifi, et al.

 

Which is why it takes three paragraphs to explain that they don't require a controller and I suppose why their website is so confusing too.  😉 😉

 

No doubt they do a good job...but that's not an uncommon feature among their competitors.

[Clown79]

20 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Point was that they are more complicated than most other lights which don't require a phone or a controller or wifi, et al.

 

Which is why it takes three paragraphs to explain that they don't require a controller and I suppose why their website is so confusing too.  😉 😉

 

No doubt they do a good job...but that's not an uncommon feature among their competitors.

So true. 

 

It's a great light but I think for some of us, it's a little complicated.

[Garf]

Checkout the Red Sea Reef LED 50. Built in wifi controller, simple interface, powerful light, no messing with spectrum or mixes of different color LEDs.  

 

Also, don't necessarily limit yourself to softies, leathers and shrooms just because your are new to this. Plan, research, learn and you can have plenty of options to choose from. Choose corals that can coexist together, and look for corals that interest you. Make a plan, and set a schedule to achieve that plan. Slow and steady wins this, it is not a race.   

[Clown79]

33 minutes ago, Garf said:

Checkout the Red Sea Reef LED 50. Built in wifi controller, simple interface, powerful light, no messing with spectrum or mixes of different color LEDs.  

 

Also, don't necessarily limit yourself to softies, leathers and shrooms just because your are new to this. Plan, research, learn and you can have plenty of options to choose from. Choose corals that can coexist together, and look for corals that interest you. Make a plan, and set a schedule to achieve that plan. Slow and steady wins this, it is not a race.   

Good point.

 

New hobbyists don't have to get the corals we label as easy.

there are lots of lps that aren't difficult corals.

 

Choose what you like that's not difficult or finicky to keep😊

[mcarroll]

15 hours ago, hotdrop said:

Buy a used high end ati or geissman T5 fixture and you will never have lighting issues. Leds are significantly more expensive and have a lot of shadowing problems that become apparent after the first year of growth. 

Not a bad option if you can find one used cheap.

 

The catch is to consider the ongoing costs from excessive power usage and bulb replacements -- they can be a killer in the long run. 

 

Plus, if you have to get into dealing with heat issues with your tank thanks to all the extra power-usage and IR wavelengths heating up the tank water, then costs go up even more.

 

LED strips are a better replacement for T5HO at least IMO. 

 

The look is close to T5HO.  (You can add light diffusers to get the look even closer if that's your preference.)   Plus, costs up front aren't bad.  And at least once that money is spent, there aren't any other mandatory costs for 5-10 years (depending on the unit you buy) until the unit wears out and needs to be repaired or replaced....and recurring costs for power will be less for LED than T5HO by as much as 50%, depending on the exact installation.

 

For example, a Current USA Marine Orbit IC Pro (w/Bluetooth) -- Model 4335 -- is two LED strips and costs around $250 or maybe less. 

21 hours ago, Jerad81 said:

I was planning to make about $250 my max.

(Hey, right on budget, and even comes with a warranty!)

 

For Comparison
That's $25 a year for the Current USA setup presuming it lasts the 10 year lifetime of the emitters...and there's no reason to assume it wouldn't. 

 

You might spend $40-$80 a year just on new bulbs for a comparable 2-bulb T5HO system, depending how frequently you need to change them.

 

T5HO bulbs are $20-$25 a piece and have a limited lifespan that dictates replacement every 6-12 months, depending on usage.  So what if it's a  4-, or 6-tube T5HO fixture??  Eek!  That could be as much as $240 a year just on new bulbs if you end up selecting the 6-month plan....no less than $120 a year for the 6-bulb fixture!

 

(You could almost buy a new LED system every couple of years if you just saved up the bulb money from the T5HO system you don't buy.  👀)

[Jerad81]

35 minutes ago, Garf said:

Checkout the Red Sea Reef LED 50. Built in wifi controller, simple interface, powerful light, no messing with spectrum or mixes of different color LEDs.  

 

Also, don't necessarily limit yourself to softies, leathers and shrooms just because your are new to this. Plan, research, learn and you can have plenty of options to choose from. Choose corals that can coexist together, and look for corals that interest you. Make a plan, and set a schedule to achieve that plan. Slow and steady wins this, it is not a race.   

 

4 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

Good point.

 

New hobbyists don't have to get the corals we label as easy.

there are lots of lps that aren't difficult corals.

 

Choose what you like that's not difficult or finicky to keep😊

I was actually just looking at the Red Sea LED50 and was about to ask if anyone knew about the interface on their lights. That one is at the top of my list right now.

 

Thanks for the info on corals. I'm the type of person who likes variety so I will definitely look at a broader range now. I will probably try to find 2 or 3 to make my "primary" corals and design the rest of them around those. I know 1 of them will be a mushroom though because I just think they're pretty cool.