Budget Light for Aqueon Reef Tank

[Abelardo]

Hey 👋🏻 ! 
Do you have any suggestions or recommendations on a budget light for a 29 gallon reef build? Preferably from amazon!
 

I want to have mostly soft corals but also want the light to be able to support LPS once I get a hold of keeping softies. 

 

I’ll post a picture of the tanks dimension. Thanks in advance ! 

[j.falk]

Mars Aqua (Chinese black boxes) are popular budget lights.  They usually run around $100 or less.

[Reefkid88]

Viparspectra are good ones if you want leds. They have budget t5's as well. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/VIPARSPECTRA-Control-Dimmable-Aquarium-Spectrum/dp/B07SHR6HW1/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=viparspectra&qid=1597499436&sprefix=vipa&

 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XFNLMQW/ref=sspa_mw_detail_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Clown79]

Mars aqua or viparspectra 165w. You can dim it because 165 is strong.

[Abelardo]

Thank you all again! Love this forum for all the people and prompt responses! These are a great start 
 

Is it possible to supplement low lighting conditions with coral food??
Ex: Reef Chili/Reef Roid 
(Not sure if this question makes sense but hope you guys get the point)

[Clown79]

14 minutes ago, Abelardo said:

Thank you all again! Love this forum for all the people and prompt responses! These are a great start 
 

Is it possible to supplement low lighting conditions with coral food??
Ex: Reef Chili/Reef Roid 
(Not sure if this question makes sense but hope you guys get the point)

No. Main food is lighting. Other foods are used as a supplement even with good lighting.

 

If you go with either light, they aren't low lights.

 

Lighting is the most important piece of equipment for a reef tank.

 

When you over feed, you will end up spending money on methods for nutrient control like more media, more testers, skimmers, refugium, more waterchanges.

 

When it comes to lighting, always get what is appropriate for corals because its a major need for them.

 

 

[mcarroll]

Do you have a local fish store?  If so, what do they carry?

 

When you say "budget" can you put an actual number to it for us?

 

There are MANY good options all up and down the price scale.  👍

[Abelardo]

13 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Do you have a local fish store?  If so, what do they carry?

 

When you say "budget" can you put an actual number to it for us?

 

There are MANY good options all up and down the price scale.  👍

A local fish store would be a Petco or PetSmart. I tend to look online before I go in to the stores so I didn’t find much on there.

 

Well for a budget light I would say 100-120 Max. The option these folks provided were great! I’m looking at the Mars Aqua brand right now 

 

I’ll take more suggestions any time ! Thanks

[DSA65PRO]

21ledusa dot com their Reefbar Pro’s LED lights are awesome. You buy the Transformer and controller separate. The controller is nothing fancy but is Multi programmable it keeps its memory during a power failure. Also their LED’s are more water resistant than other LEDS. The Reefbars are narrow enough to be able to put a lot of them over a tank, if you get higher light corals. Their lights are 12 volt DC, so don’t go and plug that 24 volt transformer into them, that you just have laying around. 

[mcarroll]

On 8/15/2020 at 2:08 AM, Abelardo said:

That's a classic 29 Gallon. (30x12x18)/23=28 gallons.  (Small "g" vs big "G".  Big G is a product name.)

 

IMO the skinny 12" width kinda precludes the Mars and similar lights unless you go for the 30" model and run it dimmed WAY down.  Not super cost effective to do that, but it'll work.

 

I would consider LED strips from Current USL, GHL and Orphek (and other similar ones).  For $169 you can hook up one of their 24-36" kits that has wireless control and even includes a flow pump:  https://current-usa.com/product/nano-reef-bundle/. I would suggest upping to the IC Pro kit for $199...comes with a second LED strip....best value and performance.

Check out the other options mentioned too though.

 

[mcarroll]

Should add the you can get a non-kit version with just the lights instead.....just in case that's not obvious.  😄

 

Those bundle kits look like a serious deal though.

 

A plain IC Pro setup seems to go for $250 by itself.  (They do have a free pump promo going on with that side of things that helps.)

 

The Mars Aqua style (regular size) of light can work, but the middle of the tank will be bright like a laser beam where the ends will be slightly dim.....either that our you raise the light higher on its mounting system to get the ends of the tank lit up better, but then you spill reef light into the room...a waste, and bad for your eyes.  Two smaller lights, or lights that run the length of the tank would really be a better fit.