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mattruggiero
02/10/2016, 12:10 PM
Hey all,

I’m brand new to this hobby and I’m putting together the equipment for my first tank. I’m hoping to have it built here within a month or so. I’m excited to enjoy the hobby but researching lighting has given me a headache! There is so much information out there! Which is a good thing  I just need some advice.

So I'm in the market for a set of LED lights for my 125 gallon tank. The measurements are 72Wx24Hx17D. My budget is around $600 but prefer to keep it closer to $400. I know that's not a lot to work with.

From what I can tell... blues are more important than whites and a good ratio is 2:1. I’ve been looking at the ReefBreeders Value LED’s but don’t know how many I would need. I also looked at the MarsAqua and DsunY lights on Ebay… though their color spectrums just don’t seem that impressive. Thoughts? Are there other lights you guys can recommend?

Also, I prefer lights that have a separate controller so that I don’t need to keep adjusting the knobs. Although, maybe my inexperience makes it seem like a big deal.

One of the issues that I have a short canopy. It will put my lights about 5 inches from the water. I was hoping for some suggestions on if there is a solution to this? Would 120 degree lighting help? If not, my plan is to attach the lights to the canopy and suspend it so the lights are 12" or so from the water. Problem solved.

I appreciate any helpful information so thank you!! :cool:

Ron Reefman
02/11/2016, 01:28 AM
Any set of led fixtures with any kind of controller (other than manual dimmers) for $600 over a 6' long tank is impossible. Two ReefBreeders Photon 32's would be as close as you can get and 2 will cost you $900. Maybe find a used pair? I'm considering upgrading mine for a pair of Photon 32 V2 fixtures ($1150. at retail).

BTW, you are right on the money about the roughly 2 to 1 mix of blue to white. Unfortunately most inexpensive fixtures are much closer to 1:1. That's part of why I'm considering the new V2 as it is even a bit beyond 2:1.

The RB Value fixtures or MarsAqua fixtures will work just fine for you. You just need to hook them up to timers. You'll need 3 for a 6' tank. If you go sps dominant you probably want 4. Three will do the job, but 4 will be better for sps, and if 1 fails, 3 will hold you over until you get the 4th one fixed. Four MarsAqua fixtures will only cost you about $360.

You could cut holes in the canopy just big enough for the leds to shine through and set the fixtures on top with the rims holding them up. Raising the canopy is probably a better idea, but that involves hanging the canopy from the wall which can be tricky for some people.

gus6464
02/11/2016, 01:41 AM
2x Mars Aqua 300W. Under $400.