Trying to start a new reef

[WhattheHoth]

I have no experience with reefs, but have various other fish tanks.

I recently went to a fish store I normally go to, with a very informed salesmen who talks to us about information that I feel only a professor should know.

When we discussed the idea of starting a tank with coral in it he was mentioning lights that were $750 and at the least $400. Later on he mentioned some cheaper variation, but at that point I had dismissed the idea of getting coral because I didn't want to drop $750 or something similar.

After a bit of research we found lighting that is suppose to work for $20, but I'm not too sure why he would only recommend expensive lights and the internet is $20. So I'd like to know what the best type of lights are for developing a reef? I don't want to spend an arm and a leg, but I do want to confirm what I read online was accurate of a company trying to sell some cheap lighting.

Any help would be great.

[d2mini]

Where are these $20 lights that grow coral?
You can get chinese black box leds on eBay for like $100 without all the bells and whistles of a $750 Radion, but you're not going to be growing any coral worth growing for $20.

Anyway, welcome to the forum. ;)
I suggest you head on over to the Beginners forum and start reading up.
Unfortunately, your LFS typically isn't the best source of information when it comes to reef tanks. Especially when it comes to selling you equipment.

[LXXero]

there's some chinese box lights in the $160 range that will probably work better than many would give them credit for, however they are usually pretty cheaply made and often lack much customization or programmability. Some of the cheap box lights are modifiable to be controlled by 0-10v, though, which is a cool mod that would give you some notion of remote control using a aquarium controller to ramp them up/down or what not.

Most "name brand" lights have single-pendant style LED's in the $300-400 range, and "double pendants" in the $700-900 range. That's just kind of the market right now for high end LEDs. LED strip lights can vary and to be honest i'm not as familiar, but the higher end ones like the orphek will run you about the same as a double-pendant fixture, so it's not always that much cheaper unless you're purposely looking at the low end of the market. In which case, i definitely have been told there's some chinese box lights in the $160ish range that can do wonders, but YMMV.....

$20 though? If it seems too good to be true....

[Sk8r]

It's a case of you get what you pay for. You can take a common CFL floodlight and shoplight fixture with clamp on your sump and grow cheato moss very nicely with it for 20.00, but the only 'coral' you can grow that way is aiptasia.

[dyazdani]

Consider finding some used lights if you want to bring the cost down. Chances are if you go too cheap early on you'll end up spending more, either buy buying the correct light later on or by dealing with other problems.

[outssider]

there are basically 3 ways to light a reef tank......
1....halide...
2...t5 fluorescent
3...led
There are many brands of each and many combinations of spectrum. DO A LOT OF RESEARCH before deciding on anything. Lighting is one of the most important parts of running a reef tank and also one of the most expensive items. corals are photosynthetic, so lighting is very important.

[Ron Reefman]

I have no experience with reefs, but have various other fish tanks.
Marginally useful when starting a saltwater system.

I recently went to a fish store I normally go to, with a very informed salesmen who talks to us about information that I feel only a professor should know.
Oh gees! It doesn't matter how much he knows, he's a salesman. get that straight right up front! Half of them don't know squat and they are ALL trying to sell you something! BEWARE!!!

When we discussed the idea of starting a tank with coral in it he was mentioning lights that were $750 and at the least $400. Later on he mentioned some cheaper variation, but at that point I had dismissed the idea of getting coral because I didn't want to drop $750 or something similar.
It can be that expensive. Some people here spend even more than that. But it doesn't have to be that way.

After a bit of research we found lighting that is suppose to work for $20, but I'm not too sure why he would only recommend expensive lights and the internet is $20. So I'd like to know what the best type of lights are for developing a reef? I don't want to spend an arm and a leg, but I do want to confirm what I read online was accurate of a company trying to sell some cheap lighting.
No way a new fixture for $20 can grow coral very well, if at all. As others have said, there are inexpensive alternatives that your 'professional LFS salesman' didn't tell you about.

Any help would be great.

How big a tank are you considering? And what kind of a budget do you have in mind?