need new lights

[huhhh]

I have a 46 bow 36" across and I'm looking at new LED lights and could use some input. I have 2 zoa frags, 1 mushroom, 1 hammer, 1 trumpet. (and 4 fish) The light I have is 'okay'. It keeps corals alive, but I can't say anything is thriving. I think it just doesn't have enough blue in it.

So I'm looking to upgrade without spending a fortune >$300. I would like to avoid hanging it from the celing as I have a good size hood I'd like to keep it in and my wife would not go for wires and cords dangling in the living room.

So LED...decent quality (#of blues), not a billion dollars, and tank mounted.
Does this exist?

[sde1500]

I'd give reefbreeders a look. They are, imo, a very good light for the price.

[garygonzales]

i have marsaqua on my 46 gallon bow..its the 31 inch wide one

[cvrle1]

What kind of features would you like to have? Things like how many channels of light control, dawn/dusk/moon light, WiFi or simple remote, Apex controllable or not, etc. There are many options out there, so it all depends on what you want features wise. Features are all nice, but they dont make corals grow any better or faster, so keep that in mind. Some people must have them all, while others dont need any of them. There is no wrong answer really, just how much $$$ you want to spend on features is what it comes down to.

And since you have hood, you can really mount pretty much any unit inside it with bit of work.

I'd give reefbreeders a look. They are, imo, a very good light for the price.

RB is great unit, however they are more than $300 that OP said he wants to spend. 32 inch fixture is almost double what he wants to spend.

[RobZilla04]

Two Kessil A80s with a controller and mounting goosenecks would be just fine for softies and some LPS.

[huhhh]

What kind of features would you like to have? Things like how many channels of light control, dawn/dusk/moon light, WiFi or simple remote, Apex controllable or not, etc. There are many options out there, so it all depends on what you want features wise. Features are all nice, but they dont make corals grow any better or faster, so keep that in mind. Some people must have them all, while others dont need any of them. There is no wrong answer really, just how much $$$ you want to spend on features is what it comes down to.

And since you have hood, you can really mount pretty much any unit inside it with bit of work.



RB is great unit, however they are more than $300 that OP said he wants to spend. 32 inch fixture is almost double what he wants to spend.

I don't need a whole bunch of features, the one I have now is 24hr programmable and I really don't use it (mostly because it's not THAT programmable and it would dim the lights before I got home). I just want something that's going to help color and make corals grow better, not just keep them alive.

$300 is a ballpark figure...but it is near the top end of the park.

I looked at marsaqua but I didn't see anything that didn't have to be hung.

[huhhh]

Oh, also the hood is plastic, I don't think it could support very much. But it could hide something tank mounted (like the strip I have now).

While I'm asking about stuff: how hard is it to find / build a bow front shaped screen/lid? I basically have a solid lid with cut outs for cords, a 'door' for feeding and a 'window' the light sits over. It's not ideal, but I haven't found a bow front shaped screen.

[huhhh]

Two Kessil A80s with a controller and mounting goosenecks would be just fine for softies and some LPS.

That looks interesting, if you think it would be enough.

[cvrle1]

I don't need a whole bunch of features, the one I have now is 24hr programmable and I really don't use it (mostly because it's not THAT programmable and it would dim the lights before I got home). I just want something that's going to help color and make corals grow better, not just keep them alive.

$300 is a ballpark figure...but it is near the top end of the park.

I looked at marsaqua but I didn't see anything that didn't have to be hung.

Most of the cheaper CBBs are made to be hung, however they can all be modified fairly easily to fit into the hood. Also, you can build a tank mount to use with CBBs: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2622878

In terms of growth and corals, as long as the fixture is using 3W LED, it will grow and color up corals. Mars Aqua, ViparSpectra, BloomSpect, Ocean revive T247, SB Reeflights. Those are the ones I would look into in your price range, and they will grow any coral you want really (including SPS). I cant speak on Kessil's and more expensive units, because I was never interested in them due to cost, and as far as I know they would go quite a bit over $300.