LED recommendations for 30" tank (29g)

[Europhyllia]

I thought I could make do with T5s on the macro/clownfish tank that I kept to keep my oldest fish after breaking down the 215g tank.

But I just can't do it. The cyano is driving me crazy. The T5s must go before I go insane.

What's on the market right now for a tank that size. Doesn't have to be super snazzy. Would rather have it too white than too blue. Doesn't have to be highly adjustable.
Would be nice if it could grow some zoas but got to stay within a budget...

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Are you looking for a fixture or a retrofit into canopy? I custom build mine and attach them into the canopy. If you dont need a lot of LED power Marineland makes very nice LED fixtures
and they now have timers. There 1watt LEDs but they are very slim and sit on the tank. Very pretty fixtures.
If the goal is to just light the tank, DoubleBrite Marineland fixtures work and are inexpensive.
Marineland REEF LED are good to and will grow most coral.

[Europhyllia]

I have a very nice DIY LED over the seahorse tank (what I consider my main tank) but for the clownfish tank I just want something I can slap on top, grow macro algae with and look at the fish. Don't want to build anything.

I think Alton has the marineland fixture on his little tank. I'll see what he said about it. I think he had some kind of trouble with it (forgot what it was) but overall it worked well enough for him

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Theres a couple of stores that carry them. Very very slim fixtures. Look at the website for spectrum on their LED. You may just need doublebrite not reef fixture. save money too.
I do need to add that if an LED goes out you have send it to them unless the LFS will swap for warranty. fyi Cant repair it like diy.

[350gt]

Marine land IMO isn't worth the price..

What is your budget?

Why are the t5s you currently have not working for you?

[alton]

Karin I sent you this as a pm, I am pasting it here also

I am on my third one, this one seems to be holding up checking it with my meter.

Positives: Grows GSP very well on my 65 along with one type of SPS and only draws like 54 watts while lighting up my 65 (36" x 18" x 24" tall) fairly well

Negatives: very low PAR levels, most SPS do not do well, nor LPS, or mushrooms for some reason? I am guessing because it does not cover the entire lighting spectrum is why it does not grow most corals. The other negative is the fact it is uncontrollable. Most people think LEDS last forever, that is not correct, they drop 3% every year, and like with Sols or Radions you start them out at 70 to 80% and can increase each year to maintain your PAR levels.

If you are buying one for a FO only tank/GSP tank you should be okay. If you are buying used I would check it with a meter to make sure the light intensity has not dropped off. With the other LEDs coming down I do not see the Marineland as a great buy(mine came as store credit)

[BBQHILLBILLY]

Here is a quick link to a fosternsmith double brite LED. cost $129. 6000K. and fixture is 1/2 inch thin black sleek design.
I too, am looking for a fixture for macroalgae. If anyone has a proven macroalgae fixture please post. I may buy too.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=23738&cmpid=03csegpl&ref=6111&subref=AA&CAWELAID=1059619583&catargetid=1570177778&cagpspn=pla

[Europhyllia]

Why are the t5s you currently have not working for you?

Because hate cyano and I am too lazy to switch T5 bulbs all the time.
Yes it's true the LED do drop off a few percent each year and on my big AI SOL unit on the 215g reef I did exactly what Alton suggested (in fact i thought I invented this approach. Dang another thing I wasn't the only one to come up with this lol)

The difference though is that as LEDs drop a small percentage of power their spectrum shifts towards blue and away from the spectrum the cyano prefers to grow in. With the T5s it's the opposite. Their spectrum shifts to the kind of light cyano prefers.

Of course you can grow cyano in LED lit reefs and you can have cyano free tanks under T5s. But all things being equal you will grow more cyano under old T5s than under old LEDs.
My seahorse tank is 100% LED and I have zero cyano, the T5 clownfish tank is driving me nuts with cyano. Both tanks have the same light cycle and are fed the same (huge) amounts of frozen food.

[Europhyllia]

I am supplementing the seahorse tank with a PAR38 white bulb with CREE LEDs from Costco and it grows macro like crazy. (Plus it's way cheaper than 'aquarium PR38') But the seahorse tank also has a custom DIY with some blues and royal blues so the colors are pretty balanced out.

[Ms_Big_Pun]

have I a Spec LED light that I purchased at MACNA from the zoanthids.com booth and I really love it. The dimensions on it are about 12"L by 5" deep. There are 55 3w LEDs Total. 4 Red, 4 green, 4 UV whites blues and royal blues. I really love this light and my coral look and are doing amazing with the light. I've had no problems with loosing coral during the transition from T5 to LED. The intensity of the light changes throughout the day and has 3 different channels for night, blue and day

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[koa25]

Do you have a link to that light? I've tried finding it before to do some research on it and typing "Spec Aquarium Leds" gets you everything BUT that light ha ha.

[Ms_Big_Pun]

Do you have a link to that light? I've tried finding it before to do some research on it and typing "Spec Aquarium Leds" gets you everything BUT that light ha ha.


Koa, I have tried looking online too, as well as Chris, with no luck. I posted the info about the light info itself. I purchased it at MACNA TOTALLY not intending on getting it or anything. After lots of walking around and comparing the light I found no reason why not to get it for $350. It retails for $450 at local fish stores in Utah as well as Brandon's. Did Chris show you my tank and light when you came over on Friday? When I call Brandon today I will ask him about the light and see if there is some sort of link to it or what.

[koa25]

That would be greatly appreciated. And no he didn't. I didn't even think about it on friday. I was already running late and he was trying to get out of there to go hunting. So i kind of just ran in and ran out. Next time i make my way out to your palce i will have to check it out in person. Looks great in the pics. I can imagine it looks even better in person.

[350gt]

have I a Spec LED light that I purchased at MACNA from the zoanthids.com booth and I really love it. The dimensions on it are about 12"L by 5" deep. There are 55 3w LEDs Total. 4 Red, 4 green, 4 UV whites blues and royal blues. I really love this light and my coral look and are doing amazing with the light. I've had no problems with loosing coral during the transition from T5 to LED. The intensity of the light changes throughout the day and has 3 different channels for night, blue and day

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Emily that is a real nice fixture....

[350gt]

Why not the ai vega?

You already had the sols...

Louis I heard was to get a small shipment of them today and will have one on display. I am almost afraid to stop by...

[StevenSeas]

I would recommend the a can leds. You could do the 300 series. And get away with a 24" fixture (the legs are adjustable) for $400.
And they come with full dimming capability and programming up to 7 time points.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Xparent Blue Tapatalk 2

[Europhyllia]

Those Acan fixtures ARE nice!
But i figure for lighting what is basically just a macro tank I'll keep it cheap.
I went and got a Ecoxotic Panorama Marine LED on Black Friday Special. I think that should do well enough.
All I need it for is to see the fish and grow some algae...

[reefreak]

Or an ecoray?