Well done video showing the different type of lighting depending on a person’s budget. As you said there are different types of applications you can go with but starting off for a beginner, having one light will give the hobbyist a chance to see how well it performs on their tank.
Got a Giesemann infinity 1x150w Halide 4x24w T5 for 50 bucks added a Giesemann 20k halide bulb and 4x ATI T5´s. Nothing revolutionary but i highly doubt there are better fixtures out there for growing corals. And no i dont have any heat issues, the bulbs heat up the tank ofcorse but the heater runs just less instead and total electricity bill is not much higher as the radiators in the house just run a fraction less. Maybe there are issues with running halides in warm climates but ive never had issues with them.
Literally ANY led will work on your reef tank. I have been doing this for 15 years, ive tried literally dozens of lights. They all grow coral if you get enough wattage for your tank. Cheap lights from amazon and ebay? Yep. Im running them right next to my radion g5’s and there is no difference in coral health or growth. DO NOT SPEND A TON OF MONEY ON LIGHTS. Especially not the ecotech. They have the worst app and they constantly have to be restarted. I would argue that the ecotech is actually dangerous to a beginners tank because of how many problems they can cause without you knowing it, if you dont have the experience.
My advice when it comes to looking at marketing blurb for LEDs. Ignore things like "thunderstorms". They are a gimmick, not something most people use. You are likely to set your lights and then not change them. I'd also try to have one app for all your equipment just for ease of use but that is personal preference.
I was finally accepting of the blade grow illumstation in my 3rd day of doing this A super excited relieved and certain! Only to find out that there was no Violets! Purple And I'm not even sure if that's exactly what makes your corals pop or be florescent.. 450 for 1 light my 1st light as a beginner seems too much The blade grow was 140 and I was OK with that except now they're marketing a second light I have to buy which brings it to $300 that is the blade glow
I want some good quality reef light, but good one’s price is very HIGH in my country. For example, AI prime 16 HD price is more than 300$ but our minimum wage is less than 10$ per day (8hrs).
Go with the Chinese made one, they are less programable but they will work and you don't have to take out a loan for this hobby. Amazon has the nicrew and viparsprectra which cost about 1/2 of the AI and 1/4 of the ecotech.
I honestly don't know how a beginner tackles this topic. Even with professional training in lighting for growth, this topic is still confusing. Most lighting today. that are name brand and have a descent price tag: will grow most coral. But going from a "good enough" to "optimal" is far, far more complicated as this video eluded too. However, good for you in trying to tackle it reguardless.
Great video. I have an existing AI 26HD & AI 32HD ( which was just added). On a new FijiCube 32g (24x30x16 ie) by adding the 2nd AI light do you know the % I should set on both lights? I was currently running 80% on 1 with good results, maybe 50% on both?
40-50% would be a good starting point. If you have access to a par meter (local fish store, reef club, or even one of our returnable units), I would suggest taking a reading with just the one light, then again with both so that you're not shocking your corals with too much light.
Really want to go ai prime, but with the price point it's hard for me to justify the cost when I'm only growing softies and leathers. I'll likely get them one day, but there are good options/alternatives that are more cost efficient.
help...i have a 60cm cube tank with a marine space12w led. My tank has soft corals and they arent growing. what additional light can I use to buff the light up?
A 12w fixture over a tank of that size is going to be too underpowered, as you suspected. One way you could go would be to replace your current fixture with something like the AI Prime. It would be great for softies and LPS corals in a tank of that size, it's got a slim form factor, controlled via an app, has many different mounting options, and relatively inexpensive. Here is a link if you wanted to check it out: www.bulkreefsupply.com/prime-16-hd-led-reef-light-black-body-aqua-illumination.html
Super overwhelming I am 3 days in constantly looking at lights right now completely overwhelmed stressed out! I have an 11 gallon nano I don't even know if W matter it's the part I should be looking at 30 W 50 W 60 W is that too much frustrated
I doubt if corals need that much consistency in terms of the light spectrum. Every cloud, dusk, sunset or other condition changes not only light intensity, but also it's spectrum. Corals have adapted to that, so as far as it might not be the best condition to use their growth and coloration potential, I doubt if it can kill them (unless you are not lighting solely with red LEDs).
My experience with the Red Sea lights. They are complete Garbage. I got a discount on two when I purchased them with the Reefer 425. After a month, I purchased another and a few days later it stopped functioning. I exchanged for a new unit. I kept the 3 fixtures on my tank and the corals grew. They seemed happy. The quality is just horrible. Somewhere around the 2 year mark, my corals turned brown, started dying and my Alk was creeping up. I also noticed my tank looked slightly dim. I used my Apogee PAR meter and found my PAR to be 65-116 where it was formerly 220-310. It turns out that all 3 power supplies need replacing and one of the LED boards has LEDs that are not working. It’s a Red flag that Red Sea has an instructional video involving LED board replacement. Why? Is it a common failure? I don’t see Radion or Kessil posting repair videos. The power supplies are $66 each and the led board $149. To have 4 Reef 90s die in a span of 2 years is just inexcusable.
Also for the beginner. Read reviews. Avoid cheap products because if you‘re unhappy or the product fails, you’ll just end up spending more money. I ended up buying 2 ATI Straton; they Are very nice 👍
@9StickNate The exact same thing has happened to me! Failed power blocks which are expensive to replace and now some of the LEDs in one of them have stopped working. I'm having to use a small GHL LED light next to my faulty Red Sea light to get the PAR up. Yes, spare boards can be bought for about 160 euros, but simply not worth it as you say. All of this happened around 2 years after purchase (April 2022). Personally, I'm returning to T5s. I'm done with LEDs they are too expensive and don't last.
I have 3 hydra 32’s on one tank and 2 viparspectras on another tank. Kinda really expensive and really cheap. I actually like them both the same only bad thing is i paid like 4-5 times more for the hydras.
@@jbastible82 ive seen beginners start with much more expensive lights then hydras. Depends on how deep ur pockets are and i guess also age of the beginner.
Check out the Kessil A80. Great light for most 10 gallon tanks with rock flower anemones. www.bulkreefsupply.com/a80-tuna-blue-nano-led-light-kessil.html
Some of us super need a better understanding of par guidance i tried the brs spectrums and lost alot of corals even using acclimation mode sadly i have all AI lights 16hds and a 32hd
Generally speaking, we aim for 75-150 par for softies and LPS corals. For SPS, we shoot for 200-350 par. It's really important to get both spectrum and intensity right, as you've already discovered. A par meter can quickly pay for itself in many cases.
So no discussion off PAR for different types of coral. No discussion of spot vs flood. "Call us we will tell you what to buy." About ready to bag this series.
Don't forget it's too hard to do anything DYI. Just buy the one we say that has the number of the tanks size its name. "Buy this one, just pick the right sized one for your need."
If people actually did real research like all of us veterans had to do nothing in this hobby should be too difficult to figure out. But with today’s grade of human laziness these videos are perfect for that 9 second attention span
If you choose AI Prime/Hydra, I highly recommend picking up a diffuser from 3DReefing. They really help with color separation.
I’ll second that. Really helped reduce disco ball effect and color separation. More natural shimmer.
Interesting. I’m going to check it out.
Well done video showing the different type of lighting depending on a person’s budget. As you said there are different types of applications you can go with but starting off for a beginner, having one light will give the hobbyist a chance to see how well it performs on their tank.
What would you recommend for a 15g euphyllia focused tank?
Got a Giesemann infinity 1x150w Halide 4x24w T5 for 50 bucks added a Giesemann 20k halide bulb and 4x ATI T5´s. Nothing revolutionary but i highly doubt there are better fixtures out there for growing corals.
And no i dont have any heat issues, the bulbs heat up the tank ofcorse but the heater runs just less instead and total electricity bill is not much higher as the radiators in the house just run a fraction less.
Maybe there are issues with running halides in warm climates but ive never had issues with them.
For a beginner I would recommend the Red Sea lights, easier setup. You pick 12, 15, or 20k
I would recommend a cheap amazon led.
Literally ANY led will work on your reef tank. I have been doing this for 15 years, ive tried literally dozens of lights. They all grow coral if you get enough wattage for your tank. Cheap lights from amazon and ebay? Yep. Im running them right next to my radion g5’s and there is no difference in coral health or growth. DO NOT SPEND A TON OF MONEY ON LIGHTS. Especially not the ecotech. They have the worst app and they constantly have to be restarted. I would argue that the ecotech is actually dangerous to a beginners tank because of how many problems they can cause without you knowing it, if you dont have the experience.
My advice when it comes to looking at marketing blurb for LEDs. Ignore things like "thunderstorms". They are a gimmick, not something most people use. You are likely to set your lights and then not change them. I'd also try to have one app for all your equipment just for ease of use but that is personal preference.
I was finally accepting of the blade grow illumstation in my 3rd day of doing this A super excited relieved and certain! Only to find out that there was no Violets! Purple And I'm not even sure if that's exactly what makes your corals pop or be florescent.. 450 for 1 light my 1st light as a beginner seems too much The blade grow was 140 and I was OK with that except now they're marketing a second light I have to buy which brings it to $300 that is the blade glow
What about the Red Sea lights? They have a very easy setup with not much adjusting...
Great 2 parter 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I can’t decide between radions xr15 gen6/ hydras 32 & kessil A360x!
I want some good quality reef light, but good one’s price is very HIGH in my country.
For example, AI prime 16 HD price is more than 300$ but our minimum wage is less than 10$ per day (8hrs).
Go with the Chinese made one, they are less programable but they will work and you don't have to take out a loan for this hobby. Amazon has the nicrew and viparsprectra which cost about 1/2 of the AI and 1/4 of the ecotech.
I honestly don't know how a beginner tackles this topic.
Even with professional training in lighting for growth, this topic is still confusing.
Most lighting today. that are name brand and have a descent price tag: will grow most coral.
But going from a "good enough" to "optimal" is far, far more complicated as this video eluded too.
However, good for you in trying to tackle it reguardless.
Great video. I have an existing AI 26HD & AI 32HD ( which was just added). On a new FijiCube 32g (24x30x16 ie) by adding the 2nd AI light do you know the % I should set on both lights? I was currently running 80% on 1 with good results, maybe 50% on both?
40-50% would be a good starting point. If you have access to a par meter (local fish store, reef club, or even one of our returnable units), I would suggest taking a reading with just the one light, then again with both so that you're not shocking your corals with too much light.
Ultimately the type of light that one uses depends on personal preferences. But that’s just me. And my opinion only.
Really want to go ai prime, but with the price point it's hard for me to justify the cost when I'm only growing softies and leathers. I'll likely get them one day, but there are good options/alternatives that are more cost efficient.
help...i have a 60cm cube tank with a marine space12w led. My tank has soft corals and they arent growing. what additional light can I use to buff the light up?
A 12w fixture over a tank of that size is going to be too underpowered, as you suspected. One way you could go would be to replace your current fixture with something like the AI Prime. It would be great for softies and LPS corals in a tank of that size, it's got a slim form factor, controlled via an app, has many different mounting options, and relatively inexpensive. Here is a link if you wanted to check it out:
www.bulkreefsupply.com/prime-16-hd-led-reef-light-black-body-aqua-illumination.html
what is the best option for a 40 gal aio?
Super overwhelming I am 3 days in constantly looking at lights right now completely overwhelmed stressed out! I have an 11 gallon nano I don't even know if W matter it's the part I should be looking at 30 W 50 W 60 W is that too much frustrated
Ty
Orphek is the best!
what's the best light fixture you'd buy for a standard 29 gallon mixed reef tank (with soft coral and LPS)?
For a standard 29 gallon, consider going with two AI Primes. Perfect lighting solution for that size tank with softies and LPS in mind.
I doubt if corals need that much consistency in terms of the light spectrum. Every cloud, dusk, sunset or other condition changes not only light intensity, but also it's spectrum. Corals have adapted to that, so as far as it might not be the best condition to use their growth and coloration potential, I doubt if it can kill them (unless you are not lighting solely with red LEDs).
My experience with the Red Sea lights. They are complete Garbage. I got a discount on two when I purchased them with the Reefer 425. After a month, I purchased another and a few days later it stopped functioning. I exchanged for a new unit.
I kept the 3 fixtures on my tank and the corals grew. They seemed happy. The quality is just horrible. Somewhere around the 2 year mark, my corals turned brown, started dying and my Alk was creeping up. I also noticed my tank looked slightly dim. I used my Apogee PAR meter and found my PAR to be 65-116 where it was formerly 220-310.
It turns out that all 3 power supplies need replacing and one of the LED boards has LEDs that are not working. It’s a Red flag that Red Sea has an instructional video involving LED board replacement. Why? Is it a common failure? I don’t see Radion or Kessil posting repair videos.
The power supplies are $66 each and the led board $149. To have 4 Reef 90s die in a span of 2 years is just inexcusable.
Also for the beginner. Read reviews. Avoid cheap products because if you‘re unhappy or the product fails, you’ll just end up spending more money.
I ended up buying 2 ATI Straton; they Are very nice 👍
@9StickNate The exact same thing has happened to me! Failed power blocks which are expensive to replace and now some of the LEDs in one of them have stopped working. I'm having to use a small GHL LED light next to my faulty Red Sea light to get the PAR up. Yes, spare boards can be bought for about 160 euros, but simply not worth it as you say. All of this happened around 2 years after purchase (April 2022). Personally, I'm returning to T5s. I'm done with LEDs they are too expensive and don't last.
I have 3 hydra 32’s on one tank and 2 viparspectras on another tank. Kinda really expensive and really cheap. I actually like them both the same only bad thing is i paid like 4-5 times more for the hydras.
Yea, what beginner has 2k to drop on Hydras.
@@jbastible82 ive seen beginners start with much more expensive lights then hydras. Depends on how deep ur pockets are and i guess also age of the beginner.
True... I did not and still don't. Lol
@@jbastible82 wishing u the best my dude. Ull get there
There's too many light options! Go Neptune Sky - BRS
Your shirt hurts my brain. Says Salinity but measurements in specific gravity. Can't unsee it now
meh. im trying to figure out what light to use for a rock flower anenome and zoa 10g tank rn, we shall see
Check out the Kessil A80. Great light for most 10 gallon tanks with rock flower anemones.
www.bulkreefsupply.com/a80-tuna-blue-nano-led-light-kessil.html
Some of us super need a better understanding of par guidance i tried the brs spectrums and lost alot of corals even using acclimation mode sadly i have all AI lights 16hds and a 32hd
Generally speaking, we aim for 75-150 par for softies and LPS corals. For SPS, we shoot for 200-350 par. It's really important to get both spectrum and intensity right, as you've already discovered. A par meter can quickly pay for itself in many cases.
Sounds like you set intensity way too high? Par meter rental/purchase is critical
What happened to your channel? I haven't seen a video of yours in forever. Really interested in how your clown harem turned out???
You would think with so many scarecrows, there wouldn’t be a crow for miles.
AI FTW
So no discussion off PAR for different types of coral. No discussion of spot vs flood. "Call us we will tell you what to buy." About ready to bag this series.
Puck design lights are not good for sps.
this video is worthless, just trying to push a bunch of very expensive lights
Don't forget it's too hard to do anything DYI. Just buy the one we say that has the number of the tanks size its name. "Buy this one, just pick the right sized one for your need."
If people actually did real research like all of us veterans had to do nothing in this hobby should be too difficult to figure out. But with today’s grade of human laziness these videos are perfect for that 9 second attention span
Beep beep... REAL researcher coming through!
Welcome to the future...Idiocracy kinda predicted it back in 2006 😅