LED Lighting selection

[geweagle]

Hello all,
I am new at this. I have just started a saltwater system, 80 gal. 48" long, 24" deep tank. It was fresh before so I need to upgrade the lighting. I was looking at T5's fixtures, but the more I read the more I am looking at LED's. Initial cost is a high, so I don't want to break the bank, but I do want to have corals. I know they pay in the long run, but got to afford the startup. I was looking at the Vertex Illumilux IV LED Fixture - Dolce Bianco. But I just cannot find anthing to say if it is enough light.

Also there are so many things to add to LED fixtures. So the second question is: does this unit need anything to run it? Or is it a plug and play? At least to start. I cannot even get enough from the manufacture site. It talks all the techno-jargen, but not something simple like how you run it.

Any help or advice would be appreciated. If this is not the right choice maybe you could suggest something else that does not break the bank.

Thanks

[Acrowhora]

what's your budget and what type of coral are you planning to keep?SPS?LPS?

Originally Posted by geweagle

Hello all,
I am new at this. I have just started a saltwater system, 80 gal. 48" long, 24" deep tank. It was fresh before so I need to upgrade the lighting. I was looking at T5's fixtures, but the more I read the more I am looking at LED's. Initial cost is a high, so I don't want to break the bank, but I do want to have corals. I know they pay in the long run, but got to afford the startup. I was looking at the Vertex Illumilux IV LED Fixture - Dolce Bianco. But I just cannot find anthing to say if it is enough light.

Also there are so many things to add to LED fixtures. So the second question is: does this unit need anything to run it? Or is it a plug and play? At least to start. I cannot even get enough from the manufacture site. It talks all the techno-jargen, but not something simple like how you run it.

Any help or advice would be appreciated. If this is not the right choice maybe you could suggest something else that does not break the bank.

Thanks

[geweagle]

About $500.00 and if I understand the terms both. Wife wants some hard corals

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by geweagle

About $500.00 and if I understand the terms both. Wife wants some hard corals

Since your budget is low, look into evergrow LED. You can keep sps under it and those lights have good reviews too.

[geweagle]

So are you both saying that the Vertex is not enough light?

I was looking at the Vertex Illumilux IV LED Fixture - Dolce Bianco. But I just cannot find anthing to say if it is enough light.

[jason604]

I'm using taotronics dimmable led lights I purchased on amazon and they are wonderful my tank is a 75g that consists of half sps and half lps. The lights were only under $200 each and my sps that I purchased from other reefers seem to grow so fast and color up even more. Believe it or not but I'm only using one fixture even tho my tank has a centre brace which blocks quite a bit of light in the middle. I will most likely buy another one when I upgrade my tank size. Been running for 2-3 months and so far no corals have died and grew super fast and amazing.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by geweagle

So are you both saying that the Vertex is not enough light?

I was looking at the Vertex Illumilux IV LED Fixture - Dolce Bianco. But I just cannot find anthing to say if it is enough light.

Vertex doesn't have a very good reputation for growing SPS as far as I know.

[chewie]

Originally Posted by geweagle

So are you both saying that the Vertex is not enough light?

I was looking at the Vertex Illumilux IV LED Fixture - Dolce Bianco. But I just cannot find anthing to say if it is enough light.

I think you could get something else cheaper that seems to do a better job.
http://www.jlaquatics.com/product/vt...8+Inch%29.html
seems to be more for planted tanks, refugiums. Not for corals

[chewie]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

Since your budget is low, look into evergrow LED. You can keep sps under it and those lights have good reviews too.

I agree. Running something similar (purchased from different company pm for more info if interested) They are dimmable and have built in timers for attinics and for whites.
For the price, just under $200 each, they are a great fixture. I have 2 over a 6 foot tank and since upgrading to leds my corals are coloring up great and have grown twice as fast as before. (was running 2-400w metal halides and 4 supplimental t-5 ho lights)
Not only that my water temp is now a steady 28 deg, and no more expensive bulb changes. Oh and the corals sure do glow under just blues.
Cheap LED fixtures all the way

[don.ald]

Originally Posted by geweagle

About $500.00 and if I understand the terms both. Wife wants some hard corals

T5s will work fine for all coral
It's a good way to start with a tight budget