Beginner's Light and Tips

csalsaito

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#1
What Light should i get for a reef aquarium? less than 300 please. Under 200 preferably
Some corals that interest me include Bubble Coral, Pulsing Xenia, Hammer Coral,

Dont know if it matters but i want a clown fish at some point.

Any more tips for starting i have my tank cycling for about half a day now. with just a canister filter, and a jebao wp-10 wave maker.

I have a 29g tank, about 19 inches Deep.
 

csalsaito

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#3
Does the tank have a canopy or is it open on top?
Open on top i am not against getting a glass top either.

I was recommended the Hydra 52 HD but that seems like very top of the line. and someone else recommended a EVERGROW LED light with the wifi enabled stuff.
 

csalsaito

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#6
looks like you have low light needs. You can go with a AI Prime and be ok
Well that helps me with choosing a light. But explain to me why this is a good light. I want to LEARN why it is a great pick and why this light wont be good for certain corals like (insert coral name here).
 

csalsaito

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#7
Oh, keep in mind that you WILL upgrade later. You can get the 52 and not have to spend money on it later.
Will the Hydra 52 HD work for how big of a tank by itself? are there other top of the line brands like AI? how do they compare, like i said Id like to learn other brands and whats out there. Because multiple people say AI which is ok. Id like to know what else is out there. but if AI is the best WHY is it the best :)

BTW i dont mean to sound sassy but I do really want to learn and get into the hobby and i feel like i need to learn.
 
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#8
You can get Reef breeder LED lights for under 200. They're a vendor here. I've had mine for about 2+yrs already and works great. I have a mixed reef but mostly LPS. That's a light brand I can recommend from experience and in your budget. The light fixture I got is value led's from reef breeders.
 
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#11
Yeah, there is no need to go and get high end as your first get up especially if you're going with low light needs. Just russ mentioned above it would depend on the type of tank you have.

Your tank setup such as depth, length and width would impact what light to get since not all lights can get a good coverage after 12 inches of depth. I only really have experience in LEDs since its lower power consumption and a longer shelf life.

To start I would just go with Ebay lights such like the Taotronic or Marsaqua for about $90. Other ebay lights that are dependable and cheap are green element lights which have timers that are $12 more.

Make sure there are two separate power plugs so you can alternatively put them on timers. Or just get the fully programmable one for $144.
 

csalsaito

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#14
Yeah, there is no need to go and get high end as your first get up especially if you're going with low light needs. Just russ mentioned above it would depend on the type of tank you have.

Your tank setup such as depth, length and width would impact what light to get since not all lights can get a good coverage after 12 inches of depth. I only really have experience in LEDs since its lower power consumption and a longer shelf life.

To start I would just go with Ebay lights such like the Taotronic or Marsaqua for about $90. Other ebay lights that are dependable and cheap are green element lights which have timers that are $12 more.

Make sure there are two separate power plugs so you can alternatively put them on timers. Or just get the fully programmable one for $144.
My budget went up slightly so hydras arent completely out of question. But it is nice not to upgrade later and then $100 lights go to waste. However since my tank is not a cube and the dimensions are 30 1/4 in across and 12.5 width and 18 3/4in deep. I want to mount my light horizontally but none of my research shows ways to do so. Do i hang it vertically? also i cant hang from ceiling. any suggestions?
 

csalsaito

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#16
You're welcome! I have two hydra 26 over my 60 gallon tank and love them.
Mind if you post a picture of the setup, im having difficulty thinking of a way to hang my light. because i tihnk it needs to be hung horizontally. but the brackets only hold it vertically and perpendicular to the tank.
 
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#19
I picked up a maxspect razor r420r 16k light little over half a year ago and am pretty happy with it. my corals seem to love it. It's not a Radion, But for the 125$ i paid for it used i won't complain. I usually see them in the mid to high hundred area used
i have it hanging now useing the cable kit provided with the light and have it 18" above the water.

Sent from my SM-G900P using Tapatalk
 
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#20
Honestly go with a light that will grow anything. The more you get into the hobby your taste will evolve. I just upgraded from a 25 gallon to a 60 and was able to reuse my light because I spent a little more.

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk
 

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