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Cheap LED's for FOWLR

9supratt4

9supratt4

What is a good cheap LED system for a FOWLR tank?

Now that everything I had is dead, I am going FOWLR since I don't live in the same place as my tank anymore. It'll be less maintenance...I'll save corals for my 300 Gallon Reef when I buy a house.

So what is a good cheap LED system to put over a 180?
 
Fish Brain

Fish Brain

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Marineland Single bright LEDs. The single bright are brighter than the double brights. You will need two fixtures for a 180, but it will be under $200.
 
18fisher

18fisher

im looking for same thing right know good link,the one light looks like grow light for plants,to me it looks like it wouldnt light up tank very well the cheap ones 38 bucks i think ,please keep ideas coming
 
Sunny

Sunny

NJRC Member
Article Contributor
OK. It all depends on how you define 'cheap' and what it means to you. There are so many LED choices today that it is not even funny.
As Ed said, chinese LED are the cheapest both price wise and in build quality. They now come dimmable but do not ramp up and down like some other expensive fixtures. Then there are radions which are a total waste of $750 IMHO. Then there are many many options in between.

What features do you really want? ON and off? Dimmable? More control? USA build? What about customer service? It goes on and on.

I have been using AI for quite a long time. They did very well for me. I bought them when people were saying SPS will not do well under LEDs. Well take a look now.

Also, you need to look at longevity. What after 1 year you want to switch lights or switch to a reef? Will the cheap (however you define it) LED work or not.

Hope this helps.

Sunny
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Here are a couple options

A couple T8 or T12 shop lights from Home Depot. T8’s are 19.97 for a two bulb fixture while T12’s are 12.97 for two bulb.

6333b610-e8ec-4e47-b55b-66935f2e3665_300.jpg



The other option would be LED’s….but convention home-owners LED’s. Here’s what I had over a 75 gallon freshwater tank a couple of years ago. Each bulb is a 9W LED. I think I still have that thing somewhere if you want to try it out.

IMG_5323.jpg
 
Brando457

Brando457

The Chinese fixtures are around $180, for the $ I'd rather buy something I know that will work well and not worry about breaking down the line.

At this point I'm considering the ai Sol blue or kessil a350w

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using Tapatalk 2
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Brando457 said:
.................At this point I'm considering the ai Sol blue or kessil a350w
Click to expand...


WHAT THE ………


Where do you live? I’m coming over and smack you!


You’re setting up a FOWLR. The only light you need is to see the little fishies. What the H…. are you doing lighting that with a Chinese fixture, or even worse, an AI Sol or Kessil.


Golly gee willikers, if you were my kid, I’d smack you silly!


I think I’m having a heart attack!!!!!
 
Brando457

Brando457

Paul,

I am open to suggestions, but I do not like the chinese fixtures so they're out. I saw someone recommend a marineland led I migth check them out.
 
redfishbluefish

redfishbluefish

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Did you see post # 10. Two T8 shop ligthts at $20/pop would light that up real nice, with minimal energy consumption.
 
Brando457

Brando457

redfishbluefish said:
Did you see post # 10. Two T8 shop ligthts at $20/pop would light that up real nice, with minimal energy consumption.
Click to expand...

I prefer something with a little more POP.

I found these wonder if they'd work?

EVO Quad Reef LED Light Fixture 72" - $335.90

http://www.aquatraders.com/EVO-Quad-72-LED-Reef-Bright-TR-p/56265.htm

LEDs Count: 96
12960 Lumens
Super energy efficient 3 watt high output LEDs
76x 10,000K LED
20x Actinic 460nm LED
Use 288 watts

-
BeamsWork 1W Quad 72" LED Light Fixture - $199.90

http://www.aquatraders.com/BeamsWork-HI-LUMEN-LED-Fixture-Quad-1W-72-TR-p/56277.htm

LEDs Count: 112
7500 Lumens
Super energy efficient 1 watt high output LEDs
84x 10,000K LED
28x Actinic 460nm LED
Use 112 watts

-
Green Element EVO Reef LED Light Fixture 72" - $194.90

http://www.aquatraders.com/EVO-72-LED-Reef-Bright-p/56236.htm

LEDs Count: 52
7020 Lumens
Super energy efficient 3 watt high output LEDs
40x 10,000K LED
12x Actinic 460nm LED
Use 156 watts

-

BeamsWork Freshwater Bright LED Light Fixture 36" x - $49.90 each

http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Freshwater-Bright-p/56204.htm

LED Count: 129
600 Lumens
Super energy efficient .06 watt LEDs
121x 10,000K LEDs
8x Actinic 460nm LEDs
Use 9 watts
 
M

mnat

Officer Emeritus
Staff member
Moderator
If you want pop get the ecoexotic stunner strips. You would only need a couple of feet and you can play with the combos for some reds and blues.
 
jgraz

jgraz

Brando457 said:
I prefer something with a little more POP.

I found these wonder if they'd work?

EVO Quad Reef LED Light Fixture 72" - $335.90

http://www.aquatraders.com/EVO-Quad-72-LED-Reef-Bright-TR-p/56265.htm

LEDs Count: 96
12960 Lumens
Super energy efficient 3 watt high output LEDs
76x 10,000K LED
20x Actinic 460nm LED
Use 288 watts

-
BeamsWork 1W Quad 72" LED Light Fixture - $199.90

http://www.aquatraders.com/BeamsWork-HI-LUMEN-LED-Fixture-Quad-1W-72-TR-p/56277.htm

LEDs Count: 112
7500 Lumens
Super energy efficient 1 watt high output LEDs
84x 10,000K LED
28x Actinic 460nm LED
Use 112 watts

-
Green Element EVO Reef LED Light Fixture 72" - $194.90

http://www.aquatraders.com/EVO-72-LED-Reef-Bright-p/56236.htm

LEDs Count: 52
7020 Lumens
Super energy efficient 3 watt high output LEDs
40x 10,000K LED
12x Actinic 460nm LED
Use 156 watts

-

BeamsWork Freshwater Bright LED Light Fixture 36" x - $49.90 each

http://www.aquatraders.com/LED-Freshwater-Bright-p/56204.htm

LED Count: 129
600 Lumens
Super energy efficient .06 watt LEDs
121x 10,000K LEDs
8x Actinic 460nm LEDs
Use 9 watts
Click to expand...

You'd be better off with the Chinese black boxes.
 
NyteGTI

NyteGTI

jgraz said:
You'd be better off with the Chinese black boxes.
Click to expand...

x2 cheap & gets a nice 10-15k+ spectrum if that's what you're looking for. one of them easily lights up my 90 & would have half my tank SPS viable. if you got em and raised it up so 20ish inches you could probably cover the whole tank with wide lenses
 
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