Lighting Advice For a 40 Breeder

Triggerdood

Triggerdood

Active member
I am looking for an upgrade on my 40 breeder. I currently have a Coralife 192 watt power compact. I would like something more cost efficient and better looking. Tired of replacing the pc bulbs and the fans on my fixture are loud. I was thinking ho t5's? I would like to stay away from led's. Thanks in advance for everyone's advice.
 
then t5 are way to go only leaves couple options t5 halide halide prob cost more on elec bill can play with colors alot more on the t5 as well
 
My first concern is you want cost efficient but dont want LED. There is no other lighting technology that performs as well as, and uses less energy doing so than an LED lighting system. A T5 / MH light system for a 40 breeder is going to cost you as much or more up front for the tank (unless you get a good deal used, but well, used is not new). You are also in for additional sets of bulbs for T5 between 6-8 months to 1-1.5 years depending on the corals you want to keep, and a minimum of 6 bulbs on a 40 breeder at like $30+ per bulb costs a lot as time goes on. MH, if you get a dual lamp fixture and run a pair of 250w bulbs, you are spending less on bulbs each time you need to change but burning 500w of energy to power the bulbs, not to mention the heat. I dont want to sound like an LED salesman, but you need to rethink your position on LED lighting based on your "needs" as you are asking for help in selecting a better light....
 
Ok. Sounds like led's are the way to go. Would one 36 inch strip be enough? I have been in the fish keeping hobby for years, but I am new to the reef keeping. It's a little confusing with all the lighting options. Any recommendations?
 
40 breeder is an odd size tank, being 36". What is your realistic budget, that would help much more with recommending a lighting solution.
 
At the moment, I don't have a whole lot to spend on lighting. I work construction and my season is soon coming to an end. It's about time for me to replace both lights on my pc and the cheapest I found them for is 40 bucks a piece. I figured for 80 bucks plus tax, I may just look to go in another direction. The guys at Tropiquatics in Lombard recommended a 3 foot led strip with power supply. That would run me 160 total. I could probably swing that but not much more.
 
Honestly, I would just get a new set of bulbs now for $80 and set the other $80 on the side for now as if it was already spent. Ride out with the PC lighting until spring/summer next year and see where the LED technology is heading at that time. The $80 spent now will probably pay itself off in the price drop of the newer fixtures coming out since companies are starting to compete with each other thru price wars.
 
ADOGG80 said:
At the moment, I don't have a whole lot to spend on lighting. I work construction and my season is soon coming to an end. It's about time for me to replace both lights on my pc and the cheapest I found them for is 40 bucks a piece. I figured for 80 bucks plus tax, I may just look to go in another direction. The guys at Tropiquatics in Lombard recommended a 3 foot led strip with power supply. That would run me 160 total. I could probably swing that but not much more.
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first off, i was a big fan of tropi-quatics, but please do not buy those POS 1w chinese (inquire about those strips, they don't tell you any specific info like a manufacturer, ect..) LED strips they sell. they are cheaply made (no actual heatsink) and if you look at the tanks they are on they just aren't too bright. especially compared to their tanks (the ones to the left of the live rock tanks) that have a 250 MH and a 36 3w LED DIY kit.

aside from your price range, the next most important question is what do you want in your tank? fish only, that cheap lightstrip will work. soft corals you'll probably be okay LPS corals, doubtful but possibly with high placement. SPS corals, you will have a nice selection of skeletons soon.

similar with T5 bulbs, but you will run into the problem you have now with annual bulb replacements and costs. 2 T5s will be fine for fish and soft corals. 4 would be good enough for softies and some LPS, while 6-8 would get you pretty much anything you wanted to grow as well as a very balanced color spectrum.

you might be able to ebay a cheap(ish) 4 bulb T5, but the more bulbs you are running the more yearly costs you bring yourself.

imo short term thinking, a 4 bulb T5 setup will get you growing a nice LPS and softy dominated reef, but it will cost you more in bulbs and electricity n the long run.
now long term thinking, spend a little bit more now with quality 3w LEDs and you will be able to grow SPS while saving $80+ a year in bulbs and who knows how much $ in electricity. imo the 2 things that should not be skimped on are protein skimmers and lighting because you will end up spending more in the long run replacing the cheap stuff.
 
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