Lighting upgrade

[guppy slayer]

Hello all,
I have a 50 gallon acrylic tank, it's been established for about 10 years. Currently have 36 inch compact flourescent bulbs, one 10K and one 50/50, both 65 watts. Currently the only inhabitants in the tank is about 50 lbs. of live rock, about a 2 to 3 inch sand bed and about a dozen snails and whatever pods ad worms there are, plus one Jewel anemone. I did have fish, but I lost them all a month ago.
I think I want to change the lighting to LED's. I'm thinking of going reef with the tank, not sure yet what I wil put in it yet.
LED's a good idea??
I don't want to build anything, but I do like the idea of the expandable type although I do not want the additonal power cords for each expandable strip.

 

[mr. limpid]

Look into the fixtures at Reef Breeders, you cant beat the price. Sweatervest13 has these fixture.

 

[jstdv8]

I'll be recieving my reefbreeders photons in a couple more weeks

 

[guppy slayer]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Limpid http:///t/395364/lighting-upgrade#post_3519997
Look into the fixtures at Reef Breeders, you cant beat the price. Sweatervest13 has these fixture.
Thanks for the info, I wil check them out.

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstdv8 http:///t/395364/lighting-upgrade#post_3520020
I'll be recieving my reefbreeders photons in a couple more weeks

Nice. What size did you go with?? Did you do a custom layout?

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guppy Slayer http:///t/395364/lighting-upgrade#post_3520095
Thanks for the info, I wil check them out.
I have been pretty happy with mine so far. They are worth checking out.
So far, they have kept everything. I have have not had great success with some SPS, but I think that is more having to do with my inconsistent Alk, calc, and magn levels not the lights. I have a few that are going nuts with the new lights, like my Monti's and a couple of acro's. Every non SPS coral is growing very nicely with the reefbreeder fixtures.

 

[jstdv8]

I got 2 16" photons with 90 degree optics, standard layout. I figured Id see if i liked it the way it comes and change things out if I need to, the individual parts are cheap for customization.

 

[sweatervest13]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jstdv8 http:///t/395364/lighting-upgrade#post_3520116
I got 2 16" photons with 90 degree optics, standard layout. I figured Id see if i liked it the way it comes and change things out if I need to, the individual parts are cheap for customization.
NICE!!! I think you will like them. I did standard layout as well, with the 90 degree's.
I found about 9-10" off the surface of the water gives good spread, and helps reduce spotlighting. Post up some pics when you get them in. I had them include a few diodes of each color just in case. Everyone says that they are super easy to work on.