What would be a alternative to using metal halides for a reef ???

hawkfish203

hawkfish203

Member
I currently Have a 75G with a coralife compact on it. All I have right now are a couple zoa's and a couple mushrooms. And I was wondering if there was a alternative to buying metal halides for a reef. Thanks
 
hawkfish203

hawkfish203

Member
What about powerbrites? T5 are just as good as the metal halides? And if I got some T5HO would I leave the compact on there too?
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I know nothing about powerbrites....I do know there are a lot of people that keep successful reef tanks with T5HO lighting
 
I think for your size tank, you may need an 8 light set up....make sure they have good individual reflectors
 
there are a lot of people here who could guide you on this better then I can...
 
rickyh24

rickyh24

Member
I have a 4 bulb ATI fixture on my 65. Seems to be going great as of now. I just started with SPS though.
 
2quills

2quills

Well-Known Member
I was thinking more along the lines of a DIY set up since it would be cheaper. In order for it to be an alternative to MH's they will need to be high power 3w LED's. The 1w LED strips that you'd normaly find such as the Ecoxotic Stunners are more for supplimental lighting to enhance color...they don't do anything for growth. However I think if you check out the Ecoxotic Par38 lights...those may be more along the lines of what you're looking for.
 
wangotango

wangotango

Active Member
The PAR38s don't have very wide coverage, so you're going to need a lot more than two for a 75gal tank.
 
There are a lot of very informative LED threads on the "other big forum" that you should check out.
 
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