Light Shopping for 75g

[postie]

So I've been out of the hobby for about 16 years. A lot has changed. I'm about to finish cycling a 75g that will be a mixed reef, 3 or 4 fish, kind of thing. Need lighting recommendations primarily for softies and lps.
Looking at Ai Prime 16 (3 of them), Viparspectra 165w (Amazon blue-light special) 2 of them, or "maybe" t5 fixture, tho I'm not too keen on bulb changing. (I also know nothing about the life of LED fixtures).
Any advice helpful as I don't want to buy lights over and over again due to mistake buying. Also on a budget, so looking mid-priced range.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

go with the viparspectra, plenty of discussion on that in the past months here in general forum. T5s take up too much electricity and bulb replacement costs.

 

[postie]

So I made a list. How does one decide?
Ai hydra 32 maybe over budget
Ai Prime 16
Nicrew 150w
Viparspectra
USA Orbit Marine
PopBloom
Kessil (over budget)
Others?

I like the mounting arms of some of these as opposed to holes in my ceiling.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

remove the nicrew from your list, that's for freshwater, too much white, not enough blue, if I'm thinking of the same fixture.
I personally go with best bang for the buck, budget, but quality, in that vein, from low to higher price, would be
1 viparspectra 165W x 2 (there is also the double length for a little more x 1 (I think 300W))
2 Ocean Revive T257 120 W x 2 (same manufacture/ components as viparspectra, wider spread)
3 SBreeflights the 35" 350W x 1, ($310)

I have no experience with the other models you listed.
Here's a link to the other discussion
Need Led light (manhattanreefs.com)

 

[ReefnQueens]

Sup man welcome back what’s the dimensions of your 75 gallon

 

[Timbo]

2x viparspectra would work fine if higher end is out of budget. I run 3 on 125g mixed reef and have no complaints as far as growth and color.

Upgraded to Kessil on new display and would recommend if you can get to that price point.

 

[postie]

Sup man welcome back what’s the dimensions of your 75 gallon

48 x 18 x 21.

 

[postie]

2x viparspectra would work fine if higher end is out of budget. I run 3 on 125g mixed reef and have no complaints as far as growth and color.

Upgraded to Kessil on new display and would recommend if you can get to that price point.

I've had several recommendations for those Viparspectras and I'm seriously considering them now.

 

[homegrowncichlid]

do it, easy to buy, easy to maintain, easy to get replacement parts.

 

[Timbo]

I've had several recommendations for those Viparspectras and I'm seriously considering them now.

Here are older pics from my 120g when first set up with 3 of them.

 

[Salted]

I have the same setup as you and have been having good luck with this; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G67YMRN/?tag=reefs04-20

 

[A4edwin]

Kessil

 

[Kworker]

Stirring the pot..

I just went back to 2x175w Metal halides on my primarily softy tank.

metal halides FTW, Id recommend T5 over LED.

 

[Timbo]

Stirring the pot..

I just went back to 2x175w Metal halides on my primarily softy tank.

metal halides FTW, Id recommend T5 over LED.

I very much considered going back to MH on my new display but did settle on Kessil and I have to say the shimmer is amazing, vast programming, minimal heat, and less power consumption has made that decision a good one for me.

But you can’t go wrong with MH for sure.

 

[A4edwin]

I very much considered going back to MH on my new display but did settle on Kessil and I have to say the shimmer is amazing, vast programming, minimal heat, and less power consumption has made that decision a good one for me.

But you can’t go wrong with MH for sure.

Pics!!

 

[Fragmented]

Look at reefbreeders

 

[CMD_2020]

Nicrew all the way...looks exactly like radions w/o the bells and whistles. And it super cheap