3 Lights You Haven't Considered (That You Probably Should)

#ReefTankLighting #AquariumLighting
In this video, I talk you through 3 LED lighting options for your reef tank that you might not have considered. The number one on my list is the best light you've never heard of!
Tanks shown in this video (both on KZbin) belong to:
Mr.Salty’s Reef Tank; and
Ian Rodber
They're awesome, check them out!
Find my best fishy photos on Instagram - search 'Reef Dork'.
A select few great reef buys:
RO filter - amzn.to/2Xsq0KQ
Tunze algae magnet - amzn.to/2YydNku
Tunze frag rack - amzn.to/2XrW4d0
Tunze auto top off - amzn.to/2XrEryR
ATM colony - amzn.to/2YDlMwQ
Digital thermometer - amzn.to/2xy145i
Heating controller - amzn.to/2LDhmlB
Activated carbon - amzn.to/2YtLZO6
Coral glue - amzn.to/2XparDP
ICP test - amzn.to/2XsrZ1M
Rowaphos - amzn.to/2Xqx8m6
Red Sea salt - amzn.to/2XqGxub
Some of these links have an affiliate code - so if you make a purchase, I get a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you!
For any commercial enquiries, please send me a PM, email me at [e-mail], contact me via Instagram or leave a comment below.

[@Dan-lg4ti]

As a reef breeder user, I love the shout-out! My LFS sells them but their HQ is a bike ride from my house. I strongly recommend them.

[@bamseskylling1978]

Solid honest lighting info, and no fan boy talk 💎

[@carminecarlone2869]

That photon v2 looks amazing, love the colors. Great video and very informative.

[@ianscoralreef8265]

Always a good watch 👍

[@ReefDork]

Cheers Ian - hope you're keeping well mate. I'm enjoying your Reef Habitat build series 🙂

[@volteface69]

Merci pour ta vidéo !!! 👍👍👍

[@neilsreefaquarium9530]

The TMC Reef Photons seem to be doing the job in my tank so far 🤞🏽

[@rodster44]

Another low cost option to the Orphek panels are the OR3 bars. They use the same LEDs, but in a cost effective no frills package. They provide great par and coverage and start at $150 a strip. I use 6 over a mixed reef at a height of 14 inches.

[@enzomontini758]

I’ve got 3 TMC V2 illuminair 600 over a 4 ft I could of gone with a 900 or 1200 model but I can control how the light moves over my tank as well as dusk to dawn Effects I haven’t seen many people with these lights there RRP is £289 but second hand there around £80-£100 mines only a softie tank just hope they do the job if I step up to sps 🙃

[@MrHCMSS]

GNC Bluray - another option. Better spread than orphek - passive cooling, IP54 rated. Super efficient with 588 diodes per fixture. :)

[@gethrob20]

I have the evergrow iT5012 on order for my 5ft tank 👍

[@offthescalefishing1380]

I don’t know whether they’re available in the UK, but we have Illumagic blaze x lights here down under. They’re in the same price range as ecotech/AI, but I reckon you get better value for money. Higher output and sofar great SPS growth.

[@gilbert252]

I heard Dana Riddle rated NP K7 V3 par value and shell very well? Would love to see you guys investigate this topic?

[@darylevans5895]

Great video's, finally getting round to setting up my first reef tank this year. It's a 60x40x40 (cm obviously), what would you recommend you light it? I don't have infinite budget and would rather have more left to spend on coral as you suggest. I had a look at what you recommended here, seems like the Evergrow's would be too big, would say 2 Orphek 60cm units or a Kessil 160 be the best option?

[@offthescalefishing1380]

For a small tank like yours I’d look at 2 AI prime HDs.

[@abyankabir1910]

4 minutes ago!!! Hell yeah I’m going to watch it!!!!!

[@jtreth1047]

Gday Alex, i love watching your videos and they got me in to the reefing hobby. I got the 120L you had a While who! It’s ging really well, I was just wondering how often you did water changes on it?

[@ReefDork]

Nice little tank, that. I did about 15% every week 🙂

[@77blacktrip]

Water changes depend on how good your filter system is and how stocked your tank is. I had a 120 and did 25% once a month sometimes longer maybe 5 or 6 weeks and everything was healthy.

[@balto3273]

What pinkish orange coral is that on the right. At 1:26

[@viviansaravanan7531]

I wonder what it would look like to have blue-red panel lights with an intense, green point light source shining through a wavemaker's stream hitting the surface. I bet that would create awesome schlieren.

[@MHoran86]

Thanks for the video, I've seen these lights as well, but will defintely give them another look when building my next tank. Wanted to know if you had a link or way of reaching out to the reefer whose tank you showed off at the end of your video(3:06 til about the end). May seem silly but he has a "Groot" figure in his tank that I was debating using for a cyphastrea to grow over, however when it comes to aquarium ornaments, I've read that alot of them either don't hold up in salt water tanks(paint coming off)or aren't made for them, but sellers sell them for both anyway. Just wondered if he cured it before hand or what steps he took. Since he obviously knows what he's doing, thanks

[@ReefDork]

He certainly knows his stuff - i've bought a few corals off him, lovely tank. Here's his YT channel - kzbin.info/door/4tK_kM5SHrw2vJclfTt8dg

[@andyturner7963]

would this work on a 40 x 42 x 40cm 53L Tank and can you do sunrise and sunset with it or is it just turn on white and turn blue or can it be done automatic i have soft corals

[@ReefDork]

Which light?

[@mohammedfaizbelgami8780]

Hey mate, hope you are doing great. I had quick question on Micmol aqua air g3 900 marine light. What is your opinion on this light. Please let me know ASAP . I appreciate your feedback. Thanks in advance

[@ReefDork]

Never heard of it I'm afraid

[@glenbuyer8738]

Lol kessil and Orphek. There’s a reason not many consider these options, the same reason not many people consider burning piles of cash in their backyard.

[@truereefkeeping6022]

What’s wrong with kessil?

[@ccn5065]

Sadly both the Orphek and Evergrow are never avaiable in my country :( But i got tons of Kessils.

[@rubenhage3273]

Can you set a schedule on the evergow 4ft lights?

[@ReefDork]

Yes you can - the remote is completely controllable so you can control the channels if you like and ramp up and down.

[@tristanlambert2258]

Have you looked at the Philips Coral care? They always seemed to be overlooked..

[@ReefDork]

Yeah, they're more popular in continental Europe than anywhere else. I'm waiting to see what other people think of them, but it's promising to have such a big company moving into our hobby.

[@PazLeBon]

wow, some prices are just silly

[@theamjadjamousable]

Hey man . Any thought on the aquarius from Aqua Medic ?

[@ReefDork]

Never heard of it I'm afraid

[@truereefkeeping6022]

Getting kessil AP9X was the best thing I have ever done for my reef tank

[@user-yh9oy2vz5z]

Yes dude a bit pricey but amazing not a bit very pricey 😅❤️

[@sameerjathar8062]

How many kessils a360x would I need over 150 x 60 x 60 in a lps and softies dominated tank? Thanks

[@ReefDork]

Three, maybe 4. Or two AP700s...

[@sameerjathar8062]

@@ReefDork thanks

[@Name-ot3xw]

The price isn't there for me, but I love the Kessil can-type form factor, really wish some of the black box makers would take note.

[@Name-ot3xw]

@@user-dq3lc5yj9g oh snap, will totally pick one up if I’m in need of spot lighting in the future

[@Ray-wr2wr]

is it Radions best led on the market? all my local reef stores using radions

[@ReefDork]

I personally don't like Radions - they're a very good light, I just don't like the way they make my tank look

[@rubenhage3273]

Used AI Primes are excellent for a nano tank. Bought one used with a gooseneck for £110 for my 20” tank and is growing acro’s at the top 👍

[@ReefSYS]

So where can I buy the Photon V2 in the uk?

[@ReefDork]

www.marinefarm.co.uk/evergrow

[@sunnygoold9449]

Wait did you say 8 XR15s in a 4x2??? I reckon for SPS reef with the Gen5s you'd only need 3 - Reefdudes has 4 on his 6' tank. The new XR15s look to me like they are gonna save reefers heaps of money with the spread and the PAR in the blues is huge - you may be fine with 2 initially on a 4' SPS tank I do really like the look of the Gen5s and many of the lights you listed I do like. Still I think the best combo of style, price and quality is the Stellar with 2 cheap LEDs or 2 Orphek reef bars down the middle - and I'd consider the Stellar with just 1 of the new 360Xs too as they have wide spread on 4ft tank where you'd get most of your Par from the T5s and you could add an extra 360 at a later date

[@ReefDork]

I only mean to achieve the same effect of coverage - purely for PAR, 8 would be total overkill and you'd need to run them at like 20%! But I love the idea of having 100% LED coverage. Nice combos there - my perfect solution on my tank would be 2x AP700s and 2x Orphek blue bars.

[@sunnygoold9449]

@@ReefDork yeah that's a sweet combo - if I had the coin on a 120x80 I'd just get 2xXR30 Gen5 Blues... They'd look super clean over the tank and I think a lot of people are missing that aspect

[@ReefDork]

Good shout - the minimalist look is one of the things LEDs are great for.

[@matthewrudzinski323]

I have an orbit marine Ic loop led, can I grown any sps or lps with it? Also great video 👍

[@ReefDork]

Not a light I've come across I'm afraid so I can't say 🙁

[@TechGuy42ilm]

No you can't they're terrible lights. I'd sell them quickly and buy a better light.

[@Slayyyter_bitxh]

They suck cant even grow soft coral with two

[@matthewrudzinski323]

@@Slayyyter_bitxh fax, had it for like 6 months now cause I can’t afford anything better and my coral started with 3 polyps and ended with 3 polyps.

[@Slayyyter_bitxh]

@@matthewrudzinski323 now I'm looking into some viparspectra or relassy flat lights but the problem is im going to have them super close to the tank so I'm not sure which one is better with spectrum and spread, I can always take the lenses off the vipar.

[@LightSearch]

Can't believe you didn't include the aquamedic angels... I will keep subscribed just because of the wallpaper.

[@acanskywalker5631]

Reef Breeders LEDs are excellent, SPS capable, and inexspensive!

[@MereReef]

Why did you not post my tank on here?? Not good enough heyy??? 😂😂

[@so_so_reef]

Just to say the evergrows and reefbreeder lights are not exactly the same. The evergrows have an extra 400 nm diode in the indigo channel whereas the photons are all 420 (this means the evergrows have a fatter blue peak, a bonus) and the whites are different I believe, with the evergrows sporting 7.5K and the photons a warmer 5.5K. I think the reefbreers also have 480 instead of 470 in the cool blue channel.

[@TheCheapReefer]

T247 LEDs and Vipar spectra best cheap LEDs on the market

[@patient2021]

i think most people just dont buy kessil because you can buy a "chinese black box" LED light that just does a better job for a fraction the cost.

[@JustMyFish]

Kissel far too expensive. If I was to use them on my 6-ft aquarium I would need 4 at over 500 quid each. No thanks

[@kevinkey5270]

Baby Groot makes an appearance at 3:30!

[@Fad00dled]

I got stupid lucky. 4 radion gen 2 for $200!

[@johndin7730]

3:20 I am Groot

[@TheCheapReefer]

Chinese LEDs with SB replacements have done me fine . I run a SPS dom with a lil bit of ACROPORA

[@TechGuy42ilm]

Sb reef is garbage man. That guy is also a huge rude prick. He'll never see a dime of my money ever again

[@WingXJie]

Im from Malaysia, my salary RM 1600 and I bought a AI prime cost me RM 1680. I don't know what you are struggling with...

[@dandano2602]

The only downside to the reef Breeders is that they need to be mounted 13 - 16 inches from the water to get the proper light spread.

[@Slayyyter_bitxh]

These are so expensive 😫

[@karennation3580]

I thought you didint like kessil and got rid of yours

[@ReefDork]

It just wasn't suited to my requirements - if I could afford 3 AP700s for my tank, I'd be Kessil all the way 🙂

[@irishlad7458]

Orphic is realy a posh Chinese black box😂

[@irishlad7458]

I thought this was gonna save me some money there all over priced

[@pblogic007]

Kessel is the only thing other than metal halide that come close to looking natural. Radion looks like rubbish.

[@nnotloc-]

the last light is ridiculous... damn near $1000 CAD for a light, i love my reef and all but no thanks. thats insane. (699 usd - 986 CAD)

[@leomarc634]

Don’t get nicrew I had problems with a hiper reef 150 😡used just 4 months and lost my money

[@billfrater1948]

Budget £1000, Real World mate.

[@TronSAHeroXYZ]

700 dollars for that pos? Get more led's son. 2:37

[@jaydashem8929]

this guy said a 700 dollar light is what he'd get for a "budget" build .....where do you live dubai

[@dardvader6]

I got amazing light from horizon aqua for 170 euros and it works perfect

[@waynewayne9693]

Maybe this isn’t the right hobby for you if you can’t afford proper lighting.

[@richs9633]

They are all Chinese made lol

[@adamprin8393]

Why are you talking like this?