T5 Hybrid LED selection for a budget

[RC51]

Hello guys!

After a few years out of the hobby I'm looking to get back at it. Planning to get a 40 gallon tall tank 35x16x20 inch 42.2. Wanting to make it a mixed reef with SPS and LPS

I have a $250 budget to light my tank. Yes, quite low, but I think it should be enough to build a half decent T5/LED hybrid system.
I can get two 2 bulb fixtures for 30 bucks each, and bulbs for 10 dollars each. That makes the total for T5s 100 bucks (60 dollars for fixtures + 40 dollars bulbs) which leaves 150 bucks for the LED side of the stuff

After reading lots of R2R threads and watching YouTube videos, I've found the following to be the best options:
Noo-Psyche K7 Pro III - $152+shipping. Probably the best option.
ViparSpectra - $160+shipping. Also heard lots of people having success with this fixture.
2x Nicrew 30w - $90 each (incl shipping) so total 180 but can have 2 light sources across the tank.
SmartFarm 95w - $200 (incl shipping) - some people compare this to radions?
Shipping will be a bit expensive as I live in Japan. And yes, I have checked my local markets for second hand fixtures but not too much luck with that so far.

I'm planning to make a custom hanging fixture/bracket/thing to hang the fixtures above the tank.

What do you guys think will be the best option? Appreciate any advice/input!

 

[tzabor10]

The marketplace can have some good deals

 

[jtone_philthy_aquatics]

Hey I’ve personally used the viparspectra/ smatfarm/ and I’m currently using a Noo-Psyche K7 over half of a lowboy frag tank with a radion xr30 g5 covering the other half. my display tank is covered with a radion xr15 g5 blue/ x2 ai primes (1 hd) and (1 hd16) as well as x2 t5 grow light fixtures that run ati bulbs.

I love the Noo-Psyche K7 I get great coloration and growth in my acropora with that fixture. I’ve also managed to get the color spectrum nearly identical in both halves of the lowboy display with that fixture and the radion g5 blue. I’ve actually used t5 grow light fixtures paired with all of these led fixtures at one time or another as well and i definitely recommend pairing any led you choose with some t5’s if possible with the budget. If not right away you could always get a good led fixture and add the t5’s later by dropping the total led output and allowing the corals to acclimate to the change in your lighting setup. I think I would definitely prioritize getting a decent led fixture first rather than the t5’s if I had to choose one over the other initially. At least that way you’ll still have the output needed to keep some sps thriving. Shadowing shouldn’t be a big issue for a while if you start out with frags.

With the viparspectra fixture I wasn’t a fan of the stock color spectrum plus if I’m not mistaken they don’t come with any diodes below 450nm (maybe wrong about that it’s been a while since I’ve used those I just know they didn’t go as low into the blue/uv range as I would have liked) but I opened the fixture and removed certain stock diodes and I installed some true uv diodes and near uv diodes (410nm-405nm-400nm-395nm) also some additional royal blues and some slightly lower temps like (440nm-425nm). I also swapped out the lenses. I can’t remember the specs but I think the best I could find were the 120 degree lenses and I think the stock ones were 90 degrees.

Ik a lot of ppl liked the smatfarm fixtures but I wound up replacing that with the noop. I wanted something that had better controls in terms of scheduling and spectrum which is why I’d recommend the noops. Hopefully more reefers tap into this thread tho because im sure not everyone will agree with this.

 

[oreo54]

Hello guys!

After a few years out of the hobby I'm looking to get back at it. Planning to get a 40 gallon tall tank 35x16x20 inch 42.2. Wanting to make it a mixed reef with SPS and LPS

I have a $250 budget to light my tank. Yes, quite low, but I think it should be enough to build a half decent T5/LED hybrid system.
I can get two 2 bulb fixtures for 30 bucks each, and bulbs for 10 dollars each. That makes the total for T5s 100 bucks (60 dollars for fixtures + 40 dollars bulbs) which leaves 150 bucks for the LED side of the stuff

After reading lots of R2R threads and watching YouTube videos, I've found the following to be the best options:
Noo-Psyche K7 Pro III - $152+shipping. Probably the best option.
ViparSpectra - $160+shipping. Also heard lots of people having success with this fixture.
2x Nicrew 30w - $90 each (incl shipping) so total 180 but can have 2 light sources across the tank.
SmartFarm 95w - $200 (incl shipping) - some people compare this to radions?
Shipping will be a bit expensive as I live in Japan. And yes, I have checked my local markets for second hand fixtures but not too much luck with that so far.

I'm planning to make a custom hanging fixture/bracket/thing to hang the fixtures above the tank.

What do you guys think will be the best option? Appreciate any advice/input!

Well I wouldn't bother with the Nicrew 30's. I'd go right to the more "complete" series.
You can search regarding "reviews" of the 50..
Bit higher priced on the budget end but is more flexible than the Noopsych and Smatfarm..
For one having 2 pucks to move around has its advantages.
A 36" hybrid t5 alone maxes your budget.
You may want to try the led 1st and shop used for the 36" t5 frame.
As to the Vipar.. Keep in mind it is really 110W total with 55-ish in blue 50% in mostly white.
And harsh lensing.
Can't realy say anything really bad historically w/ these lights and your size tank compared to the other choices you listed.
It's just .. fun-ily, kind of old school..
Regardless of the above you should also consider what YOU want it to look like.

If you like blue then find a light that has a higher blue/white ratio so you don't "waste" as many photons by shutting off 35%-ish of the available.
And of course the opposite if you want "white-ish" tank.No sense buying a 70% blue light and dimming that side to 30%....

I "believe" you get much more flexibility with the added controller than the NOTE above.
you can verify with a search.

As to your calculations..
What bulbs are you getting for $10 each?
And I assume you are thinking the not quite the best fit 24" fixtures..
The world outside of "hobbies" is pretty much abandoning most sizes except 24" and 48" t5's..

Suppose I should mention that 100w over 40gal isn't barn burner levels..

 

[RC51]

Well I wouldn't bother with the Nicrew 30's. I'd go right to the more "complete" series.
You can search regarding "reviews" of the 50..
Bit higher priced on the budget end but is more flexible than the Noopsych and Smatfarm..
For one having 2 pucks to move around has its advantages.
A 36" hybrid t5 alone maxes your budget.
You may want to try the led 1st and shop used for the 36" t5 frame.
As to the Vipar.. Keep in mind it is really 110W total with 55-ish in blue 50% in mostly white.
And harsh lensing.
Can't realy say anything really bad historically w/ these lights and your size tank compared to the other choices you listed.
It's just .. fun-ily, kind of old school..
Regardless of the above you should also consider what YOU want it to look like.

If you like blue then find a light that has a higher blue/white ratio so you don't "waste" as many photons by shutting off 35%-ish of the available.
And of course the opposite if you want "white-ish" tank.No sense buying a 70% blue light and dimming that side to 30%....

I "believe" you get much more flexibility with the added controller than the NOTE above.
you can verify with a search.

As to your calculations..
What bulbs are you getting for $10 each?
And I assume you are thinking the not quite the best fit 24" fixtures..
The world outside of "hobbies" is pretty much abandoning most sizes except 24" and 48" t5's..

Suppose I should mention that 100w over 40gal isn't barn burner levels..

Thanks a lot for the very detailed response!

I actually found a pair of hydra 52s near me with a 2 dead UV diodes each for 80 dollars each so I bought them.
Pretty happy considering significantly under my budget and AI is a good brand.

You reckon two AI Hydra 52s are enough for a 90cm long 45cm high tank? Or T5s needed.

About the 10 dollar bulbs, I found a guy on Yahoo Auction (eBay of Japan) selling unused boxes of BG82 (actinic from a Japanese brand)