Marineland Reed Capable LED.

[juston51]

I just purchased this last week for my new 54gal corner bowfront I'm setting up. I'm anxious to see how good this LED is. Does anyone have this light or experience with it?

 

[cr500_af]

I have one on my daughter's nano. I originally put it on my wife's 30g cube, but it is WAY too "streamlined" in output for a tank that is more than about 10" front to back. Her tank is about 18" front to back, and there was basically a light "curtain" right in the middle with a dim front and dim back. It MAY have been acceptable with two of them, one behind the other, but by that point the money was out of scale IMO.

Plus, (again, IMO) there is no excuse for these lights to have a switch to change from blues/all, instead of two cords so it can be controlled.

 

[juston51]

Thanks for the info. Also I have a typo lol. *Reef not Reed*. I hope I won't have to buy another one of these. I was going to buy a HQI but didn't want too much heat transfer.

 

[rbredding]

Juston51;660746 wrote: I just purchased this last week for my new 54gal corner bowfront I'm setting up. I'm anxious to see how good this LED is. Does anyone have this light or experience with it?

lets put it this way...

I've got a 36"-42" Double Bright fixture that I'll sell you so that you can supplement your Reef Capable fixture..

just PM me if you want it..

 

[juston51]

I thought the Reef capable was the upgrade to the double bright?

 

[rbredding]

it is..


(my point is that both of them together MIGHT get the job done and I'll sell you my double bright for $80)

 

[cr500_af]

Amici;660782 wrote: The par chart from Dr. FS shows that its going to put out 130 max par at 12 inches deep dead center. As long as you plan on keeping your low light corals and all of them in the top half of the tank right under the light then you may be able to keep corals alive. To be honest though I wouldnt try anything but softies and only in the top half considering a 54 corner is either 23-24" tall.

Odds are you will have to do some major supplementing. 1w leds will only make it but so far unless there are a crazy amount crammed into a small space.

We checked PAR on my fixture before I bought it. 16" deep tank, filled (but freshwater, FWIW) it made 150 at the bottom and about 275 halfway. I have grown some "easier" SPS under it (about 6" under the surface).

 

[rbredding]

the fresh vs. salt water will make a difference (of course)...

I agree with CR500 (Barry).. anything deeper than 12(ish)" and this fixture just isn't really made for it..

the real issue is that the fixture only casts light on an approximately 6" (maybe 8") swath of tank..


but, as I said above.. if you get yours set up and it's not what you wanted, let me know.. my double bright fixture will definitely help..

 

[cr500_af]

With the right aquascaping, I think it (the narrow swath) could actually be used in a cool way, it will just limit coral placement and the viewing area for the fish.

 

[crew]

I have a 54 corner and I think you will need more light. The 54 is 27 inches front to back (one of the main reasons I got the tank, depth)

 

[juston51]

Thanks so much guys for all the info!!! It should be here Friday. If I don't like the look of it, I'll send it back and try something else. If I have to, I'll just run a single halide fixture with actinics. I'm just worried about the heat it will put out in such a small tank!

Crew: What type of light are you running on your tank and are you housing any corals?

 

[rbredding]

if you go OPEN top design and keep your house mid 70s.. you should be fine with a MH..

 

[jead85]

I keep a 75g with 2x250 mh in a canopy with fans, and a mag 7 pump. Tank stays at 78

 

[juston51]

Thanks guys! If this LED doesn't cut it, I'm going with a MH for sure! And I have a open top canopy so I could suspend the MH above it no problem!