Looking for Answers about Marineland Reef Capable LED Lighting System NOW with Integrated Timer.?

ron,
ihave lps( frogspawn multiple types,hammers and red open brains) with condys in my tank and everything is growing and thriving. the depth of my tank is 24". even on the very bottom there are numerous zooanthids and mushrooms thriving. the lps sit about half way (approx 12- 18") from light source. im also looking to purchase a new 24-36 reef led with the timer for a new 56gallontank that is also 24" deep. good luck.

Hello, from personal experience- generally speaking, on a large tank that is over 18 inches deep- usually not. However, on your 55 gallon, it depends upon where the anenome is located, if high in the tank - maybe.

Anenomes require a great amount of light to thrive, more often then not, more then most coral species require.

However, multiple units could work quite well.

I run with a combination of halides and the Marineland 48-60" LED fixture over my 165 gallon reef tank (32 inches deep) and it works very very well. I have 3 BBT's and a very large Carpet anenome. It also adds a lot of shimmer to the tank, which I like, and so do my critters. It also allows me to gradually ramp up the light intensity ( I use a Digital Aquatics aquarium controller), this also has allowed me to cut the halide use to nearly half of what it was before the addition of the LED fixture. My present halides are 3 x 150, which previously I had to use 2x 400 watt hallides with four 54 watt T-5's - so:

Previous lighting: 1016 watts and lots of heat.

Present lighting: 520 watts that is on a day/lunar cycle and actually lights the tank better due to better light spread.

This equates to no chiller required now, and less power consumed- there by a substantial savings in energy consumed.

Hope this helps.

A few things come to mind- first water quality- have you tested your aquariums water?

Secondly, plants require a different light specturm then most aquatic critters, Adding a red LED light source (or a t5 bulb(s) of the correct color spectrum should really help.

As well, 12 hrs should be about right- the goal is to mimic the plant (or critters) natural enviroment as closely as possible- read up on what your particular aquariums environental requirements are- this should greatly help you with a sucessful system.

Hello, yes these can be connected together - sort of:

If you look at the ends of each fixture you will notice that they use a metal wire that acts as the stand for the light fixture, you can do either one of two things:

pull the stands out of the light- they are simple heavy gage coated wire.

cut one of your existing stands to 4- 6 inches of straight wire (twice for two straight pieces) then insert these into each hole in the fixture- there by connecting them togther. Or, alternatively you can buy the same diameter wire in the length I stated above and do the same thing. (then you do not need to cut anything).

mind you this is still two LED light fixtures - just simply joined together. you will still have two switches - ect.

BTW, Marineland should sell these as a kit (hint hint :) ) As long as I get credit for the idea.

I do not know if this would void any warranty but it works very well.