Unlimited budget, what's the best plant light for a 4-5 foot tank?

[StiggyAzalea]

I'm currently being paid to completely redo someone's 80 gallon tank. They're giving me basically an unlimited budget, so I'm taking this as my chance to play with as many fancy toys as possible (within reason). For context, I'm doing a backdrop of val and jungle val, logs with anubias, and a crypt parvo and crypt wendetii green carpet. Should I just go with the fluval light and set up the app for them, or is there cheaper light with comparable/better features. I use wifi timers for cheap nicrew lights myself, but like I said, I wanna play with fancy toys. They aren't opposed to overkill, they bought an fx4 for their single kissing gourami (which I'll be replacing)

[TheSwissAquarist]

On 11/9/2022 at 4:29 PM, StiggyAzalea said:

I'm currently being paid to completely redo someone's 80 gallon tank. They're giving me basically an unlimited budget, so I'm taking this as my chance to play with as many fancy toys as possible (within reason). For context, I'm doing a backdrop of val and jungle val, logs with anubias, and a crypt parvo and crypt wendetii green carpet. Should I just go with the fluval light and set up the app for them, or is there cheaper light with comparable/better features. I use wifi timers for cheap nicrew lights myself, but like I said, I wanna play with fancy toys. They aren't opposed to overkill, they bought an fx4 for their single kissing gourami (which I'll be replacing)

I'm told that Aquarium Co-Op is launching their light soon 😁...apart from that I'd do a Fluval 3.0

[billango]

A similar light to the fluval that I like is the Aquaticlife Edge LED light. The 36 inch is $90 so its a good value in my opinion, but the 48 jumps to $160 on amazon. Seems like the brand/light is pretty unknown, and if there are negative reviews I think it's mostly due to the app, but once I spent an hour or two tuning the app once, I was very pleased with the result and I personally prefer it to my fluval 3.0. I believe it actually has higher wattage than the fluval but I don't remember about the lumens or par. I actually found it easier to tune than the fluval light for having varying colors of light throughout the day (sunset, daytime, sunset, night). It's still not the most refined app in the world, but I was able to get everything how I liked it and don't have to touch any settings anymore. 

[StiggyAzalea]

On 11/9/2022 at 10:53 AM, TheSwissAquarist said:

I'm told that Aquarium Co-Op is launching their light soon 😁...apart from that I'd do a Fluval 3.0

Can't wait for their light unfortunately, otherwise it's the obvious choice if only for the warranty and customer support alone. 

 

On 11/9/2022 at 10:54 AM, billango said:

A similar light to the fluval that I like is the Aquaticlife Edge LED light.

Thanks, I'll check it out

[kahjtheundedicated]

The Kessil Tuna Sun lights are supposed to be pretty amazing

[AllFishNoBrakes]

If money was no object I’d be playing with Kessil lights 

[Biotope Biologist]

I am using ACO’s prototype and it is very nice. Having a dimmer switch means I don’t shock my plants and fish in the morning and evening. Mine is also mounted 3 feet above the tank as I have a riparian setup and I still get full coverage and maximum penetration.

 

Having that been said the Kessil lighting suite is far superior to most on the market. If I had unlimited budget I would be looking at their tuna sun lineup. I’m no photophile but as far as sleek design and truly natural looking lights I have seen nothing come close on the market.

Edited November 9, 2022 by Biotope Biologist

[The endler guy]

id go with kessil, ive heard good things about them. personally id go quantity over quality (more lights over one light) as it helps make it look nice (evenly lit up) 

fun game every time kessil is mentioned in this thread take a shot

[MattyM]

I can't recall the brand, but I thought it was interesting. There's a light that includes a film that you put on the back of the tank, and you can change your background - even make gradient background colors. I think there were also speakers for storm/wave sounds lol - seemed interesting, I don't think I'd hook the speakers up but maybe these folks would like something unique along those lines. 

[tolstoy21]

Unlimited budget you say?

I would get a couple Kessil Tuna Suns!

 

 

[The endler guy]

Personally I wouldn’t burn all the budget on lights, I’d burn all the budget on hard scape, plants, live stock and filtration 

[PerceptivePesce]

On 11/9/2022 at 9:54 AM, billango said:

A similar light to the fluval that I like is the Aquaticlife Edge LED light. The 36 inch is $90 so its a good value in my opinion, but the 48 jumps to $160 on amazon. Seems like the brand/light is pretty unknown, and if there are negative reviews I think it's mostly due to the app, but once I spent an hour or two tuning the app once, I was very pleased with the result and I personally prefer it to my fluval 3.0. I believe it actually has higher wattage than the fluval but I don't remember about the lumens or par. I actually found it easier to tune than the fluval light for having varying colors of light throughout the day (sunset, daytime, sunset, night). It's still not the most refined app in the world, but I was able to get everything how I liked it and don't have to touch any settings anymore. 

I almost bought the aquaticlife RO Buddie, but went with BRS.  Thanks for the light info 👍

[gardenman]

Kessils are a good choice if money is no object. If you visit some of the online ADA specialty stores you can find even more expensive options like the ADA Solar RGB that retails for around $1,000. 

[StiggyAzalea]

On 11/10/2022 at 7:20 AM, Aiden Carter said:

Personally I wouldn’t burn all the budget on lights, I’d burn all the budget on hard scape, plants, live stock and filtration 

Oh trust me, I have just as big a budget for that too. I have no idea what these people do for a living and at this point I'm too afraid to ask

[mynameisnobody]

@tolstoy21 That is pretty incredible. 

@StiggyAzalea I’d either wait for the coop or get a fluval 3.0. Honestly for the plants you listed, even this is overkill. You could go with a stingray and it would easily grow everything you listed. Unlimited budget is tempting, but when does it become spending for the sake of spending. I’d go insane with the fish though. Just my honest opinion. 

Edited November 10, 2022 by Jazz Pizza

[tolstoy21]

@Jazz Pizza One of these days I'm going to make my dream tank and its going to have Kessils!

[Biotope Biologist]

On 11/10/2022 at 7:47 AM, tolstoy21 said:

@Jazz Pizza One of these days I'm going to make my dream tank and its going to have Kessils!

Yeah I was about to buy a kessil a160 for my current tank as I saved money on the whole project. But ACO came through with a cheap AND nice light with a really nice return policy, even for a prototype. They gave me no choice…

 

On 11/10/2022 at 5:29 AM, gardenman said:

Kessils are a good choice if money is no object. If you visit some of the online ADA specialty stores you can find even more expensive options like the ADA Solar RGB that retails for around $1,000. 

ADA is expensive for the sake of being expensive. I really like their products. Especially the amazonia soil, but some things are just outrageous. Their “lowboy” is $700 and it’s just glass. Acrylic maybe I cough up that money, glass, hard pass.

 

@StiggyAzalea sounds like you have good options here. Personally I would look at any thing you can program with a phone or app. People with expensive tastes in my experience like to have their phone be a universal remote.

[eatyourpeas]

Kessil lights are great for large tanks. I considered getting one for my SW but decided against it because it would have been an overkill, since it is a small shallow tank.

Plants will be very happy!

[AndEEss]

I just bought 2x Kessil A360 Tuna Sun for my incoming WaterBox 6025.