Help choosing a light

[Becca]

We're going to need a new light for the 210 at some point in the near-ish future. Since funds are tight, options are limited.

I've narrowed it down to these two:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LF ... LUTFSIU1LH

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01FV ... LUTFSIU1LH

Which does everyone think would be best, and why?

Is there something comparable in price that you'd recommend over either of these? We grow lower-light plants in the tank and, back when we had some working Finnex planted lights on the tank it grew some nice swords, staurogyne bihar, ludwidgia, lilies, etc. These days, not much is growing well, and the only light still working on it is a VERY old original-series Beamswork.

[sukrol]

If you're talking about 210Gal, neither one of them will give you much more than viewing light. Specially at substrate level.

[Becca]

If you're talking about 210Gal, neither one of them will give you much more than viewing light. Specially at substrate level.

But I'd take a gander that either will be better than what I'm currently working with, right?

[sukrol]

But I'd take a gander that either will be better than what I'm currently working with, right?

Probably, if you're looking for more PAR Beamsworks makes a 3W LED version. But at that point you might as well go to T5HO.

Maybe Kris will sell you some Kessils?

If money is the issue, this is what I would get:
https://www.amazon.com/Grow-Co-Fluoresc ... lamp&psc=1

[Becca]

But I'd take a gander that either will be better than what I'm currently working with, right?

Probably, if you're looking for more PAR Beamsworks makes a 3W LED version. But at that point you might as well go to T5HO.

Maybe Kris will sell you some Kessils?

If money is the issue, this is what I would get:
https://www.amazon.com/Grow-Co-Fluoresc ... lamp&psc=1

Will a 4 foot be enough to light a 6-foot tank? We like the LEDs because they run pretty cool. When we had the oldschool beamswork and 2 36" finnex rgb planted lights on the tank (I guess it might've been a 150 back then- same height but not is deep) it grew lots of low-medium light/easy plants that got taller pretty well. I was looking back at old pictures and realized just how much different it used to look.

[Becca]

If anyone has any of these lights that I could borrow to try out, let me know .

[FishEggs]

If you want full coverage over the tank you can link 3 of these together.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00WDJFQU ... row+lights

[FishEggs]

I have 4 t5ho bulbs over my 220g and the crypt and vals do fine. I custom built mine though so it's stretched to cover the 6ft. So the middle 2ft section has overlap of 4 bulbs but on the 2ft end sections it only has 2 bulbs.

[Becca]

Any other input?

[Cristy Keister]

It depends on whether you want to spend more now for LEDs, or a lot more in the long run on T5HO bulbs.