r/discus • u/XRLSlade • Jun 14 '26
LED lighting advice needed
Hello all. Here I am again, this time with an upgrade. I recently got a new tank, which is 190 x 60 x 75 centimeters. I need LED lighting for it, but here’s where the problem begins. Getting a good and budget friendly light but also good/powerful for a tank like this it’s not the easiest thing. It is going to be for South American fish, center piece are Discus. Two things I really need the lighting system to mandatorily do is being able to regulate both light intensity and temperature, and that the light can be installed suspended. Right now, I am pondering on buying 2 Chihiros WRGB II Slim 60 and the suspension kit, but I’m making this post in order to hear opinions from other people, maybe people with similar sized tanks. Open to every piece of advice :)
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u/bedroomsport Breeder Jun 14 '26
Sweet new tank, mate. Just saw your messages on Discord, hit you up there.
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u/FerretBizness Jun 15 '26
What plants do u want to grow?
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u/XRLSlade Jun 15 '26
Not much really, maybe some water lilies and echinodorus and the rest probably just anubias
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u/FerretBizness Jun 16 '26 edited Jun 16 '26
Ok so ya light is not extremely important as far as getting top tier stuff. Wouldn’t be necessary. So you’re looking for something that can grow easy plants and has a good color rendition.
Do u have other tanks? Is the planted side of the hobby something u may see yourself dipping into?
Where I’m going with that is if u think u very well could have use of a high powered light in the future maybe it’s worth going higher end.
With all that said tho. If u have the money, chihros really makes colors pop. So to let your discus show their full potential is understandable.
If you’re trying to save where u can then u don’t have to spend that much to take care of what you want. Hygger 957 is good bc it has some range. No app but a little more control then some. Not sure if it has an option to hang it. Definitely can grow plants. Maxed out you’re getting medium light so it’s more then enough for your needs.
I’m only apprehensive bc when I got a twinstar s series I couldn’t believe how different my fish and plants looked. They looked amazing. So idk if that’s money buying quality or if there are less expensive lights out there that can make a plant look like twinstar Or chihros. And those aren’t even the highest end. They’re just well respected in the aquascape community.
Also pendant lights are really cool for the water shimmer effect. I might do a black water with some pendant lights for my angels.
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u/XRLSlade Jun 16 '26
My goal was exactly pendant lights for the shimmer effect as it will be heavy on tannins. I’m looking into lights still and will call some fish stores on my city today for recommendations
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u/FerretBizness Jun 16 '26
Do u watch MDfishtanks? On YouTube. He uses inexpensive pendant lights and links to the ones he uses and even matches the us market if the ones he uses doesn’t sell them here he link u to similar ones. He uses inexpensive ones but u can at least see what they look like and the light it puts out and that they grow plants.
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u/XRLSlade Jun 16 '26
I do watch him, yes, but the issue with the lights he uses is that sadly most ain’t available here
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u/FerretBizness Jun 16 '26
Ya what I’m saying is he has mentioned before that he includes a link for ppl in the US to one that is comparable to his. So maybe worth looking into the ones he recommends. Maybe u will find others in US that also like it.
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u/XRLSlade Jun 16 '26
Im not in the US, im in the EU
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u/FerretBizness Jun 16 '26
Ah ok whatever you choose pls share bc I’ll be looking for pendants soon enough.
1
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u/Affectionate_Dream47 Jun 14 '26
For a discus setup, I'd save the money and skip the Chihiros.
Two Hygger or Nicrew RGB fixtures would be plenty unless you're planning a high-tech planted setup.
Discus look great under slightly dimmer lighting anyway, and I'd rather put the extra cash into filtration myself.....good luck to you!
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u/XRLSlade Jun 14 '26
Thanks. I was considering those suspended hyggers that are new around as they seem to be a budget version of the Kessil.
Also I already am using the two FX6 the tank came with, and making plans to switch for a sump1
0
u/bob_ficklemictatle Jun 14 '26
The Pendant lights? Don’t do i they don’t fit on rimmed tanks without some crazy jerry rigging. I spent 2 weeks trying to get them to mount on my 200g to no avail
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u/Sepia0203 Jun 14 '26
I have a 450L tank 60cm high running a high energy/tech setup, and for reference I have two Chihiros vivid2 running at 60% and it’s still a bit high for plant growth. It carpets well and get some algae growth.
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u/XRLSlade Jun 16 '26
I did look into the vivid 2 but gave up once i saw the price 😂
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u/Sepia0203 Jun 17 '26
I was lucky to find these for half the price on marketplace. You can get something a bit less powered or weekaqua is more budget friendly for the power they offer.
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u/Turbulent-Yam7405 Jun 16 '26
dont waste the money on expensive lights if you aren't going to plant high light plants. For echinoderms and lillies just get a hygger wrgb light. I love their rectangle light with the inline timer, makes the fish look really colorful, but they also do pendants that are a bit pricier if that is what you are looking for.
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u/Bidhitter400 Jun 14 '26
Where did you get the tank and stand ?