Lighting upgrade

[WiggyH]

Hi all knowledgeable people.
I have upgraded from my 60cm Love Fish aquarium, with lid, to a 80cm x 35cm x 40cm rimless braceless set up.
Old tank was lit with a Fluval 3.0 plant light which has done well with my epiphyte and crypt layout, but always struggled with carpeting. Eleocharis mini, marsilea hirsuta and Monte carlo, all failed to taken on.
The unit is filtered with Oasebiomaster and has Co2 in line diffusion. Using tropica nutrition.
I'm looking to continue with mainly cryptocoryne, moss, buce and anubias species, but now including Eleocharis montevidensis and lotus plants as features, then hygrophila pinatifida growing partially as epiphyte but with the aim that it grows emersed, following the hardscape out of the water.
I need to upgrade my lighting and have been tempted by the chihiros range as it appears many have good results.
I'm conscious of budget so I was looking at the Wrgb Pro 60, to save the money from the 80cm version.
Any ideas of other alternatives, or do you think I will get good results from the 60cm light on my 80cm tank.
Thanks for your time.

 

[DeadFish]

The 60cm will be fine, but you might want to suspend the light a few cm for better coverage. Weekaqua has great lights - they're essentially chihiros but a bit cheaper. The WA Pandora P600 would work up to even a 90cm tank. Not sure how accessible they are in the UK, however.

Chihiros claims that the Vivid Mini is fit for up to 60cm, but I would put money on it that it would perform on an 80cm if raised enough. Not sure that that is a rabbit hole you'd want to go down as its safer and probably the same price to do a proper 80cm light.

It's a shame they don't make the WRGB in an 80cm variant.

Edit: The WRGBII Pro 60cm will 100% work for the 80cm. However, one lesson I have learned after 10 years (and still fall victim to) is buy once, cry once. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to save $60 by buying cheaper and lost $200 in the end. If you ever think you might go to a 90cm tank, I would get the 80cm. It would be perfect over the 90cm as well. I'm also a fan of a light that doesn't completely extend to the edges of the tank. Just a word of caution.

 

[Bradders]

However, one lesson I have learned after 10 years (and still fall victim to) is buy once, cry once. I can't tell you how many times I have tried to save $60 by buying cheaper and lost $200 in the end.

Complete agree with that. In my case if was with AV equipment as well - should have just paid up for the quality, and ultimately saved myself a lot of money.