Question
I have seen good reviews for LED lighting for aquariums, with people mentioning they use them for saltwater. Do they generate enough of the right light for happy live rock and whatnot?
One I am thinking about getting in particular is the "Wave-point Super Blue and DaylightMicro Sun LED High Output Clamp Light". I have used expensive/loud/hot aquarium lighting for so long, that I am having trouble trusting these LED fixtures.
Tanks specifics: (even though i really was just curious about the general concept of LED for marine tanks)
I have a 20 gallon tank with 2 clowns and a 6 line wrasse pretty much filled to the brim with live rock. No corals, besides a couple little ones that i dont care about, or any inverts.
Answer
Yes, LED's can support thriving reef and fish-only saltwater tanks. Just like with traditional lighting, there are a ton of factors; including the type and quality of the LED, the color spectrum, LED lenses, the total output, and the specific requirements of the livestock.
If you're looking for reef quality lighting, it's going to be at the upper end of output and cost. The fixtures you listed are likely insufficient for most reef lighting, except for possibly very small, pico-size tanks. For FOWLR lighting, these could very well be suitable depending on the tank size.
Edit. So based on your tank specs, these would probably be fine for it. They may support very low demanding coral, but if your plan is primarily just for lighting the tank with fish and inverts only, they should be fine.
Answered By - Jestep