Reef Brite 72" 50/50 XHO LED Strip Light

The Reef Brite XHO (Xtreme High Output) series occupies a specific and well-understood role in reef lighting: maximum LED density in a low-profile strip format. At 12 LEDs per foot, each driven at roughly 50% of their 3-watt rating, the XHO delivers usable PAR without the thermal stress of pushing diodes to their limits. The 50/50 variant combines white daylight and actinic blue LEDs in a proprietary ratio developed to bring shimmer and color pop to mixed-reef systems without skewing too warm or too blue.

This 72" bar works as a standalone primary light over larger tanks, but it also integrates cleanly into hybrid setups. Reef Brite XHO bars are a go-to supplement for ATI T5 fixtures in particular — the mounting brackets snap onto ATI end plates without additional hardware, making the retrofit straightforward. For non-ATI fixtures, Reef Brite's mounting legs and hanging brackets (sold separately) cover most installation scenarios, and up to five XHO bars can be ganged together on the hanging bracket system to form a complete custom fixture.

The XHO series is worth distinguishing from Reef Brite's Tech LED line. Tech bars run approximately 6 LEDs per foot and are better suited for supplemental roles. The XHO, with double the LED density, is the appropriate choice when the strip needs to carry primary lighting duties or when meaningful PAR contribution is required alongside existing T5 or halide sources.

Setup considerations for the 72" length are straightforward: the unit ships with a power supply and integrated T5-compatible mounting brackets. The power cord exceeds 6 feet, which provides adequate reach in most canopy and pendant configurations. Hobbyists planning a multi-bar build should account for separate power supplies per unit and verify their controller or timer can handle the combined load.