60x36x27 tank lighting options

[Ocelaris]

So the new tank is coming in a few weeks and I'm looking for some ideas. The tank is 60x36x27 (LxWxH) and I already have a 60" 6x80w ati sunpower fixture. I like the growth and color of the t5s, but I think adding a led/t5 fixture would be nice to tune the colors. The problem is that would give me a different color on the front or back. Any suggestions how to use the existing t5 fixture?

I am heavy sps, but the new tank will leave me plenty of space for lps on the sand bed, so another 6x80w fixture would be more than enough.

Thanks in advance!

 

[GBRsouth]

How about centrally positioning your t5's and a row of xr15's or a360we's either side of it?

 

[gcarroll]

Easy solution! How about adding a couple ReefBrite strips to each side of the T5 fixture? Pretty common around here.

 

[Oso]

I've seen a few sunpower fixtures with stainless reefbrites (I think they're the tech ones) mounted front and back. Looks nice, and will give you that led accent you're after.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

Agreed. Use your fixture and add Reef Brites or similar.

 

[Rakie]

double post...

 

[Rakie]

Personally I don't care for reefbrite strips. There's a fundamental flaw with only offering a single color LED, and that's not getting the full spectrum of colors to pop. So if it's only helping SOME spectrums, whats the point?

Here's some photos of what I'm saying.... My photography was worse, so you'll have to excuse the mediocre pix.

Here's my Frag Rack: 6x24 ATI + 1 XHO ReefBrite strip

2x24 + ReefBrite XHO

XHO Only

Notice how all the blue and purple colors just completely disappear and turn black? That's what pure blue lighting does.. IMHO, Orphek has a new item (that I'm anxiously awaiting to see good reviews of) that offers true UV, Violet, and Blue. They also offer Full Spectrum... This is, IMHO, miles ahead of the XHO. The reefbrite is followed like an occult, and honestly only offers a smidgen of whats necessary to see full spectrum "pop".

Blue "POP" alone only works with some color spectrums, because of how colors and our eyes work.

 

[Ocelaris]

Thanks, I am not sure a 13" wide t5 (the 60"x6) of would cover 36" deep with the reef brites. Also for the price they're up there.IIt'd be like 1200$ just for the reef brites!

I think the problem with the existing light is that it covers about half the tank, so if I put it in the middle and leds in the 4 corners, the leds would only have to cover 9". So I'd end up having leds in the front or back. I'm contemplating just going with 3x ap700 front to back and be done with it. These dimensions are frustrating, as 36" and 60" are kind of the ******* children of lighting dimensions.

I also have a 36"x6 t5 fixture that I could mount front to back and then I'd have about 2x 21"x36" to cover. But having shimmer on the outside and flat in the middle doesn't seem very attractive.

I hate to ditch the t5s as they've been a workhorse for me, but I don't have time to build a canopy, and the wife factor is key here too. This is the dream tank, so the wife said to do it right.

 

[Rakie]

You don't need to ditch T5 really. Some people run dual 36" fixtures. There's also the Aquatic Life T5 hybrid, which comes in 60" I believe. WWC Runs 3 Radion XR30 G4 over their 296g gallon and has no issue with SPS or LPS. Their 900g runs only 5 Radions, and it's 10 feet long, 3 or 4 feet wide (front to back). Not say you should or need to switch to Radions -- Just food for thought.

 

[mcarroll]

I think you need to decide how you really feel about you five. If you really like it then I would suggest sticking with it.

Otherwise I would switch to LED instead. Forget the hybrid approach IMO.

Have you ever measured what par or lux you get with your old lights at the water surface?

Since you do like T5, I would suggest looking at current USA's offerings for LED strips. they have options you could add to what you have, but they also have really nice options that could replace what you have.

Two of their Orbit Marine IC Pro packages could do the whole tank, or one Pro package could even be used as supplement to your T5 sys instead of using dumb-strips.

2¢

 

[Ocelaris]

Thanks, I've come up with a couple of ideas from discussing with my friend and everyone's suggestions. The t5 has been very successful growing everything without question, but I miss the shimmer of the metal halide days. Also the 60"x6 fixture has to go, if it's placed in the center, I'd have to cover about 9 inches in front and behind it, and I'd prefer to have the leds more central.

So here's the front runners:

3x ap700 front to back. That should be a good amount of coverage and sleek. The only problem I've heard is they lose sync with schedules and I'd have three.

3x aquatic life 36" fixtures front to back, with 3x a360we or ai prime or xr15. That would give the best spread of t5 and led. 6x is an option, but cost and cord management becomes an issue as it's an open top.

An alternative to the aquatic life fixtures is using my existing 36" x 6 ati sunpower in the middle, but I am leaning towards having three of the same.

I'm still doing my research, but I appreciate all the feedback. I promise to do a build thread at some point closer to the tank arriving.

 

[mcarroll]

Given your preferences for spread, you really should be considering some LED strips among the other options on the table.

GHL and Current make good controllable systems. Current, Hamilton, Reefbrite and others make dumb-strips that are very worth considering as well. As for Current, two of their IC Pro kits (model#4227, four strips total...almost 400 watts) would get the coverage and power you need. I see the 4227 kits going for $330-$350 right now, so <$700 for the whole shebang. Not bad! Cost-wise you'll do even better with dumb-strips...and the functionality will be more what you're used to with the T5's, but you'll have more placement flexibility so coverage could be even better.

As long as you keep the power/intensity and spread at least somewhat similar on the new system, I wouldn't expect major changes from your corals from any of these options or the others mentioned so far.

 

[Ocelaris]

I am now thinking of doing a single aquatic life 60" with two kessil 360we in addition to my existing 6x60" sunpower fixture. I may change out the sunpower fixture eventually for another aquatic life fixture. But that will give me a stepping stone and more cost efficient at the outset.

Any reason to do 3x36" fixtures VS 2x60"? The 3x36" has 12x39w=468w VS 2x60" has 8x80w=640w. The bulb replacement for the 2x60" fixture will be lower cost.

Besides the obvious look difference I can't think of a good reason to have 3 fixture instead of two.

I like the idea of the kessil 360 being controllable by the Apex, just makes it more reliable long term. The light bar isn't as attractive a solution for me, as I need a lot of light, not just supplemental, so a new fixture makes more sense at this point.

 

[Z3speed4me]

Also note that the aquatic life fixtures have extended brackets available as an option, they are 24” instead of the standard 16/18 (I forget which)

 

[jda]

60x36 footprint and heavy SPS is screaming 3x MH on larger reflectors with some T5 actinic on the edges. Reflectors are your friend on larger tanks. 750w of MH and maybe 200w of T5s if you want some dusk/dawn.

If not, I would do a pair of 8x80s or 6x80s and cover the whole top with tubes like you see some of those wide Euro tanks.

 

[Ocelaris]

Thanks, I have a heat problem in the basement, so metal halide is out. I loved my mh on my first tank, hence the desire for leds. Wife called my bluff on the high end, so I'm looking now at a power module 48" on sale from a local person, or the second t5/led combo aquatic life fixture.

 

[PlanktonB]

Maybe I’m crazy but yea......

 

[Ocelaris]

holy cow, that's a ton of light... is that a 250DD? or 300DD? The wife had a heart attack with proposed plan A, so I'm now shooting for something in the middle.

 

[OriginalUserName]

I am now thinking of doing a single aquatic life 60" with two kessil 360we in addition to my existing 6x60" sunpower fixture. I may change out the sunpower fixture eventually for another aquatic life fixture. But that will give me a stepping stone and more cost efficient at the outset.

Any reason to do 3x36" fixtures VS 2x60"? The 3x36" has 12x39w=468w VS 2x60" has 8x80w=640w. The bulb replacement for the 2x60" fixture will be lower cost.

Besides the obvious look difference I can't think of a good reason to have 3 fixture instead of two.

I like the idea of the kessil 360 being controllable by the Apex, just makes it more reliable long term. The light bar isn't as attractive a solution for me, as I need a lot of light, not just supplemental, so a new fixture makes more sense at this point.

Why add the aquatic life if you are keeping your sunpower? Since you already have a nice T5 fixture why not just add the Kessils in front/behind the sunpower?

 

[Ocelaris]

Well, the Sunpower is only a 6 bulb fixture, so at 13", maybe I could get 20-24" coverage with it, but that leaves another 12", so it would be all T5 in the back and all LED in the front. So I was hoping to get a little bit of both worlds and blend. But I'm just not sure how well the fixtures would blend if I picked up 3x a360we over 36"? I'm thinking the Kessils at best would give a 18" coverage, which would overlap in the middle.