Additional Lighting Ideas for SPS/Mixed Reef

[Wandering Albatross]

Wish it was a good morning all, after several struggles with SPS, even with stable parameters, no coral pickers, and plenty of feeding, the only thing I could think of as the issue was lighting, so I got a par reader off amazon to test it. Turns out, these lights I paid a pretty penny for, that were supposed to be able to support reefs, barely give me 115 par at the top of my rockwork, with lights cranked up to blues/violets 100%, white 65%, red and green 50%. (x2 Nicrew hyperreef gen 2 200w) Very frustrating. They are on the arm mounts they came with, which sets them roughly 12" off the surface, and about 20" from the top of the rocks. They can't go lower with the arm mounts without the bottom half of the arm being in the water, and I wasn't sure if they'd rust out and poison the tank. Do I need to DIY a bracket to get them closer to the surface? Can I add more to these or will I need to replace the whole thing? My guess is unfortunately I just need more light. Would like something slightly affordable, since I already dropped a chunk of change on these two. I was thinking a t5 setup, but not all of them come with the mounting hardware. Looked at a quanta helix 4 bar combo too. Rock is centered and has a 4-6" wide sand bar around all sides. Tank 5ft, aquascape close to 4ft. I'm looking to grow SPS dominant, with some LPS and softies farther down towards the sand. Anyone have recommendations?

 

[X-37B]

Can we get a pic?

 

[PPBlimpy]

I am sorry to hear this. I keep hearing good things about these lights about 2 weeks. Buddy just bought 2 for his 120G replacing visparspectras. I hope this isn't the case becasue he is having die off issues with his corals.

I have only used a g1 100w over my refugium.

 

[X-37B]

Wish it was a good morning all, after several struggles with SPS, even with stable parameters, no coral pickers, and plenty of feeding, the only thing I could think of as the issue was lighting, so I got a par reader off amazon to test it. Turns out, these lights I paid a pretty penny for, that were supposed to be able to support reefs, barely give me 115 par at the top of my rockwork, with lights cranked up to blues/violets 100%, white 65%, red and green 50%. (x2 Nicrew hyperreef gen 2 200w) Very frustrating. They are on the arm mounts they came with, which sets them roughly 12" off the surface, and about 20" from the top of the rocks. They can't go lower with the arm mounts without the bottom half of the arm being in the water, and I wasn't sure if they'd rust out and poison the tank. Do I need to DIY a bracket to get them closer to the surface? Can I add more to these or will I need to replace the whole thing? My guess is unfortunately I just need more light. Would like something slightly affordable, since I already dropped a chunk of change on these two. I was thinking a t5 setup, but not all of them come with the mounting hardware. Looked at a quanta helix 4 bar combo too. Rock is centered and has a 4-6" wide sand bar around all sides. Tank 5ft, aquascape close to 4ft. I'm looking to grow SPS dominant, with some LPS and softies farther down towards the sand. Anyone have recommendations?

Meridian 35 if you have the change. A Used photon 48 or 50 is all you need and can be found for a decent price.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Can we get a pic?

Don’t mind the algae, we’re currently engaged in trench warfare.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I am sorry to hear this. I keep hearing good things about these lights about 2 weeks. Buddy just bought 2 for his 120G replacing visparspectras. I hope this isn't the case becasue he is having die off issues with his corals.

I have only used a g1 100w over my refugium.

I kept losing sps and thought if was a parameter issue. I got the par meter to rule out light, only to see that’s a huge problem. These lights were sold as designed for packed reefs and supposed to cover a 36x36 area.

 

[PPBlimpy]

I can not image a single fixture like that covering a 36x36 area and getting good par.
120* lense is to wide in my opinion for LEDs

What happens if you move them closer together? It should go up. Let the light taper on the edges where there is no rock work. if that works and brings numbers up you may have to buy a third one, but better then buying an all new light system

What par meter is it? Do you have a way to measure the wattage running thru them? Curious if they are actually 200w as advertised.

You may need to bring your rock work up higher also

I run noopsyches above my tank. Been very happy with them.

my buddy is looking to get a par meter in hand here soon and will report back on his 120G with the 2 200w nicrews

 

[VintageReefer]

Meridians and edge bars

 

[Featherweight]

I thought these nicrew were meant to be radion busters?

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I can not image a single fixture like that covering a 36x36 area and getting good par.
120* lense is to wide in my opinion for LEDsz

What happens if you move them closer together? It should go up. Let the light taper on the edges where there is no rock work.

What par meter is it? Do you have a way to measure the wattage running thru them? Curious if they are actually 200w as advertised.

You may need to bring your rock work up higher also

I run noopsyches above my tank. Been very happy with them.

I can't confirm that they do cover 36x36, just relaying how they were sold. They are currently set about even on either side of the overflow. I can shift them both closer to centered, but it'll be a challenge as I'll have to recut my screen cover for them.

It's off amazon, bout $150, tested it on other grow lights I have in the room. Can't measure wattage unfortunately. When I buy something, I expect it to be the product I was sold.

I have no rock left to add, and I also have a clam in the sand that needs light.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I thought these nicrew were meant to be radion busters?

I thought so too. Tell that to my sps

 

[BryanM]

Don’t mind the algae, we’re currently engaged in trench warfare.

Someone else pointed this out, that seems like a wide spread for good light. FWIW, I have 4 redsea ReefLed 90's on a 6ft wide tank. If they were 160's I might have used 3, but I went from a 4 to 6 foot tank, and decided to get two more 90's instead.

Your setup looks like it needs a 3rd light to me - Though if they are really as bad as they seem to be testing I might opt for something different, especially knowing that you intend to grow SPS.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

Can anyone vouch for quanta helix or atlas? I was reading up on another thread before starting this one and it was brought up that either a 4 bar combo or 2 bars and an atlas would work for this tank.

I know there's 100+ different answers depending on who you ask, but I really don't want to fork out $1000s of dollars on something that will not do what I need it to, after already losing $800+ on these lights that don't do what they were supposed to. On the flip side, I can use them later on my FOWLR systems, since they only provide enough light for viewing...

 

[PPBlimpy]

I can't confirm that they do cover 36x36, just relaying how they were sold. They are currently set about even on either side of the overflow. I can shift them both closer to centered, but it'll be a challenge as I'll have to recut my screen cover for them.

It's off amazon, bout $150, tested it on other grow lights I have in the room. Can't measure wattage unfortunately. When I buy something, I expect it to be the product I was sold.

I have no rock left to add, and I also have a clam in the sand that needs light.

the nicrew website claims 36x36 spread. I just don't believe it. Especially not at any depth. If they kept the 90* lenses from the g1 it would be better but would assume 24x24 like most pther manufacturers

what are your tank dimensions? i can draw something up showing spread and what would be a good reasonable mounting height. i mount my noops 9" off the water. i would assume with the 120* lenses you could go as low as 6-7 and still get decent spread.

 

[Wandering Albatross]

the nicrew website claims 36x36 spread. I just don't believe it. Especially not at any depth. If they kept the 90* lenses from the g1 it would be better but would assume 24x24 like most pther manufacturers

what are your tank dimensions? i can draw something up showing spread and what would be a good reasonable mounting height. i mount my noops 9" off the water. i would assume with the 120* lenses you could go as low as 6-7 and still get decent spread.

Its 60"x24"x24"

 

[PPBlimpy]

Can anyone vouch for quanta helix or atlas? I was reading up on another thread before starting this one and it was brought up that either a 4 bar combo or 2 bars and an atlas would work for this tank.

I know there's 100+ different answers depending on who you ask, but I really don't want to fork out $1000s of dollars on something that will not do what I need it to, after already losing $800+ on these lights that don't do what they were supposed to. On the flip side, I can use them later on my FOWLR systems, since they only provide enough light for viewing...

I can't justify spending ridiculous money on lights. I don't need bells and whistles.

My next light upgrade will be replacing my 3x v2(90w) and 2x v3(140W) noopsyches with v3 pros(140w with app). I can get 6 lights delivered for under $1k and my old lights can go on my frag tank and upgrade my wifes tank.

I would only run 4 on your tank.

First picture is running a white to blue ratio of 1:2
Second is 1:4

My tank is 84x24x24

 

[Wandering Albatross]

I can't justify spending ridiculous money on lights. I don't need bells and whistles.

My next light upgrade will be replacing my 3x v2(90w) and 2x v3(140W) noopsyches with v3 pros(140w with app). I can get 6 lights delivered for under $1k and my old lights can go on my frag tank and upgrade my wifes tank.

I would only run 4 on your tank.

First picture is running a white to blue ratio of 1:2
Second is 1:4

My tank is 84x24x24

I just want the par to grow sps, basic light% control, and the ability to have a ramp up/down cycle. Don't need a fancy app, monitoring. It's hard to see but are there any acro frags in there?

 

[PPBlimpy]

the noopsyche app sucks but does all that. the lights are great. i replaced g4 xr30 pros and have been very happy with them

give me 5 minutes and i am drawing up your setup. i am just guessing on dimensions of the lights but it will give a close approximations.

wow 120* lenses suck

 

[Featherweight]

Can anyone vouch for quanta helix or atlas? I was reading up on another thread before starting this one and it was brought up that either a 4 bar combo or 2 bars and an atlas would work for this tank.

I know there's 100+ different answers depending on who you ask, but I really don't want to fork out $1000s of dollars on something that will not do what I need it to, after already losing $800+ on these lights that don't do what they were supposed to. On the flip side, I can use them later on my FOWLR systems, since they only provide enough light for viewing...

I use quanta w a reefi in the middle. Quanta blue helix bars do the work

 

[PPBlimpy]

this is how i always figure out my light spacing. not sure how accurate it is but works for me.

dimensions of the lights are an estimate

bottom of light is 12" about top of tank.
and 12" from centerline of tank. 120* lens. i am assuming this is close to how your tank is currently setup