Frag tank light choices.

Danzini

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Hi all, I'm switching my MH lit frag tank (24"x16" 7"deep) to LED. (Trying to modernize my setup)
so:
1. I was considering the Kessil A80 Tuna Blue. (My frag tank is small, so it seems like this lite would work at a minimum for even SPS's)
Or
2. Should I bump up to the Kessil A160WE Blue, or the AI Prime16, or Red Sea REEFLED 50? (Jumping up a price step opens up more brands)
Then
3. If I were to bump up which brand should it be?

Never had a lite I could control with my phone. FYI:Apex controller will be a future purchase. Too many choices, each with different options.
Thanks for any advice.
 

Peace River

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Other choices to consider are the Noopsyche K7Pro2 for the lighting and the Hydros for the controller. Good luck with whatever you choose!
 

jda

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Try and match your display, if you can.

Whatever you choose will not do with the MH did. You might like it better, or you might like it less, but it will not be the same... so save that MH for a while until you are sure that you like the new light.

You could always get a 150w Halide if you are using more wattage currently. They are incredibly powerful and lower wattage and heat. They are amazing lights that are about the same wattage as a high-end LED panel.

Kessil is a joke coming from a Halide. There is not a more underpowered LED on the market other than maybe an Orbit. The point source is bad for shadowing, even in frags where the back side can get a different color. Look around on the board - nearly everybody who has Kessils and SPS has had to add T5s.
 
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Danzini

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What wattage metal halide are you replacing?
It is a 150watt. Its that time of the year time for me to do a bulb replacement. So I always think it may be time to do a complete upgrade.
 

Bpb

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It is a 150watt. Its that time of the year time for me to do a bulb replacement. So I always think it may be time to do a complete upgrade.

One a80 or even an a160 isn’t going to be a replacement for for a 150 watt halide. Especially if there is a decent sized reflector in use. I’d want a pair of a160 per each 150 watt halide. You really want to be at close to 70-80% of your MH wattage with your leds.

If a reflector is in use you have a larger effective light source coming from lots of directions. With a single kessil, it’s all coming from one little spot the size of a pencil eraser. Yes. It’ll throw the light laterally, but there be heavy shading, and very little scatter from that tiny little origin. Like the difference between lighting a garage with a single screw in bulb vs a bank of tubes. The corners may be illuminated either way, but the characteristic of overall light delivery will be very different. Hope that makes sense.
 
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Danzini

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This MH was put on my 12 gal frag only because I already had it. I always figured this light was too much for my 7' deep frag tank. I guess my original statement should have been what is a good LED lite for a SPS corals for a 24x16x7 frag tank. My goal is to be able to but any type of frag into it, while not generating alot of heat and showing off the colors with the fancy spectrum controls.
 

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