Help me decide lights for SPS- LED only or Hybrid

chefmur · Feb 20, 2018

Love some input, getting back into the hobby after several years. Had a successful 150 gal SPS heavy tank with Radion Pro ( 2nd Generation) and it crashed ( long story) sold everything as we knew we would be moving state. Getting back in and did not want big tank again but wanted it big enough for SPS. Going with a Red Sea Reefer 250 which gives me around 65 gal volume with sump. I have ordered Ecoech Vectra return and 2 MP10's for water movement .
Here are my lighting choices
2 Ecotech XR15 Pro w/ mounting brackets or the Giessman Aurora T5-LED Hybrid
Pros on the Echotech is great programming in combination with return pump and MP10's and around $700 cheaper than hybrid . I am familiar with the radions, know how they work and they make corals look great.
Cons- Not as clean a look as Aurora , only LED which works great but as we know T5 really makes coral colors pop.
The pros on the Hybrid is better cleaner looking unit, complete coverage and the best of both worlds with T5 and LED .
Cons on Hybrid , Cost is almost $1800 although I may end up with 3 radion 15 over my 36 inch tank which puts overall price closer. Programming looks more complicated and does not work on IOS so have to use laptop.
BRS did a lot of research into lights for their 52 weeks of reefing and most of their team picked a hybrid of T5/LED .
Love your thoughts guys and girls , also as much as I'm spending on everything plus livestock the $700 more is not as big a factor.
Thanks Mike

Crabs McJones · Feb 20, 2018

I used LED only for 2 years before switching to LED T5 Hybrid, and will never look back. I have 4 T5's matched with a Kessil AP700 and everything in my tank has taken off since. That blanket coverage you get from the t5's with the pack a punch from the LEDS in my opinion is gold standard these days.

mcarroll · Feb 20, 2018

Flow
mp10 are pretty tiny for a tank that size....I'd switch to a different pump altogether, but it sounds like you're an Ecotech fan. At least add another mp10 or consider switching up to mp40's.

(I liked three Tunze 6045's better than the two mp40's I had on my 50 Breeder....not too different in size from the tank you're looking at and those pumps aren't even controllable. Go for the 6055's if your just gotta have controllability. 2¢)

Return
That's huge for such a tiny tank. Even counting sump volume all you need for flow is around 200-300 GPH of return flow....a small AC pump would do it and probably do it beter.

Lights
Hard to recommend anything but LED's for me. But honestly this is more debatable than the above two points. As long as you have the budget your tank will do fine either way. (Feel good when you ignore the hype and FUD from either side of the aisle.)

You're probably right about the 3 15's.

Summary
$855 – mp10w x 3
$700 – mp40 x 2
$370 – 6055 x 2
$150 – 6045 x 2 (two of either is a good start...add more flow if/when needed)
$275 – Vectra S1
$97 – Sicce Syncra 2.0
$58 – Quiet One 2200 (same design as Syncra Pro but made in china by Lifeguard; 5 year warranty)

So you could get away with spending only a little over $200 for flow AND return and still have a great system. That's how my SPS system ran for about the first 7 years....adding that third 6045 I mentioned was the only mod....and that wasn't needed until the whole tank was overgrown with corals. There was almost no empty space left in the tank.

Sounds like you'd like an excuse to swing the Geiseman so I think I'd switch up your pump plan to any of the alternates and either A) redirect all that extra cash to lights or B) to your pocket buy corals.

Finhead · Feb 20, 2018

I'm a hybrid guy as well. I did a DIY fixture with 2 AI Hydra 26's and 4 T5's best thing I could have done for my corals and still keep the ramp up/down and shimmer of the LED's.
You can easily use the Aquatic life hybrid fixture and use AI Hydras, KEssil or Radions. https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/36-h...re-with-led-mounting-system-aquatic-life.html