I need guidance on lighting

[Dj City]

I posted in the general forum but got no help.

I've got the upgrade bug!

I currently have a Reefbreeders Photon 50 V2+ LED over my reef tank. I also have a single T5 fixture mounted to the Photon on the back side and a Reefbreeders HI Octane UV/Violet lumenbar mounted to the Photon on the front.

My tank is 180 gallons.
Tank is 5ft (60 inches) long x 2ft (24 inches) wide x 30 inches deep.
I have a canopy on the tank that limits how high I can mount lights. My Photon sits at 10 inches above the water surface and that's the highest I can get due to the canopy.

Reef is SPS dominate.
Growth has been good but I know I can do better for growth and coloration.

I just purchased 4 Kessil A360X's that will be mounted 8 inches above the water surface and I can neatly mount whatever supplement light I want.
A 5th A360X is not out of the question as I "might" be getting an additional one for free.

I'm thinking I can do better than the single T5 fixture and the violet/uv lumenbar that I have now.

I'm thinking of replacing the supplement lights with Reefbrite actinic strip led's.
I don't know if I should get two of the Lumilite Pros or two of the XHO's.

I don't want tooooooo much light but I want to have more than enough for now and in the future.

Advice is very welcome.

 

[MnFish1]

I was going to recommend that you get Radion G5 30 Pro and not use the T5's - but its unclear whether you've already made your decision? Part of the advice would relate to 'why' you have the 'upgrade bug'. I think your tank looks great - and one issue with lighting is when you change (especially a big change) - you can cause problems with bleaching, etc etc. So whatever you choose I would try to match your current lighting.

 

[Dj City]

I was going to recommend that you get Radion G5 30 Pro and not use the T5's - but its unclear whether you've already made your decision? Part of the advice would relate to 'why' you have the 'upgrade bug'. I think your tank looks great - and one issue with lighting is when you change (especially a big change) - you can cause problems with bleaching, etc etc. So whatever you choose I would try to match your current lighting.

I got the Kessils at a a really great price. I also know you can't get Kessil spectrum wrong.
I need guidance on which supplemental (fill) lighting to get. The Reefbrite Lumilite Pros or the XHO's.

 

[MnFish1]

I got the Kessils at a a rally great price. I also know you can't get Kessil spectrum wrong.
I need guidance on which supplemental (fill) lighting to get. The Reefbrite Lumilite Pros or the XHO's.

Thanks - from your post it was unclear whether you were considering them or had already bought the Kessels. Its hard to tell from your setup - but I would somehow try to make the changes in a step-wise fashion or try the one of the many ways (screening, etc) to avoid burning, overnighting when you're making the change. Hope it works out. I do not have a recommendation between the reefbrite pro or XHO except personal preference, cost, etc

 

[blasterman]

So, you've basically caught the spectrum bug, not the lighting bug.

Wish there was a vaccine for that like covid.

 

[Dj City]

Really....

Nobody can actually help me?

 

[piranhaman00]

Switch out all LEDs for T5s. Done.

 

[WVNed]

Well, I dont have any of those lights except the Photon V2 and you are ditching that.

How do you know the lights you havent mounted yet will need supplementation? Or how much room you will have left in the canopy.

 

[Dj City]

Well, I dont have any of those lights except the Photon V2 and you are ditching that.

How do you know the lights you havent mounted yet will need supplementation? Or how much room you will have left in the canopy.

I honestly don't know yet that I will need supplemental lighting but from all I've heard on the Kessils, they will require supplemental (fill) lighting as they are single point light sources.

From all I've read and heard on them, they are great lights but they need help to prevent shadowing.

The Kessils provide correct PUR and have the best shimmer. Only lights that have that kind of shimmer are Mh and I'm not doing that.

There is nothing "wrong" with my current light set up.
I just feel that I can do better and really bring out the color in my corals and provide the correct light spectrum that they need throught the whole reef.

 

[WVNed]

Sorry, I cant help.
I did that

 

[Dj City]

Switch out all LEDs for T5s. Done.

No disrespect intended but...
This is not what I was asking.
If I wanted a bank of T5's, that's what I would have purchased.

I've had T5 setup. It worked very well but I can't stand the flat, painted, washed out look of T5's.

 

[piranhaman00]

No disrespect intended but...
This is not what I was asking.
If I wanted a bank of T5's, that's what I would have purchased.

I've had T5 setup. It worked very well but I can't stand the flat, painted, washed out look of T5's.

When people post things like

Really....

Nobody can actually help me?

I tend to just say use t5s.

 

[Dj City]

When people post things like



I tend to just say use t5s.

I understand.

I was specific on my question and what info I was looking for.
I got answers like..

"So, you've basically caught the spectrum bug, not the lighting bug.
Wish there was a vaccine for that like covid."

"Switch out all LEDs for T5s. Done."

These answers are Non answers and don't help at all.

I am just looking for info on the Reefbrite Lumilite pro and/or Reefbrite XHO and which would be better for my reef light set up of 4 Kessil A360's over a 5ft x 2 ft x 30inch deep SPS dominate reef tank.

 

[MnFish1]

I understand.

I was specific on my question and what info I was looking for.
I got answers like..

"So, you've basically caught the spectrum bug, not the lighting bug.
Wish there was a vaccine for that like covid."

"Switch out all LEDs for T5s. Done."

These answers are Non answers and don't help at all.

I am just looking for info on the Reefbrite Lumilite pro and/or Reefbrite XHO and which would be better for my reef light set up of 4 Kessil A360's over a 5ft x 2 ft x 30inch deep SPS dominate reef tank.

actually you got an answer ( a couple). Its your personal preference. MY opinion - if it isn't broke don't fix it. Sell the Kessils make a profit. Your tank looks awesome IMHO, you're risking messing it up with a massive light change. For some holy grail of lighting (there is not one). Again IMHO (which is why I said - I would pick LED's) - is because you can program them/choose your 'holy grail'. You asked for opinions. I hope you take this as that, my opinion

 

[Dj City]

actually you got an answer ( a couple). Its your personal preference. MY opinion - if it isn't broke don't fix it. Sell the Kessils make a profit. Your tank looks awesome IMHO, you're risking messing it up with a massive light change. For some holy grail of lighting (there is not one). Again IMHO (which is why I said - I would pick LED's) - is because you can program them/choose your 'holy grail'. You asked for opinions. I hope you take this as that, my opinion

Thank you.

I'm somewhat happy with what I've got but I know I can do better.
The Photon does it's job but I want better blending of spectrum and better pur than my current lights can provide. I don't want the separation of colors that I have now.

I will be slowly acclimating my reef to the new lights so I don't shock them to death.

I am just looking for info on the Reefbrite Lumilite pro and/or Reefbrite XHO and which would be better for my reef light set up of 4 Kessil A360X's over a 5ft x 2 ft x 30inch deep SPS dominate reef tank.

This is the specific question I wanted answers to.
That question has not been answered at all.

Thanks for the compliment on my reef.
I'm trying to make it the best reef I can.

 

[MnFish1]

Thank you.

I'm somewhat happy with what I've got but I know I can do better.
The Photon does it's job but I want better blending of spectrum and better pur than my current lights can provide. I don't want the separation of colors that I have now.

I will be slowly acclimating my reef to the new lights so I don't shock them to death.

I am just looking for info on the Reefbrite Lumilite pro and/or Reefbrite XHO and which would be better for my reef light set up of 4 Kessil A360X's over a 5ft x 2 ft x 30inch deep SPS dominate reef tank.

This is the specific question I wanted answers to.
That question has not been answered at all.

Thanks for the compliment on my reef.
I'm trying to make it the best reef I can.

Yeah - thats because there is no answer (IMHO) - its just personal preference

 

[dmy535]

Sorry you didn’t get an answer to your specific questions... but here’s a good video that shows the difference.

It does seem like a personal opinion between both, but if it were me, I’d go with the XHO.

 

[Dj City]

Sorry you didn’t get an answer to your specific questions... but here’s a good video that shows the difference.

It does seem like a personal opinion between both, but if it were me, I’d go with the XHO.

This is very helpful.
Thank you.

 

[Dj City]

My concern with these lights were about which would be better with my tank dimensions and the fact that I will have 4 kessils.
The kessils will be 12" apart from each other and 8 inches off the surface.

I know the XHO's push more wattage and par than the lumilite pros.
My dilemma is that I want more than enough light but I don't want toooooo much.

 

[Dj City]

What I will do is mount the 4 kessils, set them to the color and intensity I ultimately want them to be then take par measurements. This should let me know if I need the Lumilite Pros or the XHO's.
I will then start an acclimation period with the kessils to last at least a month so my corals don't get shocked too much by the new lights.

I think it's probably going to be the Lumilite Pros that win out because I expect to get good par from 4 kessils on a 5ft tank.

The 5th kessil for free is a no go. It would have been nice though.