Kessil Lighting

[Shallow Planet]

Need recommendations for a 60x24x24 mixed reef tank. Mainly softies and LPS.

Thinking 3 x 360s but some have been saying the AP700s are way better. I dont need a controller as this would be going to an APEX. But 2 AP700s seeps like overkill, but also not enough. Someone said maybe I could do 1 AP700 and 2 160s on the sides but idk. Looking for any opinoins. The 3 360s is what I am strongly leaning towards right now.

Thanks!

 

[Crabs McJones]

Need recommendations for a 60x24x24 mixed reef tank. Mainly softies and LPS.

Thinking 3 x 360s but some have been saying the AP700s are way better. I dont need a controller as this would be going to an APEX. But 2 AP700s seeps like overkill, but also not enough. Someone said maybe I could do 1 AP700 and 2 160s on the sides but idk. Looking for any opinoins. The 3 360s is what I am strongly leaning towards right now.

Thanks!

Softies and LPS I'd say you'd be good with three or four A360WE's

 

[LobsterOfJustice]

I dont need a controller as this would be going to an APEX.

The 700s cannot be controlled through apex. They have built in control so you still don’t need to get a controller, but if apex control is important to you, go with the 360s.

 

[HB AL]

3 360's would probably be fine for growing anything. I have 5 160's on a 92 gallon and they grow everything.

 

[Shallow Planet]

I could care less about APEX or not if it has a build in controller. More concerned about which combo is the best option

 

[Shallow Planet]

Would 3 A360s be better than something like 6 or 8 A160s?

 

[hart24601]

IMO the more you spread out the LEDs the better, so if you don't mind the looks of all those a160s you will be better off. a160 is 40w max, a360 is 90w so for practical purposes 2 a160 are 1 a360. Going to have a lot less shadowing with the 160s.

 

[OriginalUserName]

I'm kind of making this same decision. An AP700 provides more PAR (and more spectrum??) than 2 360s and gives you more options to control the output and has the phone app etc. But you can't adjust the distance, you get what you get.

I swapped out my diy lights for a 360 on my cube with the plan to buy 2-3 more for the new tank. Now though I'll be debating adding 1 or 2 Ap700s instead (If I do 1 I'd keep the 360). Personally, having 1 less wire to run above my tank is a big plus so that might tip the balance.

 

[mcarroll]

Need recommendations for a 60x24x24 mixed reef tank. Mainly softies and LPS.

Thinking 3 x 360s but some have been saying the AP700s are way better. I dont need a controller as this would be going to an APEX. But 2 AP700s seeps like overkill, but also not enough. Someone said maybe I could do 1 AP700 and 2 160s on the sides but idk. Looking for any opinoins. The 3 360s is what I am strongly leaning towards right now.

Thanks!

Four emitters will give you better coverage than three, so two AP700's could be advantageous vs your current plan.

1 per 24" of tank space is Kessil's recommended minimum, so either plan fits with that too.

I'd at least consider the AP700's. Cuts down on wires too.

 

[Shallow Planet]

This will all be in a canopy so I dont really care about how it looks.

 

[tank o tang]

Very happy with my ap700's over my 180. 2 would work great, was surpised at the spread they put out. And once you get into 6 and 7 360s the price isn't a factor anymore. Don't think your going to get the depth needed from the 160's.

 

[HB AL]

Would make it an easy choice if you could borrow some 360's or a couple 700's from your lfs, to see what combo seemed better. Decisions, decisions. My lfs let me borrow a couple used ones to try out on my previous tank a 40g, so I tried them out, went back and bought 2. Then when i upgraded to my current tank i got 3 more, (which saved me $$$) versus changing to 360's.

 

[Reefs anonymous]

I’d go with the 360’s myself. That will give you the option to add the aquatic life t5’s if you ever go sps and need less shadowing. That’s what I have and love the combo.

 

[OriginalUserName]

I’d go with the 360’s myself. That will give you the option to add the aquatic life t5’s if you ever go sps and need less shadowing. That’s what I have and love the combo.

There is a guy here that has the t5 combo with the AP700s. (I can't remember his name but he's the crab from Moana).

 

[Dom274]

I could care less about APEX or not if it has a build in controller. More concerned about which combo is the best option

The "best" combo is going to be 2 AP700s. The LEDs are physically different than the 360s. Be prepared to add a couple of T5s to the AP700s though, it's not that the shadowing is that bad, it's more that the type of people purchasing AP700s don't want to sacrifice any real-estate to shadows, so what's an extra $100 to get it "perfect"?

Is this overkill for a softie & LPS tank? Most likely, but you asked for the best.

 

[Crabs McJones]

There is a guy here that has the t5 combo with the AP700s. (I can't remember his name but he's the crab from Moana).

Lol that would be me

 

[mcarroll]

Lol that would be me

Pic!!!!! (again)

 

[Crabs McJones]

Pic!!!!! (again)

 

[OriginalUserName]

Ok, you guys have sold me on the AP700. (not my thread but seems like a good time to chime in)

My plan is to build a DIY hood using the aluminum channel and some flat aluminum, painted a nice shiny white to match the reefer stand. I'll toss in 2-4 T5s, an AP700 and my A360-NE. The narrow 360 will work great in the part of my tank that I intend to be mostly negative space to still provide some high par to some clams. I'll be SPS dominant so I could do 2 700s but I don't think that will be necessary on a 63" tank.

(pic stolen from a member here)

Edit. Unless the 360 winds up being too deep for the aluminum I want to use then I'll have to do 2 700s. Hopefully I can avoid that expense. :/

 

[mcarroll]

Dude, is that the same Euphillia in the corner in both pics? How much time is that?