Light for a shallow frag tank, Radion vs ATI vs ...

[meermann]

Hi guys,
I have some struggles with choice of light for my SPS frag tank.
Tank dimensions: 48x24x12, water level is 10", and there's an egg-crate on the bottom, total height around 2", so water level above the egg crate around 8".
Required options: spread as wide as it possible, PAR at least 600 on the bottom of egg-crate.
Light manufacturer must be a well-known EU or US brand only.

At the moment I consider:
1) 4xRadion XR15 G5 Blue
2) ATI Sunpower 8x54w or ATI Powermodul 8x54, both are dimmable, I don't need to turn them on full thrust over such shallow tank.
3) AquaticLife T5 HO 4x54/Giesemann Stellar 4x54 + 3 AI Hydra 32 HD
4) 2x ATI Straton

Any thoughts?

 

[AutumnReefs]

Really it just comes down to if you want to change bulbs or not. The best in my opinion would be the stratons or the radions (I would imagine 3 g5's would be more than enough to cover that size tank).


600 par does seem a bit extreme for a frag tank. You might get better color, but the frags will probably grow a lot slower than around lets say 350 if the 600 is for most of the day (they would likely go into photoinhibition from my understanding).

 

[Koigula]

Changing bulbs is not a priority to me.

4 Foot Powermodule will be the best comprimize to me. 1 Cord to plug in and excellent customer support.

The sensors today can not tell the differences in these lights against real world results. The reality is LEDs need better diffusion. The vendors realize this and add diffusor plates and in the end it just mimics a T5. People with LED success mostly have them at 100% output 2 feet over the tank to regain diffusion. At this point the efficiency is lost. Most tanks with that much space overhead are commercial applications or sales models. 100% output will have these fixture last 3 years.

4 foot tank example-


Ecotechs = 839usd x 3 / 3 years life at 100% = 850 year + electricity per year

Powermodule = 1800 / 8 expected life (Pucks LEDs are replacable ) = 225+ 100 (4 new bulbs) = 325 per year + annual electricity

Comparing these two most of your success wil be from combo effect or directly the T5 blanket.

 

[FusionCorals]

2x AI Hydra 32hd. Place them @ minimum of 16" from water surface. Also place each light 10" from each side of the tank. That would get you great coverage without burning your corals.

 

[A. grandis]

Hi guys,
I have some struggles with choice of light for my SPS frag tank.
Tank dimensions: 48x24x12, water level is 10", and there's an egg-crate on the bottom, total height around 2", so water level above the egg crate around 8".
Required options: spread as wide as it possible, PAR at least 600 on the bottom of egg-crate.
Light manufacturer must be a well-known EU or US brand only.

At the moment I consider:
1) 4xRadion XR15 G5 Blue
2) ATI Sunpower 8x54w or ATI Powermodul 8x54, both are dimmable, I don't need to turn them on full thrust over such shallow tank.
3) AquaticLife T5 HO 4x54/Giesemann Stellar 4x54 + 3 AI Hydra 32 HD
4) 2x ATI Straton

Any thoughts?

2) ATI Sunpower 8x54w or ATI Powermodul 8x54, both are dimmable, I don't need to turn them on full thrust over such shallow tank.

 

[AutumnReefs]

Changing bulbs is not a priority to me.

4 Foot Powermodule will be the best comprimize to me. 1 Cord to plug in and excellent customer support.

The sensors today can not tell the differences in these lights against real world results. The reality is LEDs need better diffusion. The vendors realize this and add diffusor plates and in the end it just mimics a T5. People with LED success mostly have them at 100% output 2 feet over the tank to regain diffusion. At this point the efficiency is lost. Most tanks with that much space overhead are commercial applications or sales models. 100% output will have these fixture last 3 years.

4 foot tank example-


Ecotechs = 839usd x 3 / 3 years life at 100% = 850 year + electricity per year

Powermodule = 1800 / 8 expected life (Pucks LEDs are replacable ) = 225+ 100 (4 new bulbs) = 325 per year + annual electricity

Comparing these two most of your success wil be from combo effect or directly the T5 blanket.

The "+annual electricity" is a factor but I have no clue what the OP pays. Also, the radions perform the same as t5's yet last longer and are not a dying technology (I would especially assume so in Germany and other environmentally conscious European countries). The ecotechs are far cheaper over time. The radions also don't really need diffusers but offer them. Your argument is that data doesn't tell us anything but real life experience does but coral vendors would beg to differ (such as WWC) and plus personal experience on which grows better is probably the most unreliable way to tell one light vs another.

The ecotechs perform the same if not better than t5's (check brs tests), last nearly a decade, can me mounted on the tank, and are cheaper in the long run. 4 xr15's on that size tank is in no way worse in spread than t5's. The color blending especially with the diffuser that doesn't dramatically impact par readings to the point where it matters) is fine (again check the BRS videos).


So in reality, the only reason to go for a t5 in this case is if somehow op got a great deal on them or wants absolutely no shimmer in the frag tank. Otherwise, there really is not a practical reason to choose t5 over radion.


Also this thread is over a month old.

 

[meermann]

Changing bulbs is not a priority to me.

4 Foot Powermodule will be the best comprimize to me. 1 Cord to plug in and excellent customer support.

The sensors today can not tell the differences in these lights against real world results. The reality is LEDs need better diffusion. The vendors realize this and add diffusor plates and in the end it just mimics a T5. People with LED success mostly have them at 100% output 2 feet over the tank to regain diffusion. At this point the efficiency is lost. Most tanks with that much space overhead are commercial applications or sales models. 100% output will have these fixture last 3 years.

4 foot tank example-


Ecotechs = 839usd x 3 / 3 years life at 100% = 850 year + electricity per year

Powermodule = 1800 / 8 expected life (Pucks LEDs are replacable ) = 225+ 100 (4 new bulbs) = 325 per year + annual electricity

Comparing these two most of your success wil be from combo effect or directly the T5 blanket.

Why changing bulbs isn't a priority? Each costs 25 EUR +/- and there 8 bulbs and BRS recommends to change them every 9-12 months, so at least 200 EUR annually.

Regarding electricity costs: it's around 30 eurocents per kW/h, so let's say on 50% thrust it will take about 500W out from the wall socket, so for 8h daylight it's ~1.2 EUR or ~ 400 EUR per annum.

The same 3 оf ATI Straton on 50% thrust: just 300W out from the wall socket, so ~240 EUR per annum and no bulb changes. Let's say their capacity about 5 years on 50% thrust, so the total cost is 2200 EUR for 3 of the pentants plus 1200 EUR for electricity bills = 3400 EUR

ATI Powemodule: 1300 EUR the pendant costs + 1000 EUR for bulb changes + 2000 EUR for the electricity = 4300 in total (for the 5 years)

 

[meermann]

So in reality, the only reason to go for a t5 in this case is if somehow op got a great deal on them or wants absolutely no shimmer in the frag tank. Otherwise, there really is not a practical reason to choose t5 over radion.


Also this thread is over a month old.

Yeah, thread is old but still is actual.

But as I mentioned above the only "+" I see regarding t5 pendants is their price, ATI Powermodule Hybrid 8x80W T5 + 4x75W Led costs around 1300 EUR in Germany but on full thrust will consume ~ 30 eurocents per hour or 870 EUR per annum. + yearly change of bulbs = 200 EUR so the annual costs = 1070 EUR. Almost 80% of the pendant price