Light suggestions - premium vs budget!

[TX_REEF]

Hi guys!

If you had a DD reef pro 900 and money wasn’t an issue… we’re talking all types of budgets!

What lights would you get?

Your tank will have a mix variety of softies/LPS and the odd SPS

Must have functions

Decent control ability - I.e adjustable lights, easy to use app, user friendly, pre sets etc

Reliability and good customer service

And what brands would you stay away from from experience?

whats a dd reef pro 900?

I recommend kessil AP9x fixture is a great option with sleek design, excellent controllability, beautiful shimmer and sufficient power for most tanks 30 inches deep or less.

 

[VintageReefer]

Hands down I would go with a reefbreeders Meridian 24. Its $800 on the RB site and you don’t pay tax ordering from their website.

It will cover 36x24x30 and has excellent spectrum, app with community cloud sharing profiles, it’s slimline and sleek, silent, and water resistant. The optics are fantastic also and gives great coverage and par.

Down the line if you want to add bars, they make matching bars that attach directly to the light on built in t track

You can even daisychain power from a single power supply to the light and the future bars if you only wanted one power cord

This is dual meridian 11’s and dual 48” reefbreeder edge bars

The edge bars are stronger than blades and cheaper. They are also two channels and can be controlled manually with dials or over wifi with the app. I can get around 1000 par at the surface, 600 at top of my rockwork, and 300 at the sand with a single edge bar

 

[oreo54]

Why do you suggest 7206 vs the newer 7506?

Well technically I don't. Not on purpose.
Call it a color variant and as such a personal choice.

Nice thing though.. one apparently can turn a 7206 to a 7506.. :)
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-mitras-lx7500-coral-pop.1054052/

Conversion of existing Mitras LX7 lights​

Future-proof design and longevity are at the priorities of GHL's product development. The luminaires in the LX7 series are designed in such a way that the LED clusters can be easily replaced by the user, plus regular firmware updates are provided so that new features - or, as in this case, new LED clusters - can be used.
Customers who want to upgrade the LX72xx marine water version to the LX75xx Coral Pop version or switch from freshwater to marine water can do so by simply replacing the clusters and updating the firmware (V1.17 required).

 

[rishma]

Well technically I don't. Not on purpose.
Call it a color variant and as such a personal choice.

Nice thing though.. one apparently can turn a 7206 to a 7506.. :)
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/new-mitras-lx7500-coral-pop.1054052/

Asking because I’m considering a Mitras and unsure which variant I’ll like better visually. Not sure how to judge without seeing them in person.

 

[Hooz]

I would also run Blades for something off the shelf. I LOVE the fact that there is no fan, dead silent! I have a Grow and a Glow now over my nano and have had no issues with them or the Mobius app. I used the MyAI app for a while, but Mobius is more customizable as far as routines and easily turning down the light intensity.

I've used myAI and Mobius extensively. Trust me when I say that anything you can do in Mobius, you can do just as easily in myAI. Lowering the intensity of a whole schedule at one in Mobius is a slider, in myAI, you just put 2 fingers on the screen and slide them up or down.

Tomato, tomato, really, but myAI has just always worked for me. I can't say the same for Mobius.

 

[oreo54]

Asking because I’m considering a Mitras and unsure which variant I’ll like better visually. Not sure how to judge without seeing them in person.

Well even in person a lot will depend on the channel percentages.
That color you like might only use 50% of the lights output.
This vid from my above link, at the end, has a "rough" idea of the color difference.



Now it is difficult to judge lights from internet camera shots.
But the closer to "normal" (closer to daylight) the lights are the easier.

And again the "look" actually has infinite (or close) choices. Thing is what you prefer and where you want to go from there.

Easiest thing to say is if you like more "natural" lighting go w/ the original.
Choosing is complicated in a sense.
Starting at 100% how far "off" is the light in your opinion.

 

[rishma]

Well even in person a lot will depend on the channel percentages.
That color you like might only use 50% of the lights output.
This vid from my above link, at the end, has a "rough" idea of the color difference.



Now it is difficult to judge lights from internet camera shots.
But the closer to "normal" (closer to daylight) the lights are the easier.

And again the "look" actually has infinite (or close) choices. Thing is what you prefer and where you want to go from there.

Easiest thing to say is if you like more "natural" lighting go w/ the original.
Choosing is complicated in a sense.
Starting at 100% how far "off" is the light in your opinion.

Very helpful. Thank you!

 

[SFNanoReef]

personally run AI Blades—2 Grow and 1 Glow—and I’ve been really impressed. The spread is wide and even, and the PAR reaches all the way to the sand bed, which is perfect for my setup. Definitely gets my vote.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I spent a long time figuring out my lighting plan. I went with AI blades, and since I wanted a shallow water spectrum, I went with 3 freshwater and 1 glow. I like the combo. Other things that were critical for my choice and knocked out most competitors was quiet (no fan) and would fit inside my existing canopy, and be potentially very bright. I like the my AI app and never had any issues losing settings.

 

[X-37B]

I would opt for either 2 xr30's or the Meridian. I run Radions and photons currently.
I need 3 xr15's on my 30×24×16 to get the par I want. 2 30's are a good option for your system. Start with one and add if needed.
The Meridian will do the job for considerably less money.