Lighting Suggestion - Advice Please

[coralcrazy]

I have a 72x18x24 tall tank. Mixed Sps and Lps. Tank has a euro brace around the edge so makes mounting a bit tricky.

What do you guys suggest? Not crazy budget conscious but don't want to break the bank.

I was thinking 3 kessil a360.

 

[tigerdragon]

u prolly could use a fourth kessil run the 'W's. as in A360W

 

[tigerdragon]

am running 2 A350W on my 90 considering a 3rd

 

[coralcrazy]

You think 4 wides will do?

 

[tigerdragon]

Should

 

[coralcrazy]

I could get 3 hydra 52's for that price.

 

[tigerdragon]

Heard the hydras are good are you using a controller to run lights? If not the A350W may be a thought they are going for 299

 

[coralcrazy]

I have an Apex or I would use the upcoming kessil controller.

 

[tigerdragon]

You can control the 360's ramp and all the 350's only on and off

 

[coralcrazy]

I was also looking at Buildmyled. Anyone have any experience with them?

 

[Jimbo662]

You should be able to do 3 A360W's. they cover 24" square area. I'm running two on my tank with my apex. Corals love them. I just put some updated pic on my build thread. I had the Vega's on my last tank and just couldn't get them dialed in to make the corals happy. The one downside with them is that you can't ramp them from 0...because of the way they're designed the come on at about 14% and when ramping down they turn off at about 14%.

 

[coralcrazy]

You should be able to do 3 A360W's. they cover 24" square area. I'm running two on my tank with my apex. Corals love them. I just put some updated pic on my build thread. I had the Vega's on my last tank and just couldn't get them dialed in to make the corals happy. The one downside with them is that you can't ramp them from 0...because of the way they're designed the come on at about 14% and when ramping down they turn off at about 14%.

Thanks. How long have you has your kessils? How has your growth rate been?

 

[Jimbo662]

Tank finished cycling around end of March. The first week of May I got an orange monti and 3 types of birds nests. The monti has grown about 1/4" all the way around and the birdsnests have grown about 1/8" or so...one maybe a little more. All the LPS seem to love the lights too. I just realized I didn't update my thread with new pics. Here's a link to my other thread with the pics. Older pics near the top and new pics at the bottom. The mushroom was one of the first to go into the tank. It was about 1 1/2" when I got it. Now it's at least 2 1/2" across.

The other reason I like them is because it's so easy to set them up. You just decide what the intensity will be and the % between white / blue.

75gal rimless Planet Aquarium - Page 7 - Tank Builds - Austin Reef Club

 

[coralcrazy]

Tank finished cycling around end of March. The first week of May I got an orange monti and 3 types of birds nests. The monti has grown about 1/4" all the way around and the birdsnests have grown about 1/8" or so...one maybe a little more. All the LPS seem to love the lights too. I just realized I didn't update my thread with new pics. Here's a link to my other thread with the pics. Older pics near the top and new pics at the bottom. The mushroom was one of the first to go into the tank. It was about 1 1/2" when I got it. Now it's at least 2 1/2" across.

The other reason I like them is because it's so easy to set them up. You just decide what the intensity will be and the % between white / blue.

75gal rimless Planet Aquarium - Page 7 - Tank Builds - Austin Reef Club

Thanks for the info. I think this is the route I'll go. I'll try 3 to start.

 

[Jimbo662]

I've got mine about 10" above the water. Right now i've got them set to ramp up to 61% intensity and have them set to 50% on the color.

 

[coralcrazy]

I've got mine about 10" above the water. Right now i've got them set to ramp up to 61% intensity and have them set to 50% on the color.

Any regrets at all?

 

[Jimbo662]

None at all for me. With the Vega's I stressed all the time about losing corals and trying to tweak the lights...with these I set it based on JPowell's advise (tweaked just a little) and all has been good. Check out his reviews of a bunch of different lights. It helped me decide.

I'd see if you can find someone in your area with them and go check the tank out. See if you like how the tank looks. They've got great shimmer.

My LED Journey and Experiences - Reef Keeping - Austin Reef Club