Looking for discussion - Your preferred lighting options for my new SPS build

[Punchanello]

Hi everyone!

I'm starting a new build. Same old story, despite my best efforts I have been overrun by vermetids and also got a little bored and busy with work (life, right?). I've decided to downgrade from a 5x2x2 DT to a 3ft x 2ft x 16 inch shallow reef. My goal is a simple, lower maintenance, bare bottom, SPS reef. The tank has been ordered and I have the scape cycling. I've designed it so nothing is higher that 8 inches and so a lot of flow can go under the rockwork.

I'm just not sure how each option would play out in a shallow reef. My current (soon to be former) tank had a 5ft ATI Hybrid powermodule. I can't complain about the light output but it was unreliable and has finally given out after 2.5 years of dodgy operation (1 year warranty on a $3500 aud unit seems a little rough).I feel like the ATI T5 technology is robust, but basically everything else from the LED drivers to the firmware to the wi-fi interface was a complete dud with multiple different failures over a short time. Anyway, this wasn't supposed to be a whinge about ATI because I am considering going all T5 with an ATI unit. Just letting you know what matters to me. Reliable, low maintenance and grows and colours SPS.

I'd be grateful for your thoughts and debate on what you would want to light a 3x2 shallow SPS reef tank with. In particular I'm really unsure about factors to consider with a shallow reef in terms of spread, par, mounting height, light spill etc. Options I have considered so far are 2 x Radion xr15 g5, 1 x Orphek Atlantik v4 or a 6 bulb ATI 39 watt T5 unit.

Thank you!

 

[BAUCE]

I'd personally go with an 8 bulb sunpower or the Orphek if I decided to switch to LED.

 

[ycnibrc]

T5 and some blue led bar is your safest and best combo. Led light is good but it will take a lot of trial and error to dial it in. T5 is plug and play

 

[X-37B]

I run a 6 bulb used
giesemann on my 3x2x1 frag system.

 

[E_reefer]

That is unfortunate about that ATI hybrid, I always heard great things. I don’t think you could go wrong with the options you listed. I have seen a lot of people going with led and t-5 combos and having really good results growing out sps, and the look is amazing imo.

 

[Punchanello]

That is unfortunate about that ATI hybrid, I always heard great things.

Yeah. I do really love the unit. How it looks, the light it put out etc. Just reliability was the issue. Maybe I just got a dud.

 

[Punchanello]

T5 and some blue led bar is your safest and best combo. Led light is good but it will take a lot of trial and error to dial it in. T5 is plug and play

Thanks for the feedback. Would you go for a 6 or 8 t5? I'm just wondering whether 8 is overkill on a shallow tank, especially if it needs to be mounted higher (if it isn't dimmable).

 

[MRRBW]

without trying to fanboy bulkreefsupply, they just did a vid on lighting their 360 tank and after watching all of their lighting vids a million times, t5/kessil mix seemed to give the best results, visual appeal (to me as well as them) and ease of use in terms of plug and play. I'm looking forward to their next couple vids on lighting to get more insights on the led bars that could replace the T5's too. I'm also starting to put together my stuff for a similar tank as yours but 48" instead of 36". your rock work looks good. Should have nice flow all around

 

[Punchanello]

without trying to fanboy bulkreefsupply, they just did a vid on lighting their 360 tank and after watching all of their lighting vids a million times, t5/kessil mix seemed to give the best results, visual appeal (to me as well as them) and ease of use in terms of plug and play. I'm looking forward to their next couple vids on lighting to get more insights on the led bars that could replace the T5's too. I'm also starting to put together my stuff for a similar tank as yours but 48" instead of 36". your rock work looks good. Should have nice flow all around

I like that option too. Unfortunately it's really difficult to get hold of Aquaticlife style fixtures in Australia which is why I opted for the ATI at the time. Definitely still an option though if I can find an alternative way to pair the Kessil with t5

 

[Punchanello]

Uggghh. Just got on to the local distributor for ATI. None in the country and no time lines or guarantees (covid). It might have to be all LED!

 

[Punchanello]

I'd personally go with an 8 bulb sunpower or the Orphek if I decided to switch to LED.

I'd love the Orphek Altantik but looking at the numbers that BRS TV have put up, I'd be getting between 210 and 170 par across the tank (at 12 inches) with one unit. So I would need to buy two to get that 250 to 400 par across the tank I want. That's A$2000 for something that two Radeon XR15s could easily achieve at half the price (notwithstanding the puck vs panel approach). I just can't justify that cost (assuming my maths are correct).

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

Can’t argue with any of the suggestions. The majority of the high end rainbow sps collectors use a t5/led hybrid. If you’re going all led I would check out the radions and the new hydras. I have the older hydra 52 HD’s on my display and a new prime on a side frag tank. The newer prime 16 has incredible color pop and shimmer compared to the older 52 HD’s. Good luck with the new build. Vermatid snails give my Tenuis hell. I’m constantly snipping them and covering them up with epoxy bc they sometimes cause stn.

 

[stephj03]

How big of a deal is LED programmability to you?
If you know the spectrum you like you could get much more par/$ running several bars and a 4-6 bulb T5 vs Radions or Atlantiks IMO.

All things considered I prob would have gone this route if I had to do all over.

 

[ycnibrc]

Thanks for the feedback. Would you go for a 6 or 8 t5? I'm just wondering whether 8 is overkill on a shallow tank, especially if it needs to be mounted higher (if it isn't dimmable).

If its a shallow tank u can go with 6 because u will hang it higher. Orphek make the OR blue plus bar will be excellent to add.

 

[Dlealrious]

8 bulb sunpower with 2 orphek light bars would be awesome. I run 3 x atlantik v4 and 2 x or bars on a 4x3x1.5. Run orpheks at 100%. If your going sps dominated you i found most acro will go well under high par. T5 even beter, my growout tank has a 8 bulb t5 and is only 1ft tall and growthnis crazy

 

[Punchanello]

Hi everyone - you gave me a lot to think about!

It is with some trepidation that I have decided against any T5. Nobody in Australia has any ATI or Aquatic Life fixtures and nobody can tell me when or if they will get more in. I'm still feeling slightly burnt with my ATI experience having already had to send a controller to Germany (at my expense) and wait for a replacement (again at my expense). I just can't feel confident I could get service (no local presence except for distributor who sends repairs back to Germany) or parts (bulbs? ballasts?) if something went wrong. It's sad because it really would be my preferred option from a pure "I want to grow SPS" perspective.

I like the idea of the Orphek Atlantik but as I mentioned before, that's 2x$ per par/coverage of the Radion xr15. With a bunch of fixtures I can see how the Orphek could provide something similar to T5. I'm just not convinced the implementation will work the same way in terms of blending with just one or two fixtures, especially near the edges.

So, I'm back at 2 x Radion XR 15s. Ecotech have a strong presence here in Australia so service is less of a stress factor. I'm super impressed by the spread and power of the G5. I know as the tank fills out I won't have the benefit of T5 spread so I'm going to pair them with 2 x Orphek light bars (my local store stocks and supports them).

 

[stephj03]

Seriously?

Well... Good luck, hope it works out well.

 

[Punchanello]

Seriously?

Well... Good luck, hope it works out well.

I'm assuming you're referring to not using T5? If I can't get them and can't be assured of getting service or parts in the future, what other choice do I have?

 

[SeaDweller]

I'm assuming you're referring to not using T5? If I can't get them and can't be assured of getting service or parts in the future, what other choice do I have?

MH running radiums and two OR blue bars. Boom!

 

[stephj03]

MH running radiums and two OR blue bars. Boom!

Haha, good luck with that, I think OP made their purchasing decision before starting a thread. Seems like this was already gonna be an XR15 lit tank a wk or two ago.