New Wider Tank - Existing Equipment or New Lights?

[Kactai]

Hi All,

I'm setting up a WB Infinitia 275.6. That's a 180 gal display with 72"L x 29''W x 23.5" H.

I currently have two Hydra 54HD and one Hydra 26HD from a previous set up and I also have a 4" ATI Hybrid T5 fixture. the 26HD will likely go on my coral QT tank.

I'm looking for recommendations on how to light this tank to grow a typical SPS dominant mixed reef. I want good coverage and minimal shadowing. My rock scape is very well sloped towards the back and I want to avoid having my SPS reach up towards the center of the tank and shading everything on the lower levels. Obviously placement and coral types will have a lot to do with that but I would like my light spread to help or at least not make it worse.

I'm considering the following options:
1. Buy 3 new AI Hydra 64HD's , get the 24'' spacing kit for the 4 ft hybrid fixture and use 5 AI hydras (54 & 62 HD's) front to back with the T5's centered.
2. Sell everything I have and get 4-5 Radion G6 pros
3. Any other cost effective light fixtures, suggestions on optimizing use of my current equipment or something totally different.

I plan on building a hanging shelf/canopy to house the lights and I will probably hang fairly high which is why I'm considering the AI hydra fixtures.

Let me know what you think .I'm excited to see what the combined experience of the Reef2Reef community can come up with.

Thanks

 

[mike550]

Hi All,

I'm setting up a WB Infinitia 275.6. That's a 180 gal display with 72"L x 29''W x 23.5" H.

I currently have two Hydra 54HD and one Hydra 26HD from a previous set up and I also have a 4" ATI Hybrid T5 fixture. the 26HD will likely go on my coral QT tank.

I'm looking for recommendations on how to light this tank to grow a typical SPS dominant mixed reef. I want good coverage and minimal shadowing. My rock scape is very well sloped towards the back and I want to avoid having my SPS reach up towards the center of the tank and shading everything on the lower levels. Obviously placement and coral types will have a lot to do with that but I would like my light spread to help or at least not make it worse.

I'm considering the following options:
1. Buy 3 new AI Hydra 64HD's , get the 24'' spacing kit for the 4 ft hybrid fixture and use 5 AI hydras (54 & 62 HD's) front to back with the T5's centered.
2. Sell everything I have and get 4-5 Radion G6 pros
3. Any other cost effective light fixtures, suggestions on optimizing use of my current equipment or something totally different.

I plan on building a hanging shelf/canopy to house the lights and I will probably hang fairly high which is why I'm considering the AI hydra fixtures.

Let me know what you think .I'm excited to see what the combined experience of the Reef2Reef community can come up with.

Thanks

Just my opinion. I really like the AI lights so I would go with three maybe four of the 64s. Really depends on how high you’re going to put the lights and keep in mind light spillage from the canopy.

 

[Bpb]

Sps dominant? I’d try to blanket the surface as much as possible. Personal opinion but I wouldn’t attempt this with just 3-4 hydras. I’d consider 4-5 g6 radions in a 60” t5 hybrid.

 

[nbooks]

Quanta pro bars are your answer if you dont want to spend thousands.

LED Light Bars for Coral Reef Aquariums | Quanta Lights

Quanta lights offers premium LED lighting solutions for aquariums. Our LED light bars are designed for coral reef aquariums and can also be used on saltwater and freshwater aquariums. Quanta lights offer value, innovation, and incredible spectrums that are simple to use and built to last.

www.quantareef.com

 

[Hooz]

I think bars would be your best bet.

The Quantas are awesome, but you have NO control available beyond just on/off.

AI Blades would do well on a tank that wide. I think either 2 Grow and 3 Glow, or 3 Grow and 2 Glow (depending on your aesthetic preferences) would get you where you wanted to be for PAR and coverage. They're designed to be mounted lower (I think BRS concluded 8" was optimal), though, so they may not be the best option either.

Now that Orphek has finally come out with their controller, they might be the best option for your situation. They HAVE to be mounted higher because of their lazerbeam-like reflectors, but your canopy setup sounds like it may be a perfect fit.

 

[nbooks]

I think bars would be your best bet.

The Quantas are awesome, but you have NO control available beyond just on/off.

AI Blades would do well on a tank that wide. I think either 2 Grow and 3 Glow, or 3 Grow and 2 Glow (depending on your aesthetic preferences) would get you where you wanted to be for PAR and coverage. They're designed to be mounted lower (I think BRS concluded 8" was optimal), though, so they may not be the best option either.

Now that Orphek has finally come out with their controller, they might be the best option for your situation. They HAVE to be mounted higher because of their lazerbeam-like reflectors, but your canopy setup sounds like it may be a perfect f

a 66 inch blade is $769, a 72 inch quanta is $325 (shipped free), and on top of that the BRS blade video was picked apart but some knowledgeable people and found to have a lot of issues. For that pur/$ i wouldnt go anywhere near the blades.

orphek is another discussion when it comes to quality and well price too.

Im running 3 quanta 6 foot bars and a 2x fluval sea 36" led lights (happened to come with my tank) - total cost if purchased now would be about $1200. So if budget is smaller or oyu want to put the money elsewhere in the build....

 

[Hooz]

a 66 inch blade is $769, a 72 inch quanta is $325 (shipped free), and on top of that the BRS blade video was picked apart but some knowledgeable people and found to have a lot of issues. For that pur/$ i wouldnt go anywhere near the blades.

orphek is another discussion when it comes to quality and well price too.

Im running 3 quanta 6 foot bars and a 2x fluval sea 36" led lights (happened to come with my tank) - total cost if purchased now would be about $1200. So if budget is smaller or oyu want to put the money elsewhere in the build....

Every new light gets picked apart. Other than marketing slight of hand, I've not seen a single person say the Blades wouldn't grow coral. I've seen and played with a couple in real life, and the spread is no joke, even when sitting directly on the tank.

I have much love for the Quanta bars, but all you get is on/off. And to adjust PAR, all you can do is raise or lower them, or add and remove strips. Heck, even T5s are dimmable these days.

 

[nbooks]

Every new light gets picked apart. Other than marketing slight of hand, I've not seen a single person say the Blades wouldn't grow coral. I've seen and played with a couple in real life, and the spread is no joke, even when sitting directly on the tank.

I have much love for the Quanta bars, but all you get is on/off. And to adjust PAR, all you can do is raise or lower them, or add and remove strips. Heck, even T5s are dimmable these days.

not saying the ai's wont grow anything, but that slight of hand was lame and the lack of 72" bar is a miss imho. I also still want to see them tested on a deeper tank.

regarding lack of dimming - that seems to be the only negative anyone can ever come up with, and yes i too had to think about it (my original plan was 3 sky's - 6 foot tank with 2 front/back braces). the other thought process would be is dimming worth the extra $300ish per light when it can be solved other ways....

i chose to cut my lighting equipment cost as well as running cost in like half (3 bars pull just over 300w, 3 skys would have been 4-600w) and spend the rest on coral

 

[SteveMM62Reef]

21LEDUSA ReefBar Pro comes in a 68” Use the SunSetter Control, to Ramp the lights up and down. The Bars are slim enough you could easily fit them next to your other lights. Have you thought about Siliconing Frag Tiles to your back glass, for attaching Coral there to fill out the tank? I used these large plugs that have a texture to them, and snapped the stems off.

 

[Hooz]

regarding lack of dimming - that seems to be the only negative anyone can ever come up with, and yes i too had to think about it (my original plan was 3 sky's - 6 foot tank with 2 front/back braces). the other thought process would be is dimming worth the extra $300ish per light when it can be solved other ways....

That's the thing, right? Everyone will have to decide if it's "worth it" to them. Since my tank is in the living area and is viewed from a seated position most of the time, I like to keep lights as low as possible to minimize light spill into the room. "Just raising them" is 100% not an option for me. Dimming, or lack thereof, is absolutely worth it... for me.

 

[nbooks]

That's the thing, right? Everyone will have to decide if it's "worth it" to them. Since my tank is in the living area and is viewed from a seated position most of the time, I like to keep lights as low as possible to minimize light spill into the room. "Just raising them" is 100% not an option for me. Dimming, or lack thereof, is absolutely worth it... for me.

we're on the same page it sounds like - i forgot to add that my tank is 30" deep so my situation is not standard, im at the recommended 8" above water line.