Peninsula lighting (48" tank) - 2 lights or 4?

[toothybugs]

Disclaimer: I have never used an LED pendant on a full-size (>15gal) system. I wasn't the biggest fan of some of the shadows from a single A160 over that little thing, but the spectrum was gorgeous. So:

I have the opportunity to set up either a 48x18x24H standard 90 or 60x20x24H 125 set up to be run peninsula. I want to light it with either a pair of A360s or two pair (total 4) A160s, one pair on either side of the aquascape. Target coral species are LPS and softies, probably with some easy sticks (birdsnest, purple poci, etc) later. I know the 360s can get good punch down that far but how would the 160s do for PAR that deep?? I don't want to supplement with T5 because shimmer is a key factor for the wife's buy-in in this.

Looking forward to your responses

 

[Llyod276]

Depends on how much light you need. Your rock work, and flow patterns. If you want a shimmer, aim flow at the surface and bam, shimmer. Don't need a light for that.

If you need less than say 150 par for most of your corals you can get by with 2, if you are goin high noon light for 12 hours then 4, but that's alot. Consider on my 75gallon 1 ap9x lights the whole thing and my corals are happy. Thats the equivalentof 2 360s 9 inches apart granted that is 10" off the waterish... But, nobody is getting burned etc.

I may run 2 lights eventually, but i am ok with one.

 

[TX_REEF]

Depends on how much light you need. Your rock work, and flow patterns. If you want a shimmer, aim flow at the surface and bam, shimmer. Don't need a light for that.

If you need less than say 150 par for most of your corals you can get by with 2, if you are goin high noon light for 12 hours then 4, but that's alot. Consider on my 75gallon 1 ap9x lights the whole thing and my corals are happy. Thats the equivalentof 2 360s 9 inches apart granted that is 10" off the waterish... But, nobody is getting burned etc.

I may run 2 lights eventually, but i am ok with one.

Agree, I use the kessil AP9x on both of my tanks with the same footprint. There are cheaper options to be sure, but if you love the shimmer and spectrum, kessil can’t be beat in my opinion by any other LED.