Reef Breeders Meridians

[VintageReefer]

Yes

 

[Rocks reef]

Yes

Ok, makes sense on your setup brother.
I'm just worried about front to back coverage. I know it says the 35 can cover a 48"x24" area... but...

 

[VintageReefer]

Ok, makes sense on your setup brother.
I'm just worried about front to back coverage. I know it says the 35 can cover a 48"x24" area... but...

It can if you mount at recommended height. I’m mounting lower and I need to get light under things like shelves and platforms.

The sand areas underneath my front glass frag shelves is actually mostly lit by my rear led bar. If I didn’t have the frag shelves, the Meridian would have been fine alone

 

[Rocks reef]

I was going to use the BOT mounts for it

 

[LagunaGlide]

I think I am just about sold on the Meridians. I am starting a new tank soon, and choosing lights, but have a questions concerns. I will be doing a 60x24 tank. It looks like the Meridian 45 is the best coverage option for a single unit, but can you adjust each section of the light individually?

I am also concerned about mounting. I refuse to use the tank mounts, and like the Red Sea 160/170 Universal mounting arms because they hinge up and out of the way, but am a bit concerned about mounting such a large unit on two of these arms and then being supported by the tank. I considered trying to find a way to mount these arms to the stand, but it's all just ideas at this point.

I also saw someone build a bracket that is mounted to the wall, and that looked like a decent option, but I think I'd still like it to pivot up.

All that being said can you all share your creative mounting options for these lights that don't include tank mounting or hanging from the ceiling?

Any additional info appreciated.

 

[VintageReefer]

I think I am just about sold on the Meridians. I am starting a new tank soon, and choosing lights, but have a questions concerns. I will be doing a 60x24 tank. It looks like the Meridian 45 is the best coverage option for a single unit, but can you adjust each section of the light individually?

No but I believe this might be a future option via software.

You could do what I did. Instead of one larger unit, you can use Meridian 11’s and connect them with link rails, daisy chain power, and build your own fixture and have individual control over each unit

Or if you got the 45 and had one section that needs slightly more or less par, you could do lens swaps. The encompass lens will give wider coverage and reduce par slightly

I am also concerned about mounting. I refuse to use the tank mounts, and like the Red Sea 160/170 Universal mounting arms because they hinge up and out of the way, but am a bit concerned about mounting such a large unit on two of these arms and then being supported by the tank. I considered trying to find a way to mount these arms to the stand, but it's all just ideas at this point.

I also saw someone build a bracket that is mounted to the wall, and that looked like a decent option, but I think I'd still like it to pivot up.

All that being said can you all share your creative mounting options for these lights that don't include tank mounting or hanging from the ceiling?

Any additional info appreciated.

The reefbreeders back of tank mount would be the recommended solution and you mentioned 2 mount points as a concern. I will point out that per RB the reccomendation is

Meridan 45 - 2-3 bot mounts
Meridian 45 + edge bars - 3 mounts

2 would be the safe minimum and 3 would be acceptable also. And any intent to add bars in future would require 3 to support and distribute the weight evenly

Even if I was just using the 45 alone, I would personally use 3 just to be over careful

Why can’t you use 3 or 4 of the Red Sea swinging arms?

I prefer the side mounts, I feel it is the safest option, I like the way it looks, and I can simply slide the unit back when I need to do more complex tank work and do not need a complicated wall mounted hinge system or retrofitting anything

 

[Kazumi]

When I bought my 45 a bit ago, Logan said that sometime this summer you would be able to independently pairs of clusters. So the right pair different from the left pair. To do this though you was going to have to swap out the control board.

 

[xabo]

Can they be mounted using the 60/40 aluminum rails?

 

[VintageReefer]

Can they be mounted using the 60/40 aluminum rails?

Yes they have threaded bolts on the top that can be used with this kit
https://reefbreeders.com/products/meridian-hanging-wires
They also have threaded t-slot channels on the front, top, and rear

 

[LagunaGlide]

No but I believe this might be a future option via software.

You could do what I did. Instead of one larger unit, you can use Meridian 11’s and connect them with link rails, daisy chain power, and build your own fixture and have individual control over each unit

Or if you got the 45 and had one section that needs slightly more or less par, you could do lens swaps. The encompass lens will give wider coverage and reduce par slightly

The reefbreeders back of tank mount would be the recommended solution and you mentioned 2 mount points as a concern. I will point out that per RB the reccomendation is

Meridan 45 - 2-3 bot mounts
Meridian 45 + edge bars - 3 mounts

2 would be the safe minimum and 3 would be acceptable also. And any intent to add bars in future would require 3 to support and distribute the weight evenly

Even if I was just using the 45 alone, I would personally use 3 just to be over careful

Why can’t you use 3 or 4 of the Red Sea swinging arms?

I prefer the side mounts, I feel it is the safest option, I like the way it looks, and I can simply slide the unit back when I need to do more complex tank work and do not need a complicated wall mounted hinge system or retrofitting anything

Thanks for all the info.

Using multiple 11s was the other option I was considering. Price comes out about the same.

I certainly could use several of the red sea arms I just don't like the idea of the stress on that back wall.

 

[Bryman]

Question about the Meridian 11. I bought one of these for my upcoming Nuvo 20 build, and am waiting on the BOT mount to arrive. One thing I noticed is that the LED panel on the 11 is 90° rotated compared to the larger models. If I mount on the BOT arm, I'm going to have 5 LEDs in the front by 6 LEDs on the sides, which isn't ideal for the long orientation on this tank. I guess I could get around this by mounting the BOT on the side, but the mount and screws are pretty large and unsightly.

Is it possible to mount a Meridian 11 on a BOT mount rotated 90° so that i can optimize coverage on my long tank?

 

[exnisstech]

Question about the Meridian 11. I bought one of these for my upcoming Nuvo 20 build, and am waiting on the BOT mount to arrive. One thing I noticed is that the LED panel on the 11 is 90° rotated compared to the larger models. If I mount on the BOT arm, I'm going to have 5 LEDs in the front by 6 LEDs on the sides, which isn't ideal for the long orientation on this tank. I guess I could get around this by mounting the BOT on the side, but the mount and screws are pretty large and unsightly.

Is it possible to mount a Meridian 11 on a BOT mount rotated 90° so that i can optimize coverage on my long tank?

Interesting as I was just looking at the meridian 11 on my IM 20 while laying in bed this morning and noticed that for the first time. I'm using tank mounts from a photon so I cant rotate it and it can't be rotated on the BOT mount TMK. I'm getting plenty of par (350) on my clams in the center and the lower light corals off to the ends are getting 100-150 so I'm not going to worry about it.

 

[VintageReefer]

Interesting as I was just looking at the meridian 11 on my IM 20 while laying in bed this morning and noticed that for the first time. I'm using tank mounts from a photon so I cant rotate it and it can't be rotated on the BOT mount TMK. I'm getting plenty of par (350) on my clams in the center and the lower light corals off to the ends are getting 100-150 so I'm not going to worry about it.

I never noticed until it was just pointed out

 

[exnisstech]

I never noticed until it was just pointed out

I assumed they are all oriented that way to make manufacturing easier and it's probably just not noticable on the lights with more than one panel of lights but I'm just guessing.

 

[Bryman]

Might be able to use these as cross bars for the Meridian 11 then drill a hole in middle of each for mounting to the BOT arm. Not sure if it's worth the effort though.

 

[VintageReefer]

The meridian 11 has an even coverage area, 24x24 I don’t think it really matters what orientation due to the lenses

 

[Bryman]

Thanks for the info all, I will restrain myself from fixing what isn't broken.

 

[VintageReefer]

Thanks for the info all, I will restrain myself from fixing what isn't broken.

I have a 48x20 reef and a Meridian 11 on each side does great. You will be good

 

[exnisstech]

Anyone have any suggestions how to illuminate this shimmer (?) that I'm getting without shutting off the return so there's no surface agitation?
I don't spend much time in front of this tank due to it being in our bedroom. Today I spent some time just sitting back and watching things and the shimmer or whatever it's called is really annoying after several minutes. The tank is an iM 20 with a display area 12x24" I have the light on photon tank mounts and have it on the highest setting which puts it at 11" above the water. The next setting down puts it at 7.5" but the shimmer doesn't really change.

Here's a quick video


This is what I would really like to see. This tank is 36x22x22 with two photon 32 pros also 11" above the water.

 

[james1978]

I am ready for the upgrade. I keep my reef lighting the way you do....with heavy blues throughout most of the cycle and medium par throughout the reef.

You can take my light schedule / profile from the community section of the app if you wish. I shared it You just customize your sunrise/sunset times and it should scale for you

At 5 pm, this is what my corals look like (pics below) and by 6:30 my tank will be in “insane mode” and have maximum pop all night for you evening viewers who want to enjoy it after work.

Hey.. thanks for sharing your pictures.. but don't see much sps.. do u think this would be good for a mixed reef?