Reef Lighting - Old School vs latest tech....thoughts

[Michael71]

So i am planning a build and it may be unorthodox but i am planning the build around the available lighting on the market. Last reef was 15 years ago and i was a metal halide guy with a t5 filler. That said i want to do a mixed reef cube roughly 90 to 110gal display. After 3 weeks of reading, watching videos i have narrowed my selections down to the following:

Giesemann Spectra HQI 24" - can get 250 or 400w halide most likely radiums as phoenix 14k dont seem to be available anymore. Also has 4 T5 as its a hybrid system. recommended coverage is 39"x39"x28" depth. Approx initial cost $1000

Kessil A500X - 185w LED Compact Cluster with recommended coverage at 36"x36"x24-36" depth depending on lense. Aprrox initial cost $1000

Radion G6 Pro - 215w LED with recommended coverage of 48" both directions, assuming 24" depth but couldnt find that info. Approx initial cost $1300

AI Hydra 64 - 135w with recommended coverage of 30"x30"x24" depth. Most likely not going this route as i want my water depth at 20" and to hit a at least 90 gallon display i would need 32"x32" and if i go 110 the looking at 36"x36" wich means 2 fixtures at roughly $900 each with mounting etc.

So looking for opinions on people running these fixtures in the R2R community. How do you like them, how is your coral growth, what is the realistic light spread you are getting and what you dont like about them. For those running MH, how have you found availablity of bulbs and ballasts. Looking forward to your responses.:beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:

 

[Lavey29]

XR15 lights are weak par and won't give usable par at 36 inch deep. XR 30 lights might do it.

What are your tank dimensions?

 

[rtparty]

They all work. I’ve used all of them or at least tested them.

I love Radions but Mobius sucks. They are basically a no go from me simply because of Mobius. Nothing like 100% lights at 2am!

Time will tell how they hold up but the new Gen 2 Nicrew lights punch way above their weight class. Best bang for your buck right now IMO

Don’t go off manufacturer claims for spread though. You’ll need more than you think

 

[Michael71]

XR15 lights are weak par and won't give usable par at 36 inch deep. XR 30 lights might do it.

What are your tank dimensions?

is hould have been more specific, its the XR 30 G6 pro that i listed the stats on

 

[Lavey29]

is hould have been more specific, its the XR 30 G6 pro that i listed the stats on

So 2 of those for a 90g will work. I run 2 XR15 lights on 65g for 4 years with success. Love the mobius app with all my pumps and lights on it but I need to run 100% intensity to get decent par for mixed reef.

 

[Michael71]

They all work. I’ve used all of them or at least tested them.

I love Radions but Mobius sucks. They are basically a no go from me simply because of Mobius. Nothing like 100% lights at 2am!

Time will tell how they hold up but the new Gen 2 Nicrew lights punch way above their weight class. Best bang for your buck right now IMO

thanks RT, appreciate the feed back. unfortunately i dont know much about the Nicrew lights. I will have to look into them. I do know i want something from a company that has been around awhile and has a good chance of staying in the market. Appreciate the feedback on the mobius app. I will not be messing with color blending so much as i just want the ability to cycle up and down slow and hopefully have a decent moolight sequence. I will say, I love metal halide shimmer so options 1 and 2 on my list are where i am leaning.

 

[Michael71]

So 2 of those for a 90g will work. I run 2 XR15 lights on 65g for 4 years with success. Love the mobius app with all my pumps and lights on it but I need to run 100% intensity to get decent par for mixed reef.

Thanks Lavey, so you think it would take 2 XR 30's on a 90 cube?

 

[X-37B]

Here is an idea/option if you want leds and like a halide look.
I run Photon 50's on my 59×30×21.
If your 90 or 110 is 4' then a Photon 48 or 50 would work well.
A 32 if your system is 36" or their new Meridians.
Here is my system. First pic is with the whites at 30%. This is how I run my system.
Second pic is whites at 100%. Quite the halide look, imo.
My system is 9 months old.

 

[Michael71]

Here is an idea/option if you want leds and like a halide look.
I run Photon 50's on my 59×30×21.
If your 90 or 110 is 4' then a Photon 48 or 50 would work well.
A 32 if your system is 36" or their new Meridians.
Here is my system. First pic is with the whites at 30%. This is how I run my system.
Second pic is whites at 100%. Quite the halide look, imo.
My system is 9 months old.

Thanks 37B.. your system is looking good for 9months in. My tank is going to be 32x32x20 deep. So 98 gallon display.

 

[VintageReefer]

XR15 lights are weak par and won't give usable par at 36 inch deep. XR 30 lights might do it.

What are your tank dimensions?

Correct

 

[X-37B]

Thanks 37B.. your system is looking good for 9months in. My tank is going to be 32x32x20 deep. So 98 gallon display.

Cool. If it was mine I would do 2 32 Photons or the Meridian. I wanted the Meridian, but they were not out, and I did not wait.
I also run 3 or4 uv/v bars.

 

[VintageReefer]

Thanks 37B.. your system is looking good for 9months in. My tank is going to be 32x32x20 deep. So 98 gallon display.

I love my photons but they are discontinued and you can’t find them. The new fixture is the meridian and it looks good

You would need two Meridian 24 for full coverage. 1400$
https://reefbreeders.com/pages/meridian-info
Although if you mounted high…here is one meridian 24 covering 36x30

Detroit reef club happens to have 2 Meridian 24 in stock

 

[X-37B]

I have alot of growth pics you can check my build.
This is 5 months growth on the bottom as an example.

 

[Michael71]

Any disco effect from those lights? I plan on doing mixed sps lps and soft so need decent intensity at least in the top 8". Plus want to mimimize light spill

 

[X-37B]

Any disco effect from those lights? I plan on doing mixed sps lps and soft so need decent intensity at least in the top 8". Plus want to mimimize light spill

No disco and I get 200 par on the bottom front and edges. 300-350 across the rocks.
Water height is 19" from the bottom to the surface.
If I turn the whites to 100% I can get 500 par on the rocks which are around 11" to the surface.

 

[X-37B]

I love my photons but they are discontinued and you can’t find them. The new fixture is the meridian and it looks good

You would need two Meridian 24 for full coverage. 1400$
https://reefbreeders.com/pages/meridian-info
Although if you mounted high…here is one meridian 24 covering 36x30

Detroit reef club happens to have 2 Meridian 24 in stock

I really wanted the Meridians but they were not out yet.
How do you like them?

 

[VintageReefer]

I really wanted the Meridians but they were not out yet.
How do you like them?

I have a photon 48

Meridians are out now. I’m…considering….I could replace my photon 48 with a meridian 35…or…I have a 48” tank I’m about to start…

 

[VintageReefer]

Any disco effect from those lights? I plan on doing mixed sps lps and soft so need decent intensity at least in the top 8". Plus want to mimimize light spill

Here is photon 48

I get great coverage, color and growth on my corals

Ignore pics with surface reflection. Look past that and at the sand below. It’s uniform color

 

[X-37B]

Here is photon 48

I get great coverage, color and growth on my corals

Ignore pics with surface reflection. Look past that and at the sand below. It’s uniform color

Very nice! I would love to see a system with the Meridians.

 

[Bohemian Waxwing]

I am personally fond of T5 supplemented by LED. @Vintage reefer has one of the nicest LED lit tanks on this site, but I am not sure I could handle that blue colouration, and I find the white LEDs to be kinda off.

I believe @Yanir34 is running T5s and it's my favourite tank on this site!

Here's my lowtech T5 driven mixed reef: