Spend my money!Help me upgrade lighting!

[Cully]

current lighting over standard 4x2x2 120 mixed reef:

2x4 foot T5s along the back-ATI Blue+
2 Gen 2 Radion Pros set at Coral Lab AB setting
2x4 foot T5s along the front ATI Blue+ and Coral+

I’ve contemplated getting rid of the Radions in lieu of going back to halides or forging ahead with LED as improvements come along.

Option 1
Ditch Radions-replace with MH, keep T5
Pros-tried, true
Cons-heat, cost, bulb replacement etc..

Option 2
MH staggered with AI Primes across center row

AI-MH-AI-MH-AI

Pros-best of all worlds
Cons-cost, LEDs superfluous or just super expensive dawn/dusk/moon lights


Option 3
Add AI Primes in between Radions

AI-Radion-AI-Radion-AI

Pros-added blend, less spot lighting?, less shadowing?
Cons-overkill? delusional thought processes?


Option 4

Add another Radion G2Pro so 3 in line just for consistency, programming, spectral, uniformity? Same reasoning as option 3


Option 5

Upgrade 2 G2Pros to 2 G4 Pros with updated lenses and improved spread?

Money is not an object until option 6 which is 3 Radion G4 Pros, same thinking as options 4 & 5, therefore....it’s not an option.



Thoughts?

Thanks!-making myself crazy, comments very welcome at this point!

-Cully

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

Option 5

Upgrade 2 G2Pros to 2 G4 Pros with updated lenses and improved spread?

Honestly this was my first thought when I was reading through your current setup.

 

[Cully]

Would 3 be overkill given their new projected coverage you think?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Geissaman. It's not my money.

Honestly you'll have to decide on the type of lighting first. Mh t5 led or combo.

And really , what do you want to try next. Imho. Why upgrade to the same thing you have?


You've got good choices there.

 

[Cully]

It’ll definitely be a combo set up. I’m keeping the T5 configuration with all options. I was hellbent on going back to Halides but I think that was frustration and inability to capture previous lightning in a bottle. I’ve seen successful LED tanks and they seem to have 1 or 2 things in common.

More LED units than just say 1 unit per 18x18” or 24x24” as manufacturers show on their projected spread/PAR layouts. AND they usually have them a little higher off the water or away from corals, presumably to enhance blend.

Radions upgraded their lenses to give better spread. This may be manufactuers wanting to move product. BRSs video on the G4s supports their claims, but they want to move product too.

Thank you for the thoughts! Keep em coming!

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

It’ll definitely be a combo set up. I’m keeping the T5 configuration with all options. I was hellbent on going back to Halides but I think that was frustration and inability to capture previous lightning in a bottle. I’ve seen successful LED tanks and they seem to have 1 or 2 things in common.

More LED units than just say 1 unit per 18x18” or 24x24” as manufacturers show on their projected spread/PAR layouts. AND they usually have them a little higher off the water or away from corals, presumably to enhance blend.

Radions upgraded their lenses to give better spread. This may be manufactuers wanting to move product. BRSs video on the G4s supports their claims, but they want to move product too.

Thank you for the thoughts! Keep em coming!

T5 Radion then. Easy.

Fwiw. Better spread less intensity. But still.

 

[madweazl]

Why are you changing the lighting?

 

[mcarroll]

None of your options are bad per se, but I'm still gonna play the Red Team on this.

It seems like you're just upgrading to upgrade.....I guess to try something different?

What I see is lack of satisfaction with LED's as well as lack of satisfaction with T5.....you're trying experimental things like combining them because of this.

I'd try hard to lay out what your dissatisfactions really are and then rank how important they are.

Just guessing from experience with others, you were not fond of the spotlight look you got with the radions. And because you went with the recommended setup, you started with sort of a minimal setup that would give you the maximum drama – shadows, shimmer, etc.

Adding T5's to a base setup like this has been a common meme as it does address some of the issues, but it's never seemed like a great option to me. Better ways are out there.

If I'm not completely off base in the analysis, I'd suggest considering strip LED's that will better-emulate a T5 system's output rather than what you started with.....a spotlight system.

Take lux or PAR readings of what you have, then get strips to approximately duplicate those levels on the new setup.

Current, GHL, Hamilton, Reerfbrite and others make decent options. Current and GHL sell complete setups with a controller, where the other two will require control or at least an appliance timer.

If it's more of an upgrade for no reason, not even to try new stuff, then all I could suggest is swapping the T5's for LED strips to make it all-LED and ditch the bulb changes once and for all.

Tell us why you want to upgrade and stop making me make this stuff up!

 

[Potatohead]

How much money are we talking about here? Because when it's someone else's money the answer is always six Orphek Atlantiks ;Greedy

 

[Velcro]

Replace the radions with AP700’s and bask in the halide like shimmer with the benefits of led.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

The can of worms has officially been opened.

 

[gcarroll]

Option 4 - Add another Radion G2Pro so 3 in line just for consistency, programming, spectral, uniformity?

Run the 3 Radion G2 Pros perpendicular to the tank. In addition I would add these wide angle lenses:
https://store2.ecotechmarine.com/collections/upgrades/products/wide-angle-tir-lens-kit

You should be able to find a G2 Pro at a reasonable price.

 

[Cully]

@mcarroll, my thought process was blend, decreased shadowing, more spread. I don’t have the luxury of raising the lights up so I got to thinking of going back to halides, but I don’t see that as an upgrade. Then I thought of adding supplemental pucks to add to the blend of the Radions. Finally the G4s are supposed to have improved spread through the new lenses.

I recently saw a video speech by Jason Fox who essentially uses reefbrite strips with actinic T5s. But that’s no fun.

Not changing just to change. Thank you for your input. Differing perspectives is why I posted. Not the “which is better debate”.

I had not considered the AP700s, or Orpheks, will give them a look and presumptively prepare for sticker shock.

 

[Brew12]

The can of worms has officially been opened.

Me, thinking I would upgrade to the g4's. But that isn't why I'm commenting.

I'm going to pop open a beer and enjoy the show!

 

[Cully]

@gcarroll as you see, that definitely crossed my mind lol

 

[Cully]

Brew, I get it, that’s gonna happen. I’m not looking to debate or have people start arguments with each other. I’d just like to hear which option people would pick and why. Hopefully people won’t start bashing formats or configurations. Doesn’t really help.

 

[Brew12]

Brew, I get it, that’s gonna happen. I’m not looking to debate or have people start arguments with each other. I’d just like to hear which option people would pick and why. Hopefully people won’t start bashing formats or configurations. Doesn’t really help.

I get it! I'm trying to make a lighting decision myself. Every time I think I know what I want I start to waffle before pulling the trigger.

 

[Cully]

Well I’m with you on crackin the beer! That oughta help decision making....

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Brew, I get it, that’s gonna happen. I’m not looking to debate or have people start arguments with each other. I’d just like to hear which option people would pick and why. Hopefully people won’t start bashing formats or configurations. Doesn’t really help.

Nah, it's were all passionate and, ask three reefers for an opinion and get six answers.
It's all good.

 

[Oldreefer44]

2 Atlantiks would work be more than enough. Have them on a 135 and am quite satisfied.