Would you rather

[MONTANTK]

With Christmas coming I’m anticipating some cash and/or gift cards to put towards a new toy for my tank. I’m debating whether I should change my lights or purchase an Apex.

I had an apex in the past and I miss it dearly but I seem to be doing okay without it. I also like the prime HD but I can’t get over the shadowing on my first few acro frags. I’m borrowing a 16HD while my normal HD gets serviced. The 16 is better but not by much. I also might get reef brites as a supplement but not sure it would help. I would likely go for an XR15 Pro or a hydra 26 with the hope they improve the shading situation. I’d still end up adding the reefbrites

I do plan on buying an apex eventually but I also plan on upgrading to an IM20 peninsula in the next year and I will likely need to upgrade my light anyway. Curious to see what other members would do.

 

[jda]

Both of those lights are point source too... they won't help much with shadowing. There are other lights that will.

I don't use apex, so no comments on which you should do.

 

[MONTANTK]

Both of those lights are point source too... they won't help much with shadowing. There are other lights that will.

I don't use apex, so no comments on which you should do.

I figured the G5 would because of the use of the whole housing for the LEDs rather than a puck design. Any other LEDs other than Orphek?

 

[sfin52]

With Christmas coming I’m anticipating some cash and/or gift cards to put towards a new toy for my tank. I’m debating whether I should change my lights or purchase an Apex.

I had an apex in the past and I miss it dearly but I seem to be doing okay without it. I also like the prime HD but I can’t get over the shadowing on my first few acro frags. I’m borrowing a 16HD while my normal HD gets serviced. The 16 is better but not by much. I also might get reef brites as a supplement but not sure it would help. I would likely go for an XR15 Pro or a hydra 26 with the hope they improve the shading situation. I’d still end up adding the reefbrites

I do plan on buying an apex eventually but I also plan on upgrading to an IM20 peninsula in the next year and I will likely need to upgrade my light anyway. Curious to see what other members would do.

Hybrid with the HD. The t5 will removing the shadowing.

 

[jda]

G5 is better than a G4, but still not like Orphek or ReefBreeders. G5 will likely get shadows later on when your frags are larger.

 

[MONTANTK]

Hybrid with the HD. The t5 will removing the shadowing.

That’s what I wanted to do but my tank is only 18”. The tank id upgrade to is 30” but then I would need two primes and the hybrid fixture only allows for 1 per 24”

 

[MONTANTK]

G5 is better than a G4, but still not like Orphek or ReefBreeders. G5 will likely get shadows later on when your frags are larger.

The tank is only 15x10 so colonies won’t get too big. I’ll look into reefbreeders though

 

[sfin52]

That’s what I wanted to do but my tank is only 18”. The tank id upgrade to is 30” but then I would need two primes and the hybrid fixture only allows for 1 per 24”

Maybe two led angled one toward the front the other toward the back

 

[MONTANTK]

Maybe two led angled one toward the front the other toward the back

That’s a good idea. I really like the 16HD. I can probably figure out a way to angle them

 

[Nick Steele]

I’d say why not just get another ai HD? I have 2 over my nuvo20 24” long and I have almost no shadows besides next to my high scape and directly under my powerheads.

 

[MONTANTK]

I’d say why not just get another ai HD? I have 2 over my nuvo20 24” long and I have almost no shadows besides next to my high scape and directly under my powerheads.

That’s what I’m thinking of doing now. Just having a hard time figuring out how to mount them on the tank to angle them because I can’t hang them

 

[Nick Steele]

Flex arms give a good range of mounting. I have my two angled outward from their mounting point on the tank to allow plent of working space in the back chambers. They are the 18” arm mounted about 10” from water line.


Best to keep the lights leveled and not angled front to back as that will cause loud fans

 

[MONTANTK]

Flex arms give a good range of mounting. I have my two angled outward from their mounting point on the tank to allow plent of working space in the back chambers. They are the 18” arm mounted about 10” from water line.


Best to keep the lights leveled and not angled front to back as that will cause loud fans

The fan on the 16HD I’m borrowing now is quite loud but I’ve gotten used to it. My tank is a peninsula and I wanted to avoid having the lights fastened on one of the viewing panels but I’m quickly realizing that may not be feasible

 

[iamacat]

If you are going point source LEDs like AI you can certainly fix the shadowing. You just need to use multiple. Hybrid would be the best if you don’t want to add more LEDs. That will get the shadowing resolved completely. Just have to decide what you want over your tank or what you want to interact with

 

[Nick Steele]

The fan on the 16HD I’m borrowing now is quite loud but I’ve gotten used to it. My tank is a peninsula and I wanted to avoid having the lights fastened on one of the viewing panels but I’m quickly realizing that may not be feasible

You might be able to do one 12” flex arm for a light closer to the overflow and one 18” one for further away from the overflow side.

 

[MONTANTK]

You might be able to do one 12” flex arm for a light closer to the overflow and one 18” one for further away from the overflow side.

I was actually thinking of getting the kessil gooseneck and either attaching two prime hanging kits through the two holes or attaching a 26 mount to the gooseneck then attaching two hanging hits through the holes on the 26 mount. In my head it seems like it will work

 

[MONTANTK]

If you are going point source LEDs like AI you can certainly fix the shadowing. You just need to use multiple. Hybrid would be the best if you don’t want to add more LEDs. That will get the shadowing resolved completely. Just have to decide what you want over your tank or what you want to interact with

I am probably going to add reef brites. I wanted a T5 hybrid fixture but unfortunately the dimensions of a 24” hybrid fixture won’t work with my tank now or the one I plan on upgrading to

 

[iamacat]

I am probably going to add reef brites. I wanted a T5 hybrid fixture but unfortunately the dimensions of a 24” hybrid fixture won’t work with my tank now or the one I plan on upgrading to

I looked at those as well but I wasn’t impressed with the par added by the hydra add ons. I would do XHO strip but didn’t like the look it would have. I opted to have 3 hydra 32 over my 36”x24”x19”

 

[MONTANTK]

I looked at those as well but I wasn’t impressed with the par added by the hydra add ons. I would do XHO strip but didn’t like the look it would have. I opted to have 3 hydra 32 over my 36”x24”x19”

I’m still torn. I liked the reefbreeder but not really practical for my tank now. I plan on moving in 2021 at which point I will probably do a floating canopy and hang the lights. I think for now I’ll go with the Apex and see how the reefbrites do.