93 cube. Help me choose lights

CSJIII · Mar 4, 2014

So after a lot of thought I think that I have decided to upgrade my current tank, a 57 gallon rimless, and going with the Marineland 93 gallon cube. I like the look of the cube and I also like the rimless look.

So now its on to thoughts of lighting the bad boy. I am currently running a 36" 6 bulb ATI Sunpower fixture over my 57 gallon tank. I had thoughts of using that fixture over the 93 gallon that is 30"x30"x24" and supplimenting with some reefbrite XHO strips for example. Other thoughts include the 250 watt Reefbrite Halide Hybrid pendant, a 36" Cebu Sun 1x250W MH + T5 system, or using 2 Kessil A360 Controllable LED.

Choices...

1. (My current light) 36" 6 bulb ATI Sunpower fixture.
2. 250 watt Reefbrite Halide Hybrid pendant.
3. 36" Cebu Sun 1x250W MH + T5 system
4. 2 Kessil A360 Controllable LED. (I assume that I could not get away with using just one fixture.)
5. or.....

I would greatly appreciate any input and/or thoughts on the lighting I have listed for use on the Marineland 93 gallon cube. Or any other ideas that the community might have. I want a nice clean install since I will be plumbing through my wall and into a storage area behind the tank to hide the sump.

DSP · Mar 4, 2014

I have to share my experience with the halide hybrid, I used the 250 Watt hybrid on my 35 cube and it was awesome while it worked, I only got to use it about 4 full weeks honestly, The first time something in the fixture went out and I had to send it back and put a friends light on my tank for a little over a week until I recieved my new light, When I got the new unit I used it for about a week then the halide ballast went out, So I shipped it back once again and decided to go another route because I don't believe a $500 light should have problems like that, Now the reefbrite xho leds worked awesome! Never had a problem with them and the reefbrite dimmer worked great as well, There customer service is awesome to I just had a problem with the halide part.

SloppyJ · Mar 4, 2014

I'm in the exact same boat as you. I am building a 93 cube. I only have the light and skimmer yet to purchase. I keep going back and forth between a radion g3 pro or a ATI dimmable 8 bulb sunpower. DSP and I are in the same local club. He is loving his g3 pro and I'm planning on ordering one next week when my tax return comes in. The main reason I'm leaning that way is because of the reeflink and control over my vortechs because the ATI fixture with bulbs will be close to the same price.

CSJIII · Mar 4, 2014

DSP... I'm glad for your input because I haven't seen many of the reviews for the reefbrite metal halide hybrid. It does look like it's a pretty nice piece of equipment. Is it possible that maybe they have fixed the issue since then?

Sloppyj... I also thought about the radion gen 3 but I ran led over my 57 gallon for about 9 months. AI sol blues. I had little success with them. Just too many variables with led's in my opinion. You can change color, intensity, time.... Rather than just on or off like with a metal halide. I also think I would need 2 of the radion gen 3 units to cover the tank properly. So I really don't like led. But kept the kessil lights on my list for pure esthetics. I think they could look really sweet over a cube.

DSP · Mar 4, 2014

CSJIII said:
DSP... I'm glad for your input because I haven't seen many of the reviews for the reefbrite metal halide hybrid. It does look like it's a pretty nice piece of equipment. Is it possible that maybe they have fixed the issue since then?

Sloppyj... I also thought about the radion gen 3 but I ran led over my 57 gallon for about 9 months. AI sol blues. I had little success with them. Too many. Just too many variables for me with led's. Change color, intensity, time.... Rather than just on or off like with a metal halide. I also think I would need 2 of the radion gen 3 units to cover the tank properly. So I really don't like led. But kept the kessil lights on my list for pure esthetics. I think they could look really sweet over a cube.

I'm really not sure if they have fixed the issues with the fixture or not to be honest,I know they did fix a ballast problem they had a while back because when they sent me a new ballast it looked different then the one I sent them, They told me they removed the on off switch because people were having problems with them. Again I'm not bashing reefbrite or anything they have great customer service and there leds are just awesome! I just had a couple problems with the halide and decided to go another route.

SloppyJ · Mar 4, 2014

I've contacted ecotech and they assured me that it would cover my tank (93 cube). Not really trusting them, I asked DSP about it since he has a g3 pro and I know him. He has the stock lenses and has a wider tank than we do and it covers his tank.

DSP · Mar 4, 2014

Yup no doubt at all it will cover a 93 cube, My tank is 36x24x18 and the coverage is awesome! And that's with the stock lenses like sloppyj mentioned.

JMMJ13902 · Mar 4, 2014

I have a 93 gal cube from marineland as well. I really love the dimensions of this tank. I bought it used so had no choice but saw a rimless one in person and it is super sweet. I would personally go with two radions or two al vega because of the clean look of the rimless so you want a nicer lights to go along with it.

I had a DIY LEDs from rapidled 6x20 (two fixtures). I like DIY stuff so that's why I went with this route but if not a nicer fixtures would go along great with a rimless (just my humble opinion

).

Here is my ocean lol

Djtonton · Mar 4, 2014

I just won a 93 gal rimless tank and decided to go with Ocean Revive Arctic-T247 LED Aquarium Light

Arctic-T247 LED Aquarium Light_Aquarium LED_OCEANREVIVE LED

I cant wait for it to come in!!!

ahtatt · Mar 4, 2014

I'm about to start a new build, and while my tank will be different dimensions that what you're going with, I'm leaning pretty strongly towards a hamilton cebu sun mh+t5 fixture. I have some spare stunner strips as well I plan on attaching inside my canopy for additional color pop.

I currently have leds on my tank, and have previously used mh+t5 combo, and honestly I was happier with the Mh combo.

CSJIII · Mar 5, 2014

I started 5 years ago with a 28 gallon jbj nano with a 150 hqi and man..... The colors and growth were great. That's why I am thinking to go back to metal halide. I was also getting morph colors with my ai sol led's. Yet another reason that I stayed away from them.

Great looking tank JMMJ!

The only led I would consider using would be the kessil 360. They are dimable but none of the tinkering with 32% this and 15% that. The two kessil lights would look great over a cube.

Demonic · Mar 5, 2014

I just purchased a 93 cube and went with a Radion Gen2 after several hours of reading and then flipping a coin. Although I will still probably buy the upgrade kit to make it a Gen 3.

CSJIII · Mar 5, 2014

Demonic said:
I just purchased a 93 cube and went with a Radion Gen2 after several hours of reading and then flipping a coin. Although I will still probably buy the upgrade kit to make it a Gen 3.

What were your choices, other thAn the gen 2's? And are you running one or two fixtures?

rockinzebra457 · Mar 5, 2014

I have a gen one over my 60 cube which is 24 x24 and it could deffiently cover a lot bigger tank than I have.

CSJIII · Mar 5, 2014

But with that small footprint in the center of the tank, I'm just not a fan of all the shadows despite a wide lens and high intensity. I would most likely end up buying a second fixture

DSP · Mar 5, 2014

CSJIII said:
But with that small footprint in the center of the tank, I'm just not a fan of all the shadows despite a wide lens and high intensity. I would most likely end up buying a second fixture

There wouldn't be any shadows, I have mine over a 36 inch tank with absolutely no shadowing at all, and that's using stock lenses, The radion is the only led I would even consider,If anything else it would be a hydra 52 but that's it, definately not a kessil though,one 400 Watt radium would be nice to for an sps tank.

Demonic · Mar 5, 2014

CSJIII said:
What were your choices, other thAn the gen 2's? And are you running one or two fixtures?

My top 3 were, in no order
ATI dimmable 8x24
Kessil A360WE
Radion G2/G3 or Pro

SloppyJ · Mar 5, 2014

I'm with this guy ^^ minus the kessil. I think the radion and sol are completely different. I just sold my sol. I believe the spectrum on the radion is the key.

NanaReefer · Mar 5, 2014

Reefradiance.com having an awesome sale til Friday the 7th. I just ordered the LumenTek Pro 180!! All the bell & whistles for $319 shipped. Great customer service too

CSJIII · Mar 5, 2014

SloppyJ said:
I'm with this guy ^^ minus the kessil. I think the radion and sol are completely different. I just sold my sol. I believe the spectrum on the radion is the key.

Long term.... is anyone getting color morphing? I hated the colors of my corals when I was running LED's simply because I knew that they were not the "True colors" that I had started with under metal halide.