Help With New 30Lx30Wx24H Cube

[kwaite78]

Looking for opinions on some equipment for my new tank that should be arriving soon. I plan to use AI brand but would like to hear everyone's opinion/suggestions on lighting and powerheads. Currently my plan is for a single Hydra64 since the coverage is 30x30 max spread. As for powerheads I am looking at 2 Nero 3 pumps. The tank will house softies and lps coral. What is everyone's opinion on the current plan? Should i go 2 Hydra 32s? Maybe 3 prime 16s? and finally maybe bump up to 2 nero 5 pumps? Thanks in advance to anyone who comments!

 

[TX_REEF]

What are you planning to have in the tank? That’s the most important question when planning for lighting and flow.

 

[kwaite78]

What are you planning to have in the tank? That’s the most important question when planning for lighting and flow.

Sorry forgot to mention‍. But I will be planning on keeping lps and softies.

 

[TX_REEF]

Got it! In that case, you really only need one solid light fixture, anything will do really as softies don’t care much about intensity and LPS need no more than 200 PAR at the absolute max and will do just fine in the 100-120 range. I’d go with a couple kessil a160s or a single a360 because I love kessil, but a reefi fixture would be great too. With kessil you’ll get excellent shimmer and color development, and refi will give you less shadowing but at the expense of the pretty shimmer that I love from kessil. Links below for consideration. for flow, again less is more. 2 “weaker” pumps or a single stronger pump will do just fine. You could do a single mp10 or mp40, or something like a gyre. Maxspect, jebao and hygger gyres have all worked well for me.

Kessil a160: https://amzn.to/3L6hVSQ
Kessil a360: https://amzn.to/3W3xYH6
Reefi: https://www.reefi-lab.com/product-category/lighting/

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

I would include two AI Blades for fill (grows) if you do that you can use a kessil or XR15 as a point light source. Also am a Gyre fan, any brand

 

[mousehunter]

It is funny that what was old is new again. Once upon a time, we realized that we had shadowing with metal halides - so we used florescent tubes to do fill lighting with them - hybrid systems. Now with high density led arrays - we find we want to use LED strip lighting to fill in shadowing...

Anyway, building a 24^3 cube right now. So watching thread with interest.