Led lighting options for 36”x36”x20” mixed reef

[bdmach1]

Thanks I still haven’t gotten my hands on a par meter rental yet to test par. Looking forward to see where I am at with lighting. I love and hate these tank dimensions!

I'm really digging the new A500X. I wish BRS would have tested it on something more than that 24 x 24 cube though...

 

[Jekyl]

I'm really digging the new A500X. I wish BRS would have tested it on something more than that 24 x 24 cube though...

Others on here have already reviewed them. Can just use the search function and check it out. Coverage and what not was all discussed.

 

[Sparky27]

I'm really digging the new A500X. I wish BRS would have tested it on something more than that 24 x 24 cube though...

Agreed! Like if Kessil’s claim is 36x36 sps and you’re BRS with endless budget basically. Test that exact claim! Doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. I wouldn’t rely on just the A500x without fill light though regardless.

 

[Sparky27]

Others on here have already reviewed them. Can just use the search function and check it out. Coverage and what not was all discussed.

Care to link to the information? Have tried search function multiple times. Perhaps my search skills need sharpening but if you don’t mind directing us to the information you have so easily found that would be very helpful.

 

[Jekyl]

Care to link to the information? Have tried search function multiple times. Perhaps my search skills need sharpening but if you don’t mind directing us to the information you have so easily found that would be very helpful.

ANNOUNCING: The Kessil A500X Tuna Blue

I hear you! I have three other tanks with kessils. Unfortunately the shimmer without reduction actually makes me feel sick to stomach, like a motion sickness kind of thing. My eyes just focus on it too much. It's fine for a glance but much longer, i need to dull it. Its kind of like when reading...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[rtparty]

BRS didn't need to test that claim. A 2" puck will never cover a 36*36 area no matter how much power they throw at it. The shadowing will always be ridiculously bad.

Kessil needs to go back to the drawing board and realize they are using their LEDs incorrectly. If Kessil did it right, they could have a serious contender on their hands. They need multiple lower powered pucks and bring back the diffuser. Add WiFi INTO the light (tough concept for them) and make control super easy. The AP9x is on the right path but still needs some tweaking IMO

 

[Jekyl]

BRS didn't need to test that claim. A 2" puck will never cover a 36*36 area no matter how much power they throw at it. The shadowing will always be ridiculously bad.

Kessil needs to go back to the drawing board and realize they are using their LEDs incorrectly. If Kessil did it right, they could have a serious contender on their hands. They need multiple lower powered pucks and bring back the diffuser. Add WiFi INTO the light (tough concept for them) and make control super easy. The AP9x is on the right path but still needs some tweaking IMO

Person who owns them in the post I linked contradicts most of what you just said. As far as WiFi it's an unnecessary addition IME. Just allows you to play with things that you shouldn't be. The controller works just fine for me. While shading is a minor issue, it hasn't hindered my tank at all.

 

[Sparky27]

ANNOUNCING: The Kessil A500X Tuna Blue

I hear you! I have three other tanks with kessils. Unfortunately the shimmer without reduction actually makes me feel sick to stomach, like a motion sickness kind of thing. My eyes just focus on it too much. It's fine for a glance but much longer, i need to dull it. Its kind of like when reading...

www.reef2reef.com

Yep I’m in that thread as well and I know some people have thrown out some numbers but I would have loved to see a grid of par measurements like BRS uses on a 2’ cube but instead with a 3’ cube. Nothing against BRS I appreciate all they have done with information in this hobby just what I would have liked to have seen.

BRS didn't need to test that claim. A 2" puck will never cover a 36*36 area no matter how much power they throw at it. The shadowing will always be ridiculously bad.

Kessil needs to go back to the drawing board and realize they are using their LEDs incorrectly. If Kessil did it right, they could have a serious contender on their hands. They need multiple lower powered pucks and bring back the diffuser. Add WiFi INTO the light (tough concept for them) and make control super easy. The AP9x is on the right path but still needs some tweaking IMO

No one here thinks the A500X is a single source lighting solution for a 36x36 area. We all understand shadowing and I would definitely add T5 or LED fill light but I still would like a baseline of what just the one unit puts out.

Can you understand how a single LED that spreads 36x36 (yes total shadowing issues) combined with a T5 hybrid is appealing compared to 2 LED units with the same T5 fill light?

 

[rtparty]

I definitely understand the appeal. I also understand it's not happening with a small single point source light.

If I was worried about a single light covering a 36*36 area, I would use a 400w Halide in a big reflector. An ATI Straton can also come close to the 36*36 area.

 

[Bpb]

I definitely understand the appeal. I also understand it's not happening with a small single point source light.

If I was worried about a single light covering a 36*36 area, I would use a 400w Halide in a big reflector. An ATI Straton can also come close to the 36*36 area.

Agreed. I’m sure it’s a wonderful light but if you’re talking about sps, it is unrealistic to expect a single kessil to cover that footprint effectively. I don’t care if it was 1000 watts. The problem is geometric in nature. Not wattage related

 

[Sparky27]

I definitely understand the appeal. I also understand it's not happening with a small single point source light.

If I was worried about a single light covering a 36*36 area, I would use a 400w Halide in a big reflector. An ATI Straton can also come close to the 36*36 area.

The Straton was one my list of possibilities but they are basically unavailable.

 

[Sparky27]

Agreed. I’m sure it’s a wonderful light but if you’re talking about sps, it is unrealistic to expect a single kessil to cover that footprint effectively. I don’t care if it was 1000 watts. The problem is geometric in nature. Not wattage related

Yes I understand the geometric issues, that’s why we are talking about using the A500x in conjunction with a T5 hybrid in order to reduce shadowing.

 

[Biglurr54]

400w Halide lights my 36x36x32 cube. I have sps in the sandbed. Its cheap for a set up if you dont have the need for a chiller (Cooler climate). And to get the same coverage and intensity in leds, you would spend a small fortune.

The only Led option I would consider for my set up, is 2x 32" reefbreeder photon V2.

You might be able to get away with an Aquaticlife t5 hybrid and 24" photon. Or 2x 24" photons.

 

[rtparty]

The Straton was one my list of possibilities but they are basically unavailable.

Yep. It turned me off back when I was looking at switching out my Radions. I ended up back to halides and forgot just how amazing they are.

ATI also made mounting all but impossible. I am fine with hanging but mounting brakcets (that were added later) should have come out day 1.

 

[bdmach1]

I ended up pulling the trigger on a ATI Straton. Once I get this in my hands, going to figure out a custom mount for it over the IM 112.

 

[LadyTang2]

Hello all I am looking for LED lighting recommendations for my new tank.

The tank is the IM Nuvo 112 EXT. It is 36” long, 36” front to back, and 20” deep.

MY goals for this tank are a mixed reef but mostly LPS and Zoas with a few strategically placed hardier SPS.

Some options I’ve come up with from my research are as follows.

4x AI Prime 16 HD(2 rows of 2)
-Probably best coverage
-that’s a lot of mounting equipment
-can they be made to work with the HMS rails?

2x AI Hydra 32HD(1 row lights oriented front to back)
-if raised a bit higher can they achieve close to 36” spread?

1x Ecotech Marine Radion XR30 G5
-got this recommendation from local forum
-can 1 of these fixtures raised up a bit really be capable of spreading the light that far?

I don’t want the edges of the tank to be dark but also I don’t need them to get 400 par either.

Open to all suggestions. Thanks in advance.

Reefi Unos

 

[zachtos]

I'm really digging the new A500X. I wish BRS would have tested it on something more than that 24 x 24 cube though...

I have the same problem with a 6'L x 3'W tank. All lights seem to be designed for 24" squares, but little data available for filling up a odd number aquarium.

 

[Shooter6]

I have the same problem with a 6'L x 3'W tank. All lights seem to be designed for 24" squares, but little data available for filling up a odd number aquarium.

Here is a possible option.
I've got 4 x200 over a 8'×3'x2' reef. Settings peak at 50%per channel, sps growing on the bottom.
These are from ledzeal.com
Mirage x200 superblue layout.
There's also the x300 which is 35.5inch long.

 

[Wiskey]

I also have a 36x36x24 inch cube, but mine is SPS. I really struggled with shadowing on branches for a while, then I came up with this:

4 Hydra 32, 4 39W T5 retro with wrap around reflectors all about 18 inches up. I am finally happy with the light intensity and distribution.

I have about 350 PAR at the highest rock point level, most of the top of the rock is 300-325, the lowest light spot that is not shadowed is about 200, the sand is about 250.

Whiskey

 

[oreo54]

I have the same problem with a 6'L x 3'W tank. All lights seem to be designed for 24" squares, but little data available for filling up a odd number aquarium.

Well it isn't too difficult to get a handle on.
There is no "law" as to the height off the tank your lights are.
Case in point this "pattern" is for a fw 500gal 36-144" tank shooting for slightly under 1W/gallon.
Yea par gets tricky but one thing is the higher up the more even the par gets from surface to substrate, better blending, and less shadowing. Trick is "how many"..
AI Primes would need to be 21" off the water line and this is how it hits the water surface.
21+24- substrate = about 43" light to substrate. Add power accordingly.

As long as most of the light is within the water surface you shouldn't waste much.
Obviously 7 AI's isn't reef potential over a 10' tank..
Just physics..and some guessing.
Switch to xr15's and easily double the output.
Above Whiskey" post has some "proof of concept" 18" vs 21" light height.

Sorry just noticed you have a 36x36" tank. Concept is the same but ideally you would use one light source or multiples close together. Like 2 xr15's. An xr30 may work.
Advantage in geometry here goes to mh's and the big reflectors really.
A > 200w single square puck would work best.
Really depends on par needs, channel dimming, and light spill.