60''X 30'' SPS lighting

[GarrettT]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to light a 60''x30''x25'' aquarium? T5s only would be as simple as an 8 bulb ATI fixture, but I'm really looking to incorporate a LED/T5 combo. Would the Aquatic life hybrid fixture cover the 30'' depth for a SPS dominate tank? If so, 2x or 3x reefi duo extremes? I may choose to go with a 54''x30'' tank instead. Still undecided.

 

[nereefpat]

Bump for some opinions.

 

[WaterWorld]

Im considering a future build for a similar sized tank, thinking about 2 kessil ap9x supplemented with some reefbrite xhos

 

[VanDalsenReef]

They make extenders for the aquatic life so yes

 

[oreo54]

Anyone have any suggestions on how to light a 60''x30''x25'' aquarium? T5s only would be as simple as an 8 bulb ATI fixture, but I'm really looking to incorporate a LED/T5 combo. Would the Aquatic life hybrid fixture cover the 30'' depth for a SPS dominate tank? If so, 2x or 3x reefi duo extremes? I may choose to go with a 54''x30'' tank instead. Still undecided.

Starting w/ sort of a power baseline ..600-800W of output.
T5, MH, LEDS have similar efficiencies of output. Delivery is another story.

If considering hybrids you have really 2 choices 48" or oddly 61"
Ends of t5's have bad light falloff so best to get close to the correct size.
Now hybrids are about 18" wide and your tank is 30"
Choice is to live w. some falloff f/back or raise the light a bit. Losing par by increased height.

61" G2 T5HO Hybrid LED T5 Mounting System WHITE w/End Caps - Aquatic Life

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

60" T5 HO Fluorescent Bulb (80 watt) Coral Plus - ATI

Shop The Best Saltwater Aquarium Equipment & Supplies at Saltwater Aquarium. We Carry Everything you will Need for your Fish Tank.

www.saltwateraquarium.com

So 4 x 80 = 320W

Suggest for spacing unos not duos..

ReeFi Uno – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

180W max power, 83.3% of the power level of ReeFi® Duo Extreme.

3 = 540W
Total available wattage is 840 but if used "normally" unlikely you will run the Unos at 100%.
Good thing is you can always add an Uno if you need to.

For the 60 and 61" hybrid when raised you will spill light left/right but should be minimal.
If you go 54" and use 48" hybrid, somewhat the opposite, less end lighting but placement of the 3 Unos can adjust that somewhat..

https://www.reefi-lab.com/wp351/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/ReeFi_Uno_comparisons-scaled.jpg

$350 X 3 =1050
$450 for the T5 hybrid
$100 for bulbs

$1600...

Now the bad news sort of.. Reefi reflectors look to be about 80 degrees...
So a sort of mis-match between the t5's, tank and them.
Optimal height is about 18" off the water line for a 30" wide tank.
Optimal height for the hybrid is around 8"..but depends on your width.



soo guess would be to go 16" end plates, 3 unos and 12-14" high.
Somewhat counter intuitive from the vid above but it assumes more "work" is done by the LEDs..

consider this just a "food for thought"..

For $890 you could just throw 2 400W MH's over it..

 

[ca1ore]

How do you plan to aquascape the tank? What kinds of corals are you planning? Are you going to keep SPS right up to the front panel? All will affect lighting choices.

 

[GarrettT]

I was interested in MH, but overwhelmed by the lack of information surrounding the proper ballast for running the newer SE 400w radiums. The lack of availability was an issue as well. I just don’t know where to start and what to look for. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated (specifically the product and where to purchase it).

 

[rtparty]

Reef Brite pendants, ballasts and XHO strips. Run some Hamilton 20k bulbs and you're set.

 

[oreo54]

I was interested in MH, but overwhelmed by the lack of information surrounding the proper ballast for running the newer SE 400w radiums. The lack of availability was an issue as well. I just don’t know where to start and what to look for. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated (specifically the product and where to purchase it).

One place. no idea who they are but AFAICT picking the magnetic w/ the Radium is the preferred "set".
Or am I sure they are really in stock..

Fish Tanks Direct

Fish Tanks Direct specializes exclusively in freshwater aquariums and saltwater fish tanks. Buy your planted freshwater fish tank or saltwater reef aquarium direct and save. Free shipping. Tax-Free.

www.fishtanksdirect.com

Maybe someone who bought from here can comment.

Corals have needs/wants but so do you.
Need to add them into the equation.

The 2 systems are relatively different.

 

[GarrettT]

Would either of these fixtures be enough for the 30” in width? I decided on 54” length. Would two suffice?

 

[bobnicaragua]

You could take 3 reef brite pendants and run them sideways ( longer part running front to back.) I've been running reef brite pendants and ballasts for a month or so. They run surprisingly cool.

 

[rtparty]

Would either of these fixtures be enough for the 30” in width? I decided on 54” length. Would two suffice?

The pendants easily cover 24*24 so with the XHO added on, you'll civete the 30". I spoke directly with Tullio about how to light my 72*36 that's being built and he suggested 3 pendants and 2 XHO bars.

 

[GarrettT]

If you go 54" and use 48" hybrid, somewhat the opposite, less end lighting but placement of the 3 Unos can adjust that somewhat..

Now the bad news sort of.. Reefi reflectors look to be about 80 degrees...
So a sort of mis-match between the t5's, tank and them.
Optimal height is about 18" off the water line for a 30" wide tank.
Optimal height for the hybrid is around 8"..but depends on your width.


soo guess would be to go 16" end plates, 3 unos and 12-14" high.
Somewhat counter intuitive from the vid above but it assumes more "work" is done by the LEDs..

I'm wondering if 6 Unos LEDs would help alleviate the light height. I'm thinking 3 rows consisting of 2 Unos each with a 24'' end plate for the T5's. What you think?

 

[Biff0rz]

I have a 60x30x30 tank. I use an aquatic life t5 + 5x 360we kessils. Par at the top is ~400 with the light about 6" from the surface. Par on the sandbed is about 200 all around (front to back). I want a bit more par down lower so I'm switching a reef breeders photon v2 50 in lieu of the kessil's. I love the kessil shimmer so I might figure out a way to mount them on the ends so I can keep that, I'd just run them blue/low intensity at that point.

 

[oreo54]

I'm wondering if 6 Unos LEDs would help alleviate the light height. I'm thinking 3 rows consisting of 2 Unos each with a 24'' end plate for the T5's. What you think?

6 Uno's and the need for the t5's is questionable.

Grey square is 1/4 of your tank
Keep in mind this is running all diodes, 1080Watts total for 6.
Just 2 below.

 

[GarrettT]

Thanks Oreo!

 

[BZOFIQ]

60" PowerModule Hybrid.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Make your own hybrid canopy. T5's in the center 6 or 8 bulbs, 60 inchers, whatever. LED strips and/or Kessils on the outside of the t5's shining in and down.

 

[Kfactor]

I was interested in MH, but overwhelmed by the lack of information surrounding the proper ballast for running the newer SE 400w radiums. The lack of availability was an issue as well. I just don’t know where to start and what to look for. Any suggestions would be highly appreciated (specifically the product and where to purchase it).

Am running 2 250w reefbrite hybrids with 20k radium bulbs with 2 icecap ballast looks amazing

 

[inetjnky]

6 Radion XR15 and 3 custom length Reefbrite XHO Blues.