93 Gallon Cube. Lighting question.

[Alarsen77]

Hi guys. So I have been out of the hobby for a few years now and am wanting to get back I to it. I had a 70 gallon cube before and plans are to get the 93 gallon this time around.

I am debating on lighting options for the tank. I know I want LED. Right now I am between one radion xr30w pro, two xr15w pros, or an AI hydra 52.

I do plan on keeping coral but mostly softies and some LPS but probably won't get into any sps. I also plan on running two vortech mp10w's

Just trying to plan out the build and get a plan and budget together right now.

 

[mcarroll]

It would help if you could go see some reef lights in person - taste is important.

That said, I think you'll like the two XR15's better than the other options stated. Four AI Primes might be even better. All those options, due to the design and lenses, can leave your corners a little dark, or the room where the tank sits over-lit from raising the lights too high trying to compensate. This is one place where taste comes in.

I think you might like the more-even coverage from a strip like the Current Usa Orbit Marine Pro...two or three strips would be required for excellent front-to-back coverage.

Try to consider the corals you want to keep and whether they have any peculiar habitat requirements, such as being native to only lagoon environments, or only reef flats, only deep water, etc. Most corals seem to be generalists and are pretty flexible for lighting requirements....light the tank with around 40,000 lux (800 PAR) at the surface and you are very likely to be successful. But there are exceptions, so it's worth looking up your corals before purchase. Lots of softies and LPS are lagoon-type corals, but you can't totally generalize. Use websites like Corals of the World to find out their native habitat types. http://coral.aims.gov.au/info/factsheets.jsp

Here's a chart that illustrates the different light regimes you might end up wanting to replicate - not all corals will equally appreciate the blue-heavy light that is typical over our reefs:

 

[mcarroll]

Oh, no matter what you do, get a [HASHTAG]#lux[/HASHTAG] [HASHTAG]#meter[/HASHTAG] - or some kind of [HASHTAG]#lightmeter[/HASHTAG] - to assist in dialing in the lights you get.

In general:

• hang the fixture so you get complete coverage without spilling too much light outside the tank
• set the colors so they look good to you
• use a light meter to set the intensity
• references for intensity...all these are equivalent:
  • Direct sun at sea level
  • 2000 PAR
  • 100,000 lux
  • 1000 watts/square meter
• you should be safe targeting 40,000-50,000 lux at your water surface
• the "safe rage" for corals generally is from about 20,000-80,000 lux

 

[Alarsen77]

Thanks for the reply. I have seen the XR30w and the Hydra 52's in person and both are great lights. I think I did like the XR30w a bit better though.