Help me choose some strip lights, please!

[Sweet Reef Corals]

Hey fellow stick heads. I know this isn’t exactly the right spot to post this question but I need input from the appropriate group. No offense to the mushroom keepers or polyp nutz , I am just a full blown acroholic and need some real world advice from the same.

I have finished everything on my new build and I am running hypo with my fish in it now. Still have 4 weeks to go. So now is the time to get my lighting finished up. Here is the setup....

The bottom tank lighting is all set. I’m running a retrofit, 2 bulb T5 down the middle with (1) Actinic and (1) Blue plus bulb and then I have a single Orphek 36” OR3 Blue on the front and one on the back side of the T5 unit. I’m ok with the straight blue with no white capability at all for that tank (for now). But I’d like to have a bit more diversity of spectrum on the top tank. I’ve got the same T5 fixture mounted on top but I haven’t decided on my strip lights yet. That’s where I’m hoping you guys can help! I’d like a bit of adjustability in spectrum or even only between blue and white but it’s not a deal breaker as long as it looks good and can feed SPS the light it needs. I’ve been thinking about the Reefbrite XHO strips but don’t want to buy something at $266 a pop and then be incredibly disappointed in the lack of spectral diversity. So let’s hear some real world strip light testimonials?! Thanks for any feedback you can provide!

 

[Spare time]

You should check out the Quanta bars. I've seen the Orpheks (the blue version) and they seemed nice. I don't think you can go wrong with any. I think the reef brites will give you the least amount of disco effect but they are very simple blue (or one or the other) so it's up to you whether or not you like that option.

I know @vetteguy53081 loves the orphek bars.

 

[Sweet Reef Corals]

You should check out the Quanta bars. I've seen the Orpheks (the blue version) and they seemed nice. I don't think you can go wrong with any. I think the reef brites will give you the least amount of disco effect but they are very simple blue (or one or the other) so it's up to you whether or not you like that option.

I know @vetteguy53081 loves the orphek bars.

Have you used the Quantas?

That’s my issue. The Orpheks look good, but there is just 0 adjustability. No power adjustment to effect par and no spectrum adjustability. I want something a little more versatile.

 

[Spare time]

Have you used the Quantas?

That’s my issue. The Orpheks look good, but there is just 0 adjustability. No power adjustment to effect par and no spectrum adjustability. I want something a little more versatile.

I haven't but I would like to in the future. There is one video online taking par measurements and they look nice. It's sad how there aren't many controllable strip lights out there. Current lights are, in a way, strip lights that can be controlled. However, the par output is rather weak per a single strip so you would definitely need a few which would get expensive. I've used the currents and seen orphek blues in person as well as reef brites. I tagged vetteguy in here as I know he uses the orphek. Quanta is pretty new so I'm not sure of a ton that use it and reef brite never really got popular as a stand alone light.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Orphek OR3-90
One sky blue and one blue plus

 

[bobnicaragua]

Based on my experience, a blue plus and a daylight style bulb with blue LEDs will look better than getting your whites from strip lights.

 

[Hydrored]

@Orphek

I believe the controller for OR bars is about ready for prime time, they have been teasing it with the Icon software on FB