How do you light a 6 ft tank

Screwgunner · Jun 30, 2021

3 160 phlezons 18 inchs off the water montipora doing good . Zoas love it . 125 6 foot long. Under 100 a light hard to find now.

Glenner’sreef · Jun 30, 2021

Curious? The Waterbox 220.6 @ 6’ x 24” x 24” ish. Is the 220.6 referring to 220 gallons? I have a Visio 180g with those exact dimensions. A 220g tank would have to be 30 or so inches tall to be 220 gallons. Then your consideration of lighting would have to include that extra 6” of depth.

JJSins · Jun 30, 2021

Glenner’sreef said:
Curious? The Waterbox 220.6 @ 6’ x 24” x 24” ish. Is the 220.6 referring to 220 gallons? I have a Visio 180g with those exact dimensions. A 220g tank would have to be 30 or so inches tall to be 220 gallons. Then your consideration of lighting would have to include that extra 6” of depth.

The display tank is 167 gallons, but the sump + ATO = 220

DaddyFish · Jun 30, 2021

I have two Reef Breeders 32 V2+ over my 72x24x30, hung at 14" off the top. 65% power yields 350-400 PAR at the top and 150-175 PAR at the sand on the 30" deep tank.
LEDs man! It's only $$$

Glenner’sreef · Jun 30, 2021

JJSins said:
The display tank is 167 gallons, but the sump + ATO = 220

Got it thanks.

Good luck!

ZoWhat · Jun 30, 2021

If you want to do it right the first time....

Get three Radion XR15 G5s and quit playing tiddliwinks with everything else

But you won't because of price... making your dream tank just a daytime nap

Lost in the Sauce · Jun 30, 2021

Glenner’sreef said:
Curious? The Waterbox 220.6 @ 6’ x 24” x 24” ish. Is the 220.6 referring to 220 gallons? I have a Visio 180g with those exact dimensions. A 220g tank would have to be 30 or so inches tall to be 220 gallons. Then your consideration of lighting would have to include that extra 6” of depth.

Side note how do you like your Vizio? I'm about to order one this week. A little worried about the center bracing location.

JJSins · Jun 30, 2021

zoa what said:
If you want to do it right the first time....

Get three Radion XR15 G5s and quit playing tiddliwinks with everything else

But you won't because of price... making your dream tank just a daytime nap

I heard that Kessils or hydra 32hD had more spread ?

Gtinnel · Jun 30, 2021

I have 2 300 watt viparspectra lights on my 6' 125g tank. I keep everything from softies to acros and everything is doing well. I have had them on my tank for 2 years running the blue channel at about half power and I've never had an issue with them.

I would love to upgrade to kessil/radion lights but ultimately I'm too cheap and it's hard for me to justify the costs when everything is growing with my black box lights.

Glenner’sreef · Jun 30, 2021

Lost in the Sauce said:
Side note how do you like your Vizio? I'm about to order one this week. A little worried about the center bracing location.

I really like it. Bought it new in October with a 72” x 24” Aqueon stand. The center brace doesn’t seem to effect my lights. It’s a nice place to display a 5” ceramic parrot dressed like a pirate. Lol. For Father’s Day my 2 kids each bought me a 24” x 24” brs screen lid to keep two Fairy Wrasses that my wife got me. The 2 lids fit great even covered the center glass brace be over an inch. When I ordered the tank, I ordered it with 2 overflows and a black painted back. Again very pleased. Good luck.

Smite · Jun 30, 2021

zoa what said:
If you want to do it right the first time....

Get three Radion XR15 G5s and quit playing tiddliwinks with everything else

But you won't because of price... making your dream tank just a daytime nap

;Woot That'd get you started but if he's worried about the 6" on either side of the 60" sunpower, I'm guessing he's got big plans on a wall to wall sps tank. 3 xr15s aint gonna cut it once stuff starts to fill in.

OP, if you like the type of lighting t5s put out, they really cant be beat for a blanket of light and initial cost when compared to LED. You really shouldn't be putting rock within 6" of the ends of the tank for sps either so it'll all be lit just fine. Once they grow to close to the glass you mostly see the underside anyways and then it's time to trim. Between LED and T5 I prefer the look of LED but feel you really need to go over kill with LEDs to get the same blanket of light which turns into big bucks quick. Of course rock work is a major factor, but if your goal is a jam packed sps dominant tank, T5 is a great way to go. You wont be questioning your lighting if problems arise. 8x80w, add a strip if you like all blue viewing.

outhouse · Jun 30, 2021

3 X ocean revive on my 210, had to turn it down at 70% i was burning everything. Turned it down to 10% and everything is happy now

Tamberav · Jun 30, 2021

zoa what said:
If you want to do it right the first time....

Get three Radion XR15 G5s and quit playing tiddliwinks with everything else

But you won't because of price... making your dream tank just a daytime nap

hey now if I had a SPS dream tank it would be @Big E and he uses T5s.. No daytime napping here!

Build Thread - Big E Rimless 80g Sps

My Sps dominant reef is a work in progress , but here's some recent acro shots.

www.reef2reef.com

JJSins · Jun 30, 2021

Smite said:
;Woot That'd get you started but if he's worried about the 6" on either side of the 60" sunpower, I'm guessing he's got big plans on a wall to wall sps tank. 3 xr15s aint gonna cut it once stuff starts to fill in.

OP, if you like the type of lighting t5s put out, they really cant be beat for a blanket of light and initial cost when compared to LED. You really shouldn't be putting rock within 6" of the ends of the tank for sps either so it'll all be lit just fine. Once they grow to close to the glass you mostly see the underside anyways and then it's time to trim. Between LED and T5 I prefer the look of LED but feel you really need to go over kill with LEDs to get the same blanket of light which turns into big bucks quick. Of course rock work is a major factor, but if your goal is a jam packed sps dominant tank, T5 is a great way to go. You wont be questioning your lighting if problems arise. 8x80w, add a strip if you like all blue viewing.

you are correct a 60" would work with the rock work, if I was to go LEDs would you say 4 ai hydra 32HD ?
Also for t5s is dimmable an issue ? or can U just go straight on and off?

jduong916 · Jun 30, 2021

DaddyFish said:
I have two Reef Breeders 32 V2+ over my 72x24x30, hung at 14" off the top. 65% power yields 350-400 PAR at the top and 150-175 PAR at the sand on the 30" deep tank.
LEDs man! It's only $$$

do you get a lot of light spill mounting them that high?

Smite · Jun 30, 2021

JJSins said:
you are correct a 60" would work with the rock work, if I was to go LEDs would you say 4 ai hydra 32HD ?
Also for t5s is dimmable an issue ? or can U just go straight on and off?

Honestly that’s going to depend on your rockwork and tank goals. I don’t have experience with hydras so I cant comment there. I’m sure they are spec to give you the spread. Just keep in mind those spreads are at x height illuminating a flat surface. Once you add multiple elevated surfaces the physical size of the fixture comes into play more. In my experience leds struggle front to back. On tanks large enough for multiple fixtures they are able to shoot light towards each other, so side to side isn’t much of an issue. Front to back is where your rock work/goals will really determine your lighting choice. I always go xr30 so I can run them perpendicular to the tank, gaining more length front to back and allowing them to spread/shine toward one another. So to me a tiny xr15 or 32 is physically to small of a light source to get great coverage front to back.

Jbell370 · Jun 30, 2021

JJSins said:
Looking at getting my dream tank, the waterbox 220.6 ( 72.3"×25.3"×23.6" ) but looking to have a sps dominated. I do like the ati sunpower for t5s but they do not make 72" ones. They do make a 60" but won't get equal spread throughout the entire tank. Maybe some fillers at the ends ? or what about some of these LINK ?
Don't really want to spend an arm and a leg on lighting when I have seen some successful reefers with big tanks not using the high end lights ?
please give me some feedback on what to do.

Also would 3 hydra 32HDs do justice knowing that they have a 24x24 spread ?
or
what about the Kessil A360X ?

Thanks