How would you light it? (Cade 900S2)

[HBtank]

So I am planning on getting a Cade 900 S2, and wanted to see how people might light this tank! It’s 36” x 24” x 24”, and will be SPS dominant. I have been looking at various LED options, but can’t decide. Some considerations:

• Will be in my room, so a light that isn’t super loud and doesn’t have terrible light spillage. Not sure this is as critical as the sound from the pumps and rest of the system, as the light will be obviously be off when sleeping.
• Would love it to just be one light. Because of this it seems like the panel type LED lights might be the best option?
• I want to avoid adding fixtures in the future. Seems like this is inevitable with some LED systems as even if they have the coverage and PAR to start, their small size leads to shadowing, leading to adding light bars and or more fixtures to compensate.

For a single light I was narrowing it down to the Neptune Sky, Kessil AP9X, ATI Straton, or Orphek Icon. Out of those it seems like the Orphek and Kessil may have the best coverage for a 36” tank, with the Kessil potentially being a bit narrow for a 24” wide tank. The point source shadowing of Kessils also concerns me, but with two sources in the AP9X, it may be OK. The Straton and Sky might lack some coverage on the ends of the tank, but the panel type coverage seems like it would cover the middle 30” pretty well for SPS, although it’s hard to judge coverage recommendations they list, and most reviews focus on 24” or 48“ and end up recommending 1 or 2 lights (so not always helpful for a 36” tank).

Curious if anyone has experience with any of these over a 36” tank, or other solutions I haven’t thought of?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I highly recommend two orphek OR3-90 bars
1- sky blue
1- blue plus

 

[lazlodawg]

AP9X will absolutely work beautifully on that tank for anything you want to grow, but I have to have mine mounted pretty high to get the spread /par/ and coverage I need on my 3 foot tank, so there is some light spillage.

 

[HBtank]

I highly recommend two orphek OR3-90 bars
1- sky blue
1- blue plus

It looks like these are slightly longer than 3-foot tanks. Interesting, that means they pretty much have to be suspended from the ceiling using their universal bars? I saw their acrylic tank mounts, but I don’t see how that would work if the light is already slightly longer than the tank.

 

[HBtank]

AP9X will absolutely work beautifully on that tank for anything you want to grow, but I have to have mine mounted pretty high to get the spread /par/ and coverage I need on my 3 foot tank, so there is some light spillage.

Yeah I like a lot about this fixture. I only worry about some shadowing as things grow in, since it seems like every Kessil based setup I see on established tanks has led bars or other lights added for coverage.

 

[vetteguy53081]

It looks like these are slightly longer than 3-foot tanks. Interesting, that means they pretty much have to be suspended from the ceiling using their universal bars? I saw their acrylic tank mounts, but I don’t see how that would work if the light is already slightly longer than the tank.

35 3/4” and come with hanging brackets

 

[HBtank]

35 3/4” and come with hanging brackets

These are the dimensions I am seeing on BRS:

36.8”L x 1.97”W x 1.4”H

But yeah, one would think these have to fit?

I like these bars, if anything I may consider the 24” version on the end of the tank at some point for a little frag section/racks.

 

[HBtank]

I keep going back and forth but right now I am leaning towards the Neptune Sky. The more I look, the more it feels it will fit a 36”x24” tank as a single fixture, and I will probably just hang it from the ceiling to keep from messing with any of the covers in the rear of the Cade to accommodate a mount. The Ecotech mounts they use reportedly slant forward slightly anyways, and would probably drive me nutz…

Also, this tank will have everything else controlled by an Apex…. so I guess why not make sure the light is too?

 

[rtparty]

A 250w ReefBrite halide with XHO kit or 2 XR15 G6 Radions. You will get much better spread from the 2 15s.

The Sky can push out to 36x24 but you will be left wanting on the edges

 

[HBtank]

A 250w ReefBrite halide with XHO kit or 2 XR15 G6 Radions. You will get much better spread from the 2 15s.

The Sky can push out to 36x24 but you will be left wanting on the edges

Do you have experience with the Sky? Seems like it and the Straton may eventually be an issue on the edges, but I am not sure how much that will matter for now. Maybe by the time it does, the bigger Straton Pro will be in the states, or I throw a 24” bar on one end and use it for frags, IDK

No halides for me. If I were to go with multiple LEDs, the Radion XR15s seem like a safe choice and a middle ground for limiting the total wires and fixtures. I could do a rail from end to end with those and get a custom screen cover to fit the mounts. But I was trying to avoid that, would raise the cost significantly in mounts etc. If I went with LED bars like suggested above, I know I would end up with 4 since I would just go with a hanging kit and at that point I wouldn’t skimp on coverage.

 

[vetteguy53081]

These are the dimensions I am seeing on BRS:

36.8”L x 1.97”W x 1.4”H

But yeah, one would think these have to fit?

I like these bars, if anything I may consider the 24” version on the end of the tank at some point for a little frag section/racks.

I think BRS is including box dimensions
This is off Orphek website as I have these and it measures 35.4 inches:

Our new LEDs will last longer than the previous Orphek LEDs because we have improved its life span!! Running at 50% our new 2020 model 5w Dual-Chip advanced LEDs are more resistant to higher heat and it offers the highest PAR longevity with really minimum loss over the years.

Not only that, we have also improved internal lens to make sure you are getting the best Orphek LEDs!

For optimal SPS/LPS coral growth, color and illumination, replacing T5/T8 lighting technology for aquariums.

Acrylic Lens 90 degree – water depth < or = 100 cm / 39″

OR 120, 90 & 60 – Reef Day Light

The Full Spectrum Day Light (380nm- 700nm ) is developed for both marine or reef aquariums, with SPS/ LPS or soft corals.

What are the available sizes?

OR 120 – 120cm / 48 Inch / 36 LEDs of 3Watt
OR 90 – 90 cm / 35 Inch / 24 LEDs of 3Watt
OR 60 – 60 cm / 24 Inch / 18 LEDs of 3Watt

 

[Jon's Reef]

36x24x22 with 1 SKY. Works great:

Par Map (SKY mode, 100%):

For Comparison, this is the setup before the SKY

2x A360x (40% int, 30% color), 2 RB XHO Actinic, 1 RB XHO 50/50

 

[HBtank]

36x24x22 with 1 SKY. Works great:

Par Map (SKY mode, 100%):

For Comparison, this is the setup before the SKY

2x A360x (40% int, 30% color), 2 RB XHO Actinic, 1 RB XHO 50/50

Awesome, just what I was looking for. Looks like the bottom is not an issue at all to the corners, and if anything a bit tricky for lower light corals. It looks like it would be a problem only if I wanted demanding SPS at mid level or higher all the way to the edges. But I like variety and like to think I can find plenty of options for those areas with less demanding SPS or other corals.

Is that an Incredible Hulk torch in the back right? I ended up with a cotton candy, which I love, but those purple tips! And I love that your anenome didn’t budge, that’s his spot! Awesome tank.

 

[Jon's Reef]

The green torch has blue tips and hints of yellow striping. Here is a pic after about 6 months under the Sky. The only issue is that everything grew too big and started stinging each other.

 

[Littlebit]

Two kessil's (A500X or A360X, depending on what corals you want to keep) paired with the 36" X Series Quad Strip LED Hybrid Kit - Reef Brite. Extremely expensive but unbeatable look and coral growth.

That is how I personally would light that tank. In fact I may be buying that same tank very very soon. If I can figure out how to DIY a refugium with it.

 

[shadyraro]

What did you end up going with? I'm looking at getting a Cade 900 also and was just going to add a second xr15, it's an LPS dominant tank.