If you could get any light...
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Bruce Burnett
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if heat, power cost and bulb replacement is no big deal then metal halide with T-5.
If it were me I would go with the newest Orphek Atlantik ver4. I have been running their version 2.1b for almost 4 years and can grow LPS and SPS anywhere in my tank.
If it were me I would go with the newest Orphek Atlantik ver4. I have been running their version 2.1b for almost 4 years and can grow LPS and SPS anywhere in my tank.
IMO, you should look to the tanks that are the envy of your own eye. I am an SPS guy so I look at things from that eye. I'm not a fan of 100% T5 as I want shimmer as well. I don't like LED that has poor color blending (disco effect). LED lifespan is not something that I tank into consideration as myself and other hobbyists rarely keep the same lighting for more than 2 - 3 years anyway.
LED
Ecotech Radion - Proven! No stand alone LED can match their resume of awesome tanks lit by LED
GHL Mitras - Powerful! I am in love with the design of this LED. IMO, it is the closest at emulating the MH look due to the LED pucks being situated around the outside of the fixture.
AI Hydra - Great performance and features.
Kessil AP700 - Great performance and finally seeming to have good SPS performance with the AP700
Geisemann Verve - sleek design and has a lot in common with the design of the AI.
Maxspect Recurve - Maxspect is the only Chinese LED that I would consider. US support and they have been growing SPS as long as any of the major US companies. This new improved version of the R420R will certainly be a solid choice.
Black box LED - There are no brands out there that I would ever consider hanging on my tank. Can they work, yes but many have flaws (poor color blending, clean design) that would prevent my own consideration.
T5/LED Hybrid
ATI - Proven! Enough said.
MH/T5
Geisemann Spectra - I have a lot of experience with this one and would be my only choice for MH.
LED
Ecotech Radion - Proven! No stand alone LED can match their resume of awesome tanks lit by LED
GHL Mitras - Powerful! I am in love with the design of this LED. IMO, it is the closest at emulating the MH look due to the LED pucks being situated around the outside of the fixture.
AI Hydra - Great performance and features.
Kessil AP700 - Great performance and finally seeming to have good SPS performance with the AP700
Geisemann Verve - sleek design and has a lot in common with the design of the AI.
Maxspect Recurve - Maxspect is the only Chinese LED that I would consider. US support and they have been growing SPS as long as any of the major US companies. This new improved version of the R420R will certainly be a solid choice.
Black box LED - There are no brands out there that I would ever consider hanging on my tank. Can they work, yes but many have flaws (poor color blending, clean design) that would prevent my own consideration.
T5/LED Hybrid
ATI - Proven! Enough said.
MH/T5
Geisemann Spectra - I have a lot of experience with this one and would be my only choice for MH.
Velcro
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I've had a geisseman spectra and recently switched to ATI 8 bulb with build my led actinic strips. If I had extra money to play with I'd probably remove two of the center t5 bulbs and retrofit in two kessil 360 pendants.
I'd also like to see the photon V2 lights in person. Adam at battle corals highly recommends them and I trust anything he says.
I'd also like to see the photon V2 lights in person. Adam at battle corals highly recommends them and I trust anything he says.
hybridazn
Acro killer.....
If money wasn't an issue what lifts would I get to light a 6' tank? Easy, 3x m80 ballasts, 3x Hamilton cebu reflectors, 3x 250w 20k radium bulbs and supplement with reefbrite xho blues
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There's only two that I know of -- The better of the two being a Semi-DIY option.
1) blueacro.com -- They have Full Spectrum LED strips & Pucks, both put out a good amount of PAR/PUR, extremely viable. Check the whole sight out, he's got a lot of good stuff, he uses the highest quality diodes available (better than Kessil, AI, Radion, etc etc)
2) 21LEDusa Reef Bar Pro -- Only full spectrum that's ready out of box (that I know of)
spartanman22
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I've just gotten the ReefBreeder Photon V2 for my new build and it is very nice. The build quality is much better than I was expecting, very solid. Aesthetically its gorgeous! super sleek and meant to be on display, not tucked away in a canopy! I haven't had it long enough to comment on growth and color, but I ran OR-T247's on my last tank and the Photon has similar LED layout. OR-T247 grew SPS wonderfully with great color. Only difference between the two being the controllability and sleekness of the Photon.
All that being said if cost, temperature, bulb replacement, etc were non-issues my choice is Giesemann Spectra. LED and T5 are a great combo, but there's just something about MH/T5 that just works. The Elos Planet II is also a very nice unit. That was probably the nicest fixture I've ever owned (never used a Spectra).
All that being said if cost, temperature, bulb replacement, etc were non-issues my choice is Giesemann Spectra. LED and T5 are a great combo, but there's just something about MH/T5 that just works. The Elos Planet II is also a very nice unit. That was probably the nicest fixture I've ever owned (never used a Spectra).
McMullen
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Triple threat! Nice
McMullen
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http://www.solatube.com/residential/blog/5-reasons-daylight-your-aquarium
Surprised more aren'tinterested in this.
Surprised more aren'tinterested in this.
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Because the corals are typically brown or barely colorful. There's a very few exceptions, but from the one's I've seen -- It's meh.
Brew12
Electrical Gru
I have one of these on my frag QT and it really is nice. Just wish it was Apex controllable.
chefjpaul
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In hood:
ATI and or any LED
No hood: sexiness
Pacufic sun T5 or Giesemann T5
Or for Led: GHL, AI, Ecotech
We have all seen great coral growth and colors from just about all our "mainstream" manufactures, always comes to preferences / comfortability.
ATI and or any LED
No hood: sexiness
Pacufic sun T5 or Giesemann T5
Or for Led: GHL, AI, Ecotech
We have all seen great coral growth and colors from just about all our "mainstream" manufactures, always comes to preferences / comfortability.
Bruce Burnett
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This is one I have thought many times about doing
Mattres
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Giesemann Spectra is my choice, as I've recently bought one 
You can have success with pretty much any light from all of the decent manufacturers so my small bit of advice would be to find your favourite tanks (I call them my inspiration tanks) and emulate what they use. Most of my inspiration tanks use MH/T5 so that's what I've moved to.
You can have success with pretty much any light from all of the decent manufacturers so my small bit of advice would be to find your favourite tanks (I call them my inspiration tanks) and emulate what they use. Most of my inspiration tanks use MH/T5 so that's what I've moved to.
JasReef
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I would be able to fit 3 Philips coral care lights above my tank. Hint @philips, ahem. I like the industrial look, the sound of no fans will be nice,and the test tank looks great. My tank would make a nice test tank here in the states.
At the end of the day most lights on the market will grow coral at a reasonable rate. I use t5 halide and leds, all of them grow coral.
At the end of the day most lights on the market will grow coral at a reasonable rate. I use t5 halide and leds, all of them grow coral.
Bruce Burnett
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Nothing beats the look of metal halide and T-5 combo for the looks of the display, I have a new Current USA Outer Orbit, 6 foot hood still in the box with 3-250 watt double ended hqi mh, 8- 39 watt T-5 and 24 night led. I bought this back a number of years ago and never used it, because I had some health and financial problem and got out of hobby for a while. When I got back into hobby on a fixed income I wanted to keep my on going expenses low and so no chiller, no light bulb changes. I started looking at led fixtures and because of my tank dimensions it ruled out some as I wanted good coverage over entire tank. All well known fixtures metal halide, T-5, LED, sola tubes or a combination of them work. Once you do your research and decide what you are going to buy, get them installed and set your programing other than for acclimation you should not need to change your program you might tweak it for view-ability. Too many people blame their coral problems on their lighting, I was one of them.
