LED lighting question

[Roy 9121]

I have a 55 gallon DT, 36x24x15. I currently have have 1 hydra 52 hanging about 11 inches above the tank. Everything seems to be doing ok, but the edges of the tank could be a little better light I think. My question, should I add another Hydra 52? Or maybe just a couple smaller lights on each side?

 

[EriksOasis]

Personally I would get one more hydra 52 and Mount one on each side of the brace.

 

[Roy 9121]

Personally I would get one more hydra 52 and Mount one on each side of the brace.

That's what I'm leaning towards doing. Do toy know if I van get one 52 HD and link then together on the same controller?

 

[mcarroll]

I'm not sure where this idea sits cost-wise, but with a tank that's only 15" deep (12" of water above the sand, maybe?) you hardly need the intensity of the 52....let alone two of them....what about switching to 26's or even Prime HD's?

Is your 11" mounting height mandatory, or flexible?

 

[Roy 9121]

I'm not sure where this idea sits cost-wise, but with a tank that's only 15" deep (12" of water above the sand, maybe?) you hardly need the intensity of the 52....let alone two of them....what about switching to 26's or even Prime HD's?

Is your 11" mounting height mandatory, or flexible?

No, it's 24" deep. And I could lower the light if I want, I just mounted it in the top of my canopy.

 

[BoomCorals]

Yea I'd add a second.

 

[mcarroll]

Oh!

So 11" is about your upper limit?

With 24" deep, forget the Prime's.

So trying to cover an tank with only one fixture is somewhat ideal....and unlikely to work out in most scenarios.

But trying to cover a rectangular tank is really a bad equation. If you get "OK" coverage from side to side, it looks like this:

Sounds like you're running the bare-corners look.

You can see the difference two, three and switching to a strip-based light could make.

So if budget is no issue, then adding at least one more 52 is a good idea. But it seems like two or three 26's would be better, considering budget and everything.

2¢

 

[Roy 9121]

Oh!

So 11" is about your upper limit?

With 24" deep, forget the Prime's.

So trying to cover an tank with only one fixture is somewhat ideal....and unlikely to work out in most scenarios.

But trying to cover a rectangular tank is really a bad equation. If you get "OK" coverage from side to side, it looks like this:

Sounds like you're running the bare-corners look.

You can see the difference two, three and switching to a strip-based light could make.

So if budget is no issue, then adding at least one more 52 is a good idea. But it seems like two or three 26's would be better, considering budget and everything.

2¢

I guess I could go higher, if that would help. Im thinking it would be cheaper to get another 52, since I already have one.

 

[mcarroll]

Actually, two 26's appears to be equivalent in cost to one 52.

If you're spending $700 on new AI gear, I'd spend it on two 26's to brace the 52 you have.

Selling the 52 for a third 26 would be a good option if you want to get some of your money back out....the 52 is still overkill.

 

[BoomCorals]

Actually, two 26's appears to be equivalent in cost to one 52.

If you're spending $700 on new AI gear, I'd spend it on two 26's to brace the 52 you have.

Selling the 52 for a third 26 would be a good option if you want to get some of your money back out....the 52 is still overkill.

Ah good catch!

 

[Roy 9121]

Actually, two 26's appears to be equivalent in cost to one 52.

If you're spending $700 on new AI gear, I'd spend it on two 26's to brace the 52 you have.

Selling the 52 for a third 26 would be a good option if you want to get some of your money back out....the 52 is still overkill.

So you think I'd be better off with two 26s, then with two 52s? Or add the two 26s to my current 52?

 

[mcarroll]

Either way. I do think just two 26's would be better than just one 52. But three+ 26's would be optimal I think. If you're not into selling the 52, then 26:52:26 is how I'd play it across the top of the tank. Seems like it would make sense to sell the 52, but then again I don't do a lot of things it would make sense for me to do.

 

[Roy 9121]

Either way. I do think just two 26's would be better than just one 52. But three+ 26's would be optimal I think. If you're not into selling the 52, then 26:52:26 is how I'd play it across the top of the tank. Seems like it would make sense to sell the 52, but then again I don't do a lot of things it would make sense for me to do.

hey, thanks a million for all your help.

 

[hart24601]

I would also get the 2 26s to add. I think just about every one is better served with 26s over the 52s if you can mount them since the cost is about the same and gives you far more flexibility.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

You need more.

I've been doing this for over 20 years back before texting (BT not BC)...Walking to school barefoot in the snow uphill both ways you heard it.

My point is corals were only successfully raised by us common plebs in the 90s due to relatively inexpensive MH and VHO Bulbs. Light is a major factor along with flow LR and skimming not to mention water quality.

250 watt MH were weak to mid strength, two being perfect for a tank your size with a pair of VHO... The Hydra 57 is the rough equivalent to a single 250 watt MH based on PAR output.

Given the narrow width of a 55 Gal, light spill is also an issue. Optimizing optics with LED and height is one thing to also consider in the future.

Two AI 26 at $300+ is a bit expensive for an LED that costs around $3-4 each. Have you considered DIY LED.

Bill

 

[mcarroll]

The Hydra 57

It's the Heinz 52.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

It's the Heinz 52.

That google gave me a lot/57 catchup links .

The Hydra 52 is not bad. Much better than a chinese import. Wish you would of tried or asked about our Sirius XTC first.

It's not optimized like our CRI 47 LED board is but is good replacement for a 250 watt MH with a coverage of 24"x24"... Given its optics it needs to be closer to the water surface to give you 200 PAR on the sand bed. Especially in a 24"-30" deep tank.

Their LED Mix is good BTW but curious on how they are driven and the optics as the XTC PAR is 600 at 24". Note they are only 575 PAR at 12" and that light is distance squared so the HD at 725 at 12" is not a 400 watt MH equivalent and may not even close to the water give you 200 PAR on the sand bed.

Bill

 

[Susan Bates]

That google gave me a lot/57 catchup links .

The Hydra 52 is not bad. Much better than a chinese import. Wish you would of tried or asked about our Sirius XTC first.

It's not optimized like our CRI 47 LED board is but is good replacement for a 250 watt MH with a coverage of 24"x24"... Given its optics it needs to be closer to the water surface to give you 200 PAR on the sand bed. Especially in a 24"-30" deep tank.

Their LED Mix is good BTW but curious on how they are driven and the optics as the XTC PAR is 600 at 24". Note they are only 575 PAR at 12" and that light is distance squared so the HD at 725 at 12" is not a 400 watt MH equivalent and may not even close to the water give you 200 PAR on the sand bed.

Bill

Can i jump in here please, I have 2 52's on a 4 foot tank, but i am not sure what i should be running them on, i have a mixed tank,

 

[mcarroll]

@Susan Bates you need a light meter.

At minimum a lux meter like my "LX-1010B", but obviously a PAR meter is fine too!!

Around ≥30,000 lux is a nice, generic level if you're not targeting anything in particular. Maybe double that if you're intentions are to emulate a surface/shallow tank with surface-like light levels. More is not better as most corals are quite stressed at very high light levels...comparatively few are well adapted.

Almost every coral is fine at lower levels....even the bright light corals.

 

[Susan Bates]

@Susan Bates you need a light meter.

At minimum a lux meter like my "LX-1010B", but obviously a PAR meter is fine too!!

Around ≥30,000 lux is a nice, generic level if you're not targeting anything in particular. Maybe double that if you're intentions are to emulate a surface/shallow tank with surface-like light levels. More is not better as most corals are quite stressed at very high light levels...comparatively few are well adapted.

Almost every coral is fine at lower levels....even the bright light corals.

Thanks I will have to see about getting one