Lighting a 24x22 SPS tank

[Coling]

Just set up a new tank and looking to swap out my SB Reef Sbox for something with better spread. Tank is the Cobalt C-Vue 45 (25x22x19 with 4.75 of the width being the sump). It is all SPS, 95% Acropora. I want to be able to keep Acros close to the bottom and have the tank aquascaped for corals to be mounted facing all 3 viewable sides (need a lot of spread). So here are the choices I am considering:

• 24" ATI Sunpower dimmable 8 bulb fixture (A local reefer is selling this fixture with newish bulbs for $300), would like to add LED strip lights but the fixture is already the same width as my tank and not sure if I could angle the LEDs to actually light my tank?
• 24" Geisemann Aurora (The same local reefer is selling this fixture for $400, about 1.5 yrs old)
• Aquatic Life retrofit kit with either xR-15, Kessil 360 or Reef breeders 16" Photon V2

Not big into bells and whistles, just want the best color and growth. I am leaning towards the ATI T5 fixture. The Geisemann is a fantastic deal, but there is not a whole lot of info on it and I was not impressed with the par values I saw in a youtube video. I have watched BRS videos with the ATI Sunpower, Aquatic life fixture w/ Kessil 360 and XR-15 and they all put out great, even par. If you have any recommendations please let me know. I am indecisive and there are so many lighting choices! Thank you for looking!!

 

[Bpb]

If you’re not into bells and whistles and want the best growth and color why not just get a single large 250 watt metal halide pendant and slap a single radium in there. It’ll be cheaper to replace that one bulb than 8 t5ho tubes. Electricity will be comparable

 

[Potatohead]

If you’re not into bells and whistles and want the best growth and color why not just get a single large 250 watt metal halide pendant and slap a single radium in there. It’ll be cheaper to replace that one bulb than 8 t5ho tubes. Electricity will be comparable

I would either do this, or a six bulb ATI

 

[jda]

If you want the best color and growth and don't care about bells and whistles, then you want a Metal Halide. 250w would handle that perfectly. I am using this exact setup on my new budge-build in my signature - double ended system, so I will be using a 14k Phoenix Bulb. I have done this before and in an open top, I have no heat issues. If you want some LEDs for some black-light viewing, then look at the ReefBrite fixtures.

I really like many-tube T5s setups too, but 24x22 would need 8 bulbs, which would also be fine. This also would have better growth and color than any LED or LED/T5 hybrid. If you do want some actinic viewing times, then this would work well.

 

[Coling]

I really appreciate all of your input! Was not considering halides but will do some more research before writing them off. It sounds like the halides do not produce as much heat as I was previously led to believe, which is important (I live in Texas).
Still leaning towards the 8 bulb T5 at the moment. $160+/year is kinda high for bulb replacement but I would be getting a great deal on the fixture with new bulbs so that helps compensate for the cost of replacement bulbs.

 

[Bpb]

I really appreciate all of your input! Was not considering halides but will do some more research before writing them off. It sounds like the halides do not produce as much heat as I was previously led to believe, which is important (I live in Texas).
Still leaning towards the 8 bulb T5 at the moment. $160+/year is kinda high for bulb replacement but I would be getting a great deal on the fixture with new bulbs so that helps compensate for the cost of replacement bulbs.

I run 2x250 watt halides in a canopy in central Texas and my temps top out at 80 with no chiller. Home ac kept at 74

 

[jda]

You will need a fan. The heat is there, but it is a TOTALLY solve-able problem if you want to solve it. Most people who complain about it either just wanted new lights or they live in South Florida or the Mojave between Vegas and LA.

BRS has a series on running T5s bulbs for more than a year and up to 24 months. Some people discount it by saying that they did not turn them on/off enough and that constant running is not the same. Maybe. I don't know. It might be worth a watch if you are leaning towards T5 at all. There were some assumptions that you will need to draw your own conclusions about.

 

[Coling]

I went ahead and bought the ATI 8 bulb T5 fixture and have 2 actinic SB Reef SBars on the way. Everything is dimmable so that should help me photo-acclimate my coral. There was a great deal on a Geiseman T5/Halide fixture on here you guys had me leaning towards, but it sold pretty quick. I think I will be able to get some good color and growth with T5s and strip LEDs though. Thank you all for your time and advice! @Bpb, if you are in Central Texas I may see ya around. I live in Austin and try to make it to as many local reefing events as possible.

 

[jsbzcmcdaniel]

Good choice. I just purchased the ATI 48" 8 bulb with the same SB reef bars. I am using LED over my tank now but decided to move back to T5 because that's what I ran during my years of reefing. I also ran DE halides with Phoenix 14K bulbs and really liked them. Either way you made a good choice.

 

[Bpb]

I went ahead and bought the ATI 8 bulb T5 fixture and have 2 actinic SB Reef SBars on the way. Everything is dimmable so that should help me photo-acclimate my coral. There was a great deal on a Geiseman T5/Halide fixture on here you guys had me leaning towards, but it sold pretty quick. I think I will be able to get some good color and growth with T5s and strip LEDs though. Thank you all for your time and advice! @Bpb, if you are in Central Texas I may see ya around. I live in Austin and try to make it to as many local reefing events as possible.

That’ll work just fine. I’ve really been wanting to go to a frag swap in Austin at some point. I’m only a couple hours away