Lighting for 48x18x10 SPS frag tank

[The0wn4g3]

I'm leaning towards getting a Reef Breeders Photon 48-V2+ ($699) fixture for a new frag tank I'm setting up. Will be mostly SPS and high-end zoas.

What is the general sentiment towards these fixtures? It seems like a great value if the PAR output is what the website says.

 

[Jekyl]

Why not just keep it simple and get T5? Cheaper and proven track record.

 

[GHOSTLY]

T5 light and if you really want to spice things up add a kessil ap or A360

 

[bobnicaragua]

Aquatic life hybrid with Kessil A360, never give light a second thought. Looks awesome, fantastic spread, coverage and spectrum.

 

[Bpb]

The reef breeders will do very well on a tank that size. Just make sure the legs are all the way extended or even better hang it to get it 16-18” off the water. The tight optics really need a lot of height to blend the light adequately. I’ve been using those for close to a couple years now with great results. Many commercial growers use them as well

 

[The0wn4g3]

Why not just keep it simple and get T5? Cheaper and proven track record.

An ATI SunPower 6x54W is $602 + $132 for bulbs. Assuming I change bulbs once a year the Photon saves me money in the long run, plus it has dimming, spectrum control, built-in timers, etc.

 

[bobnicaragua]

An ATI SunPower 6x54W is $602 + $132 for bulbs. Assuming I change bulbs once a year the Photon saves me money in the long run, plus it has dimming, spectrum control, built-in timers, etc.

At least some t5 will make your life easier as far as keeping sps is concerned.

BRS recommends changing bulbs every 18 months, and everytime you replace a bulb its essentially a brand new light. LEDs degrade over time and the unit most likely wont last as long or will be replaced before a t5 fixture fails.

There's nothing wrong with reef breeders fixtures, but acros are challenging. Running t5 LED hybrid will still give you everything you want as far as controllability.