Lighting suggestions for 50x30x20

[csund]

Ordered a 50x30x20 tank. I've only used T5 before but decided to go hybrid or full LED.

Looking at ATI powermodule 36" 8x39. I like the look of a shorter light but worried about coverage. Should I go 48"? Are eight bulbs overkill?

Giesemann Aurora 48" 4x54. Definitely worried about coverage but like the look of the fixture.

3x Radion G4 pro. I like the idea of having the lights hang higher above the tank than a T5 fixture. I've see this setup over a couple tanks with similar dimensions. I haven't read of coverage issues.

Thoughts?

 

[Diesel]

It all depends on what sort of corals you go with.
If you do a mix of LPS, SPS and softies I would say the hybrid as I run that one myself.
I have seen also good results on the Radions G4 now days.
GHL coming with their new LED fixture the LX7 is a really nice light.
I would go for as much coverage you tank can have and the 48" on the hybrid is the size to go for, with size of your tank 8 bulbs.
If you Radions three of the G4 and I think the GHL LX7 two of them but don't know much about their coverage and @d2mini can tell you more about the GHL LX7 or read his review.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/t...utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=January_31_2017

 

[USMC4Life]

What are you looking to spend? At the moment I love SB Reeflights they grow my coral like there is no tomorrow.

 

[USMC4Life]

This is before and after the light.

 

[USMC4Life]

Could not find the before pictures. But let's just say it only had 2 heads.

 

[mcarroll]

If you've only used T5 and liked them, then it doesn't really make sense for you to invest in spotlights now.

Invest in LED strips that look and act a lot more like T5's. GHL also makes them (Lightbar2) in addition to the spotlights mentioned. As do as manufacturers like Current and others.

Since you mentioned mounting the lights up off the tank as being desirable, then something like Current's Orbit Pro would be one of the better options to consider. It comes with the strongest lenses (60º) of any strips I've seen. I would use at least two strips - a 48" DUAL kit (Mfg# 4116).....$800. Might take a third strip for the back of the tank IF you put them down on the tank vs suspending them. Three wold be recommended for your tank regardless of mounting if you want a bright tank, to grow clams for example. They require more light than corals.

On the other hand, all of these strips have a tiny profile and most of them will perform better sitting on the tank....due to their tiny size they may look better that way too. In that case, you could pick from most of Current's strip options, as well as GHL, Hamilton Lighting, Finnex, Fluval, etc, etc. These options don't get the hype that spotlights do, but that doesn't mean they are less-good. All depends on your use-case. (If you review lots of hybrid threads, there are plenty of folks out there running Hybrid setups that probably would have been better served by not setting up spotlights in the first place.)

Hope this helps!