New lighting what to buy?

dave171 · Aug 21, 2015

Hey so I have a 56 bowfront and waiting to set it up as I gather what I need. I currently have a reef tank set up and I'm running the fluval 2.0 on it and love it and is a excellent light. But I want to do sps or just corals that need a little more light. Can anyone suggest some decent lights? Prob not a kessil or radions just cause the cost would be to much for a little tank like a 56 lol. Thanks!

shadow1013 · Aug 21, 2015

We have a Radion on our Red Sea 170 (40G)

Newtybar · Aug 23, 2015

dimensions?

dave171 · Aug 23, 2015

36 in across

Newtybar · Aug 24, 2015

I would go with either:

Nanobox Quad (http://nanoboxreef.com/quad.html)

Two Hydra26's

Two Radio Xr15w (I know you said too buff, but it is still a good choice IMO)

TheEngineer · Aug 24, 2015

I like my Kessil A360 so far.

uncagednatedog · Aug 24, 2015

The ocean revives are great very happy with my switch from 2 Vegas. Very nice color have sps, lps no problems so far.

Newtybar · Aug 24, 2015

Maybe I am biased, but I recently took the plunge on NanoBox on my newest build and of all the color spectrums I have seen and owned, for an LED this was my personal favorite.

This is two NanoBox Duo's over a 60" x 18" x 14"

racin2438 · Aug 26, 2015

I'd look at the Oceanrevive T247, they are really good lights

twilliard · Aug 26, 2015

dave171 said:
Hey so I have a 56 bowfront and waiting to set it up as I gather what I need. I currently have a reef tank set up and I'm running the fluval 2.0 on it and love it and is a excellent light. But I want to do sps or just corals that need a little more light. Can anyone suggest some decent lights? Prob not a kessil or radions just cause the cost would be to much for a little tank like a 56 lol. Thanks!

What is your budget?
This will be key

spartanman22 · Aug 26, 2015

I have used a Kessil A350 and OceanRevive T-247. My setup is a 25 gallon display and a 15 gallon frag tank sitting side by side on the same stand. The frag tank has the Kessil A350 and the display has the OR-T247. Visually, I prefer the look of the OR-T247 both in the color spectrum it produces and the physical look of the fixture. However, both lights do an outstanding job of growing coral from softies to LPS to SPS. I run the OR-T247 at 30% white and 40% blue and keep a blue gig and multiple SPS on the sand bed some 25" down.

The only downside with the ORs is that they are not dimmable via Apex programming which is why I'm still debating on whether or not to replace with the newer Kessil A360wEs

mguili1947 · Aug 27, 2015

I use Oceanrevive T247, they are really good lights.They have built in timer and a remote.

joesreeftank · Aug 28, 2015

O man if you have not pulled the trigger and can wait just awhile I would recommend waiting on the New Kessil that is about to hit the market,, Two great reasons to hold off if you can. 1 Kessils is an outstanding light that gives you the shimmer like the sun and has good color.
2. If you wait for the new one to hit the market there will Shirley be a lot of great deals on the A360We so I would either go with two of these or get the new one that's about to hit the market soon, You can pr order.. If you look at my pics you will see what my light have done for my tank I have been running these for three years or more.

spartanman22 · Aug 28, 2015

Isn't the new one a longer fixture as opposed to the pendants? Which wouldn't work on my setup, but I see what you're saying on the deals on the A360wE. My build is still 8 months out so I am in no rush

joesreeftank · Aug 28, 2015

The new one would be my first choice if I was you, Its very small in size and has many features the Pendants do not have. Go to Kesil.com and check it out.. Its amazing I will be selling my two pendants and purchasing it as soon as it comes out. I think it is about 850.00 I believe that is less than two New A360 E series lights.. I look at all kinds of tanks with defendant LEDs and I just favor the Kessils. It may be just me. Did you have a chance to take a look at the photos I posted of my tank and close up of my Corals under these lights? I think i put a video also

spartanman22 · Aug 28, 2015

The only problem with that over two A360wEs is that A) I can get them at wholesale cost, and B) my setup is dual 30 gallon displays. So I would need two of the new fixtures running me ~$1700 as opposed to the ~$700 cost of 2 A360wEs

sawdonkey · Aug 28, 2015

FYI, I have four T247 for about 10 months now. I noticed that some of the fans in them stopped working. I looked closer and 5 of the 8 fans had stoped working. I emailed OR about it and they said they'd sell me the fans but then said it would be more than a week before they had them in stock. My lights were running really hot without fans and I couldn't wait. I went on Amazon and bought computer fans for $6 each. They work push a little more air than the stock fans, but they're a little louder too. I think part of the issue was salt creep that built up on the fans.

I guess my point is, if you're handy the ORs are great lights. Just be prepared to work on them from time to time. I had to replace two power supplies a while ago too.

You get what you pay for, but I don't regret buying these and I'd do it again.