Reef Brite W/ATI or Giesemann T5-Experiences

exoraa · Dec 9, 2016

I currently have four Reef Brites, two 50/50 and two all blue over my 180 gallon reef. In the near future I would like to upgrade to either a ATI or Giesemann hybrid T5/LED set up. I would like feedback if anyone is using the ATI or Giesemann T5's with two Reef Brites along the sides. Do you like or dislike? If I already have Reef Brites would it make sense to buy one of the T5 fixtures. The pros and cons with ATI vs. Giesemann. Pretty new to R2R so any feedback is appreciated.

clownsrcool · Dec 9, 2016

I don't have exactly the feedback you are looking for but I'll give you my opinion. I have the ATI/LED Powermodule Hybrid. While it is an awesome light, if I had to do it over again I think I would go with the 8 bulb Sunpower with reefbrites on either side. To me personally I am not big on LED as a primary light source and prefer T5s. However T5s have their draw backs like anything else and the slight pastel and washed out look with certain bulb combos is one of them. That's why I like having the LEDs as supplemental lighting to really round things out visually for me.

The reason I would go DIY over the Powermodule hybrid is because I think the leds on the Powermodule are poorly integrated even though they did the best with what they had to work with. You read a lot of there being hot spots directly under them because they are far apart and don't have much spread to them at all. You have to leave them at pretty low power to work around that and then it kind of negates any impact they could have really. Having the 2 large reefbrites on either side would even things out a lot better. I personally really only care about the blue LEDs and wished I didn't have any of the other colors in my Powermodule. Going with reefbrites would give me much more of the spectrum I actually want to use. A con is now I don't have one application to use to program my entire lighting as you will have to program each type separately. I don't think you can go wrong with either a ATI or Giesemann fixture though. Just personal preference. I think Giesemann is more stylish personally, but you pay for that. In the hybrid fixtures they don't offer an 8 bulb T5 hybrid which is why I chose ATI over them

jvb89 · Dec 9, 2016

I have an ATI 8x80w sunpower w/ 2 reefbrite actinic blues and love it.

goody · Dec 9, 2016

jvb89 said:
I have an ATI 8x80w sunpower w/ 2 reefbrite actinic blues and love it.

What are dimensions of your tank? I have the 48" Dimmable Sunpower and I'm hoping I can use it on a 60x33x24 new build. Planning on one reefbrite but may need 2 reefbrites since that fixture is only 48x18". Not concerned about length coverage as I used it on my 60" 150g, but that tank was only 60x24x24.

jvb89 · Dec 9, 2016

goody said:
What are dimensions of your tank? I have the 48" Dimmable Sunpower and I'm hoping I can use it on a 60x33x24 new build. Planning on one reefbrite but may need 2 reefbrites since that fixture is only 48x18". Not concerned about length coverage as I used it on my 60" 150g, but that tank was only 60x24x24.

180g 72x24x24. It's a Peninsula

jvb89 · Dec 9, 2016

goody said:
What are dimensions of your tank? I have the 48" Dimmable Sunpower and I'm hoping I can use it on a 60x33x24 new build. Planning on one reefbrite but may need 2 reefbrites since that fixture is only 48x18". Not concerned about length coverage as I used it on my 60" 150g, but that tank was only 60x24x24.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...bh32sLJ8xAs21CpIw&sig2=kDE0lwezKuqa6jYV8hWL3Q

Sabellafella · Dec 9, 2016

exoraa said:
I currently have four Reef Brites, two 50/50 and two all blue over my 180 gallon reef. In the near future I would like to upgrade to either a ATI or Giesemann hybrid T5/LED set up. I would like feedback if anyone is using the ATI or Giesemann T5's with two Reef Brites along the sides. Do you like or dislike? If I already have Reef Brites would it make sense to buy one of the T5 fixtures. The pros and cons with ATI vs. Giesemann. Pretty new to R2R so any feedback is appreciated.

Gieseman fixtures are absolutely beautiful but if in your case, you already have the reefbrite strips. So i would just snag an ati fixture and attach them to it. Theres also a mount made for 4 reefbrites that can be bolted onto the ati fixture itself. I use a 48 inch 6 bulb with just one reefbrite actinic and i happen to love it.