SB Lighting Recommendation?

Acro maniac · Jul 5, 2017

I have been leaning toward 4-5 of the 16in timers for a 180g build.
I noticed someone was having trouble with the timers not be consistant. Has anyone else had any issues with the timers not matching when running 2 or more at a time?

BoomCorals · Jul 6, 2017

I have 6 of the 16" over my 6' 180g and it's perfect. I have the wifi and they work great on a schedule.

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 6, 2017

BoomCorals said:
I have 6 of the 16" over my 6' 180g and it's perfect. I have the wifi and they work great on a schedule.

You are a coverage freak my friend.
Well done.

BoomCorals · Jul 6, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
You are a coverage freak my friend.
Well done.

It's a heavy sps tank so coverage is a must? I have sps high and even on the sand!

Acro maniac · Jul 6, 2017

BoomCorals said:
I have 6 of the 16" over my 6' 180g and it's perfect. I have the wifi and they work great on a schedule.

6 seems a little excessive. I not oppossed to it and would do it if necessary but is it?
FYI My tank will sps heavy as well.

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 6, 2017

BoomCorals said:
It's a heavy sps tank so coverage is a must? I have sps high and even on the sand!

It's a tank. Coverage is a must!!;Woot

And , Yup me too. Odd how well they grow from-top to bottom with these. Makes me look like I know what I'm doing.

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 6, 2017

Acro maniac said:
6 seems a little excessive. I not oppossed to it and would do it if necessary but is it?
FYI My tank will sps heavy as well.

IMO IME a 16 covers a 20x20 square perfectly at 14 in. More if you pull the lenses and lower the the light to 11. You won't see the gap but you'll notice if you meter it. Not that imo it really matters. I have acros and montis clam 30+ inches from the light. At 65%peak.

Acro maniac · Jul 7, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
IMO IME a 16 covers a 20x20 square perfectly at 14 in. More if you pull the lenses and lower the the light to 11. You won't see the gap but you'll notice if you meter it. Not that imo it really matters. I have acros and montis clam 30+ inches from the light. At 65%peak.

Are the gaps your referring to, where the braces shadow? If not what effect do braces have on the penitration.
The tank im refering to is marineland 180g 6x2x2 with (2) 3" braces.

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 7, 2017

Acro maniac said:
Are the gaps your referring to, where the braces shadow? If not what effect do braces have on the penitration.
The tank im refering to is marineland 180g 6x2x2 with (2) 3" braces.

No just dips in overall intensity between the lights. Think flash lights but big and wide. Its not t5 a long even tube of light.
Mh would have a large reflector for the same reason. So led are like using med size MH pendants.

It's a minor dip if you do it right. When I say an eve 20x20 square I'm aiming at the top of the tank surface. It spreads out from there and bounces reducing shadowing.
The closer you get you get more dips in intensity and "spotlighting". By having several the light also enters at extreme angles from the other side of the tank too further reducing shadowing.

The braces you just have to deal with. But better coverage helps dig in under them from the Left and right.

You could probaly do four 16, but there the but... raising them will help but it's not quite the same.

Four 30 or 32s would also work well. And some folks would just use two and it works fine , but they aren't coverage freaks.

Acro maniac · Jul 7, 2017

Thanks for the break down. As i get closer i will probably go with (4) 16 turn perpendicular to tank. Plan for the hood is 20" tall so ill have plenty of height to raise the fixtures.
I know youve done your homework with these lights. How much intensity is lost without lenses? Did you pull all the lenses or just select spectrums?

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 7, 2017

Acro maniac said:
Thanks for the break down. As i get closer i will probably go with (4) 16 turn perpendicular to tank. Plan for the hood is 20" tall so ill have plenty of height to raise the fixtures.
I know youve done your homework with these lights. How much intensity is lost without lenses? Did you pull all the lenses or just select spectrums?

Thanks. I actually work in lighting professionally. So it's pretty much second nature with any tank light. I light apples to football stadiums.

It's about a 30% loss maybe a bit more.
And yea I pulled selectively. I did this quickly as a guess, I would have pulled a bit more from the middle and left a couple on the sides. maybe next time.

Acro maniac · Jul 7, 2017

saltyfilmfolks said:
It's about a 30% loss maybe a bit more.
And yea I pulled selectively. I did this quickly as a guess, I would have pulled a bit more from the middle and left a couple on the sides. maybe next time.

Wow 30% thats alot. What if you dont mind my asking is your theory for removing specific lenses ?

saltyfilmfolks · Jul 7, 2017

Acro maniac said:
Wow 30% thats alot. What if you dont mind my asking is your theory for removing specific lenses ?

It's actually not that much of a loss. I was at 65% peak with no lenses at peak. I could have added a LOT more steam.

Color and intensity.
Removing red lenses dropped the amount in the tank. For looks primarily. Etc etc with green and warm.
Then I was also choosing a ratio of blue and white and warm white to punch down deeper into the tank to hit the sand.
It's also film lighting thing. I had a big soft source filling the tank and then shooting down notice highlits and shimmer. I'm a cinematographer basically.
I also didn't prefer the narrow beam at the heith and ALL the shimmer.

Acro maniac · Jul 7, 2017

That makes a lot of sense with the red green etc. I also didnt like the exessive shimmer on my current light and removed the lenses for more spread and less disco. Current setup is diy from rapid . Cree and Phillips leds.

I have been kicking around the idea of making a couple 6ft light bars out of the rapids when i upgrade. These 2 bars could run on both sides of the sb fixtures.