Setting up a 90 gallon sps tank...

[rs1831]

I'm down to just the lighting at this point and would like to go with Led's but I'm stuck on what to buy. I would like to say that cost is not an issue but the thought of spending 1500 on lights is a little tough for me so I would like to get the best lights for the money. Does anyone have any experience with the Aqua Illumination Hydra 26? I would like to have mostly sps from the middle of the tank and up and than lps and clams lower in the tank. Any input would be appreciated!

Thanks
Roland

 

[Jimbo662]

Check out the Kessil A360WE's. I had Vega Colors on my last tank and could never get them dialed in correctly and couldn't keep SPS alive. Current tank has two of the 360's and i've got everything growing...SPS are all growing and branching. monti's are encrusting and spreading, blastos and acans are growing new heads. Check out some of the pics.

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/member-tanks/142147-75-gal-rimless-planet-aquarium-build.html

Someone also just did a quick review:

https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/eq...ation/175254-my-depth-review-kessil-leds.html

 

[rs1831]

Great looking tank! To be honest, Kessil was at the top of my list but I saw one locally and felt that the shimmer was too much. What do you think of the shimmer? The store that I went to have 2 75's set up side by side with an ecotech radion gen 2 and a radion xr15w on one tank and then a hydra 26 and a kessil 360 on the other. Could the Kessel have been to close to the water? The shimmer was overpowering.

 

[Jimbo662]

I think the shimmer is more personal preference. Mine are 9-10" above the water and to me the shimmer doesn't seem to be too much. It may also depend on what they had teh intensity set at. Mine is at 63%.

 

[bond300]

I have a 90G also and had T5's! I'm cheap and retired so I went to 48"LED's they have paid for themselves in 2 months!

 

[hart24601]

I would say the absolute best is the Orphek, or GHL mitras, but they are expensive. I think next best (and cheaper at $500) would be something like the reefbreeders photon 48" so you get better coverage especially if you are going to have large SPS colonies. I think the other big name lights, AI and such, are great, but shading becomes a huge pain unless you get a bunch of fixtures and run them at lower power.

 

[60squared]

I have seen other ai products growing sps so I would say absolutely. In my opinion orphek is kind of cheap chinese more advertiseing than performance. Im a radion man myself but I believe there are several full spectrum led lights out there that will grow sps

 

[TomNeely]

I have two radions over my 90.

 

[rs1831]

I appreciate the feedback. This seems like the hardest decision to make when setting up a tank!