Starting a Nuvo 20, lighting suggestions?

[PAXpress]

This weekend I setup my new nuvo 20, clown in it with some rock (moved from his old tank) and sand. All thats running is the pump and a heater.
Wondering what kinds of lights you all use for this size of tank and what you recommend I use? I'll get some pics up here soon of the tank.

 

[Wankell]

Radion XR30 G4 Pro is what I use, wouldn't have it any other way.

 

[ewelch]

I'm running a XR15 Gen 4 pro . Growing SPS just fine so far

 

[Chrisfish]

I started out with a kessil 360 Tuna blue in my 30 gal Jbj aio, but wasn't crazy about the shadowing.
Bought the AI hydra 26, great light

 

[PAXpress]

I have experience with the AI lights. Have 2x 26 on my 66 gallon RSM 250. Was hoping to not have to spend quite so much. I'm not thinking of keeping any SPS most likely... Worried that one prime or 1 A80 kessil would not have enough coverage... Anyone used the Zetlight ZA1201-T? Something that would keep a few lps and softies maybe even a flower nem.

 

[PAXpress]

I'm running a XR15 Gen 4 pro . Growing SPS just fine so far

Man if someone would donate one to me I'd be ALL over having one of these over this tank haha. Think its a bit out of budget for now. They are nice though and I'd love to try one out.

 

[Wankell]

Man if someone would donate one to me I'd be ALL over having one of these over this tank haha. Think its a bit out of budget for now. They are nice though and I'd love to try one out.

Just set a budget for it and save, I was the same as you, I went through so many lights trying to cut costs and in the end it's just worth getting the good stuff. Sell some things, put it on a credit card, whatever you have to do!

And if it makes any difference EcoTech has amazing customer service and really take care of their customers, I know that from first hand experience. They really go above and beyond!

 

[PAXpress]

Radion XR30 G4 Pro is what I use, wouldn't have it any other way.

Just set a budget for it and save, I was the same as you, I went through so many lights trying to cut costs and in the end it's just worth getting the good stuff. Sell some things, put it on a credit card, whatever you have to do!

And if it makes any difference EcoTech has amazing customer service and really take care of their customers, I know that from first hand experience. They really go above and beyond!

You're probably right better to get the right thing once than the wrong thing multiple times. I do kinda feel like the xr30 g4 is overkill for this size of tank for Lps and softies. I'd probably have to run it at below 30% considering the tank is only 13" deep. You have an xr30 on a nano that size?

 

[RicordeaFreak]

I have one of the zetlight ZA1201 on a 3.5gal pico and my wife has one of the ZA1201-T on her 10 gallon nuvo. I really like both of the lights and have experienced growth on my corals with the ZA1201 same has my wife with her ZA1201-T. I like her light much more since you can program the lighting compared to the regular ZA1201. I'll try to post a picture of my pico. I unfortunately don't have any pics of her tank at the moment, but hers is doing great as well.

 

[Wankell]

You're probably right better to get the right thing once than the wrong thing multiple times. I do kinda feel like the xr30 g4 is overkill for this size of tank for Lps and softies. I'd probably have to run it at below 30% considering the tank is only 13" deep. You have an xr30 on a nano that size?

Yeah I have the same tank, I wanted the coverage and to future proof my setup, if I ever go bigger im covered! It also has advantages for shadowing and distribution, I think that it's the best light/company in its category in terms of features. You can do a 50 cube or even go a lot larger and only have to buy 1 additional light.

Most people will say its overkill, but im good with that, overkill is better than underkill (if that's even a thing ;Joyful)

 

[PAXpress]

Well this tank wont be going bigger. I have a 175g and a 66 gallon already that are running and this new tank is just a nano house for my orange clown who is incompatible with the other two tanks but I couldnt see him go. Honestly I plan to keep this tank as low tech as possible.

What about the Maxspect Ethereal. They look like they have some really great par and look pretty cool.

 

[Wankell]

One of the lights during my experiments was a Maxspect R420R Nano, they are good for low tech, not familiar with the Ethereal, seems a little pricey for a completely new platform. I also considered the ATI Sirius but at the time they were too hard to get in the states.

 

[PAXpress]

One of the lights during my experiments was a Maxspect R420R Nano, they are good for low tech, not familiar with the Ethereal, seems a little pricey for a completely new platform. I also considered the ATI Sirius but at the time they were too hard to get in the states.

Interesting I hadn't seen the sirius before. If only maxspect would let me demo an Ethereal lol.

 

[kyleinpdx]

I have experience with the AI lights. Have 2x 26 on my 66 gallon RSM 250. Was hoping to not have to spend quite so much. I'm not thinking of keeping any SPS most likely... Worried that one prime or 1 A80 kessil would not have enough coverage... Anyone used the Zetlight ZA1201-T? Something that would keep a few lps and softies maybe even a flower nem.

I have an IM lagoon 25 and I run two kessil A80's over it, works great. I'm able to grow any non-SPS I want (I've got a stylo doing ok, but I think my main issue with SPS is water quality, I have a crappy skimmer and my nitrates are higher than I'd like.) I love having the two fixtures because it allows me to run one at a higher intensity than the other, I get great coverage (1 A80 for 15" of length), no shadowing, at at their peak I'm only running them at 40% intensity so plenty of headroom as well. Granted I went this route because I already had an A80 over my 10gal AIO but it has worked well for me for the last year.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I used the SB reef Lights Pro 16" for a while and it grew coral pretty well, sadly though its pretty ugly and takes up a lot of space.

I went to the Maxspect Ethereal for a couple of personal, yet well-thought-out reasons:

• Ramping and scheduling features were a must for me. The timer from the SB light turned everything on at full blast, which I could imagine was somewhat traumatic for my fish and corals. Even if you staggered the channels, which I did, the sudden turning on or off of an entire spectrum was still very noticeable.
• The light needed to mount to the rear of the tank. Now there are many different lights that do this, but the Ethereal's mounting hardware is included in the box (as opposed to having to buy the mount like with ecotech, AI, and kessil lights). The SB light had side mounting legs that were very awkward and got in the way during maintenance.
• The light needed to grow SPS. My Acros and Monti's love it so far with no weird color shifts (although my PC Rainbows turned back to their famous red color after turning green under the SB light).
• The light needed to be controllable via wireless connection. The Ethereal uses the ICV6 controller from Maxspect, which I will admit was a pain in the butt for me to get connected to the light. But now that it works, it works pretty well. I still wish that the light had a built-in controller like the AI's do because the extra hardware means more space and plugs on my power strip are used, but if the controller does die, the Maxspect will keep it's current programming until another ICV6 controller is connected and changes the programming.
• Really personal reason: the light needed to look cool. The Ethereal looks like some sort of spaceship and it is very thin vertically. It has curves and textures on the top heat diffuser that make it look worthy of its price in my opinion in addition to a really neat fan in the center that only turns on if the light gets above a certain temperature. The AI Hydra 26, which was my second choice if the Ethereal didn't pan out, looks like a thin brick to me and so do the ecotechs. The ecotechs also look like a plastic box to me (I know they are built well so please don't get on to me too much ).

Other cool things about the Ethereal:

• It has built in programming assistant software that will help you create your own light scheduling based off of color temperature. You tell it what color temperature you would like and from what times during the day, and it will go ahead and adjust the spectrum and ramping schedule for you.
• You can change the color of the fan/moon light to anything you want and schedule it's on/off cycle too. There's a RGB diode in the same spot as the fan and it makes just enough light to pose as a moonlight but not enough to make your corals confused.
• The thing is a conversation starter for sure.

I think it is one of the more underappreciated lights out there and I also think it is a great fixture for a tank like the IM 20, as well as any cube style aquarium bigger than say 20 gallons or so. I believe you already have seen it in one of my threads, but for everyone else here is a picture of it on the tank:

 

[Wankell]

It looks really nice over the tank, I liked the quality of the Razor im sure that one is good as well. How long do you keep your lights on? From start to end.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

It looks really nice over the tank, I liked the quality of the Razor im sure that one is good as well. How long do you keep your lights on? From start to end.

They start ramping up at 9:00 AM, reach peak intensity (75%) at 12:00 PM, start ramping down at 8:00 PM and turn off at 10:00PM.

 

[PAXpress]

I used the SB reef Lights Pro 16" for a while and it grew coral pretty well, sadly though its pretty ugly and takes up a lot of space.

I went to the Maxspect Ethereal for a couple of personal, yet well-thought-out reasons:

• Ramping and scheduling features were a must for me. The timer from the SB light turned everything on at full blast, which I could imagine was somewhat traumatic for my fish and corals. Even if you staggered the channels, which I did, the sudden turning on or off of an entire spectrum was still very noticeable.
• The light needed to mount to the rear of the tank. Now there are many different lights that do this, but the Ethereal's mounting hardware is included in the box (as opposed to having to buy the mount like with ecotech, AI, and kessil lights). The SB light had side mounting legs that were very awkward and got in the way during maintenance.
• The light needed to grow SPS. My Acros and Monti's love it so far with no weird color shifts (although my PC Rainbows turned back to their famous red color after turning green under the SB light).
• The light needed to be controllable via wireless connection. The Ethereal uses the ICV6 controller from Maxspect, which I will admit was a pain in the butt for me to get connected to the light. But now that it works, it works pretty well. I still wish that the light had a built-in controller like the AI's do because the extra hardware means more space and plugs on my power strip are used, but if the controller does die, the Maxspect will keep it's current programming until another ICV6 controller is connected and changes the programming.
• Really personal reason: the light needed to look cool. The Ethereal looks like some sort of spaceship and it is very thin vertically. It has curves and textures on the top heat diffuser that make it look worthy of its price in my opinion in addition to a really neat fan in the center that only turns on if the light gets above a certain temperature. The AI Hydra 26, which was my second choice if the Ethereal didn't pan out, looks like a thin brick to me and so do the ecotechs. The ecotechs also look like a plastic box to me (I know they are built well so please don't get on to me too much ).

Other cool things about the Ethereal:

• It has built in programming assistant software that will help you create your own light scheduling based off of color temperature. You tell it what color temperature you would like and from what times during the day, and it will go ahead and adjust the spectrum and ramping schedule for you.
• You can change the color of the fan/moon light to anything you want and schedule it's on/off cycle too. There's a RGB diode in the same spot as the fan and it makes just enough light to pose as a moonlight but not enough to make your corals confused.
• The thing is a conversation starter for sure.

I think it is one of the more underappreciated lights out there and I also think it is a great fixture for a tank like the IM 20, as well as any cube style aquarium bigger than say 20 gallons or so. I believe you already have seen it in one of my threads, but for everyone else here is a picture of it on the tank:

I have been watching the ethereal's for a while. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me info on the light over that tank. I was worried it would be too large or the LED pattern would not be right for the style of tank. Good to hear that it is a good option for me should I decide to go with it. I have a question for you though. You say the icv6 controller adds a cord etc, I'm trying to keep this as low tech as possible. It will sound crazy but I cant much surpass 3 outlets... Currently I have a heater the return pump and a crappy little LED stick to view the tank with for now. Do you need the icv6 to have power and the ethereal? Also if so could the icv6 be say 15 feet away in my other tanks cabinet? Its for wireless control of 200 ethereals... Could I use the advanced controller that I already have for my gyre? It looks the same and if I can save money... What is your max intensity for your channels? I was fearful even at its lowest it would be overkill at the 5-6 inches from the water surface it needs to be mounted. Do you have a glass lid or acrylic lid to prevent as much evaporation or do you have an ato? I'd like to avoid an ato if at all possible. This is on a kitchen counter top and there really isn't much room for the equipment let alone a reservoir. I've noticed here in Colorado (very dry) it takes about 1 day to go from as full as you'd want to fill it without bypassing the socks to nearly running the pump dry. Thanks again. Great to have so much help from you guys and the reasons you cited are the reasons that the ethereal seemed like it would be a match for my tank.
Edit: Btw the tank looks stunning. Really like it you've done well. Mine looks like an empty shell compared to yours right now!

 

[PAXpress]

I have an IM lagoon 25 and I run two kessil A80's over it, works great. I'm able to grow any non-SPS I want (I've got a stylo doing ok, but I think my main issue with SPS is water quality, I have a crappy skimmer and my nitrates are higher than I'd like.) I love having the two fixtures because it allows me to run one at a higher intensity than the other, I get great coverage (1 A80 for 15" of length), no shadowing, at at their peak I'm only running them at 40% intensity so plenty of headroom as well. Granted I went this route because I already had an A80 over my 10gal AIO but it has worked well for me for the last year.

Hopefully I dont run into water quality issues. I plan to do 20% or so water changes every other week when I do changes from my 175 the 4 gallons will feel like nothing on the nuvo. I wont be running a skimmer however or at least theres no plan for a skimmer yet. Will see if trates or phates force me into that purchase down the road.

 

[nautical_nathaniel]

I have been watching the ethereal's for a while. I really appreciate you taking the time to give me info on the light over that tank. I was worried it would be too large or the LED pattern would not be right for the style of tank. Good to hear that it is a good option for me should I decide to go with it. I have a question for you though. You say the icv6 controller adds a cord etc, I'm trying to keep this as low tech as possible. It will sound crazy but I cant much surpass 3 outlets... Currently I have a heater the return pump and a crappy little LED stick to view the tank with for now. Do you need the icv6 to have power and the ethereal? Also if so could the icv6 be say 15 feet away in my other tanks cabinet? Its for wireless control of 200 ethereals... Could I use the advanced controller that I already have for my gyre? It looks the same and if I can save money... What is your max intensity for your channels? I was fearful even at its lowest it would be overkill at the 5-6 inches from the water surface it needs to be mounted. Do you have a glass lid or acrylic lid to prevent as much evaporation or do you have an ato? I'd like to avoid an ato if at all possible. This is on a kitchen counter top and there really isn't much room for the equipment let alone a reservoir. I've noticed here in Colorado (very dry) it takes about 1 day to go from as full as you'd want to fill it without bypassing the socks to nearly running the pump dry. Thanks again. Great to have so much help from you guys and the reasons you cited are the reasons that the ethereal seemed like it would be a match for my tank.
Edit: Btw the tank looks stunning. Really like it you've done well. Mine looks like an empty shell compared to yours right now!

Thanks for the kind comments, I've put a lot of work in to my tank, yours will get there too!

Maxspect recommends the ICV6 controller be within a 2-3 meters of the Ethereal. If you go to CoralVue Customer Support (American parent/marketing company for Maxspect), the first thing they will ask you is how far the ICV6 is from the light, I guess its not that strong of a signal transmitter or something. Both the ICV6 and the Ethereal need an outlet. The chord for the ICV6 is either 5 or 6 feet so that gives you a little length to get it closer. The gyre controller will not work with the Ethereal, only the ICV6 will.

I keep my Ethereal at 75%, however, my corals were already adjusted to powerful lighting beforehand. New corals have to be put in a less lighted areas and moved to sequential higher par areas over time before mounting them permanently, otherwise you're going to fry them if you immediately place them in the tank right under the light after bringing them home.

In Florida we have such high humidity all the time that evaporation is slower than it would be for you in Colorado. I have a Tunze ATO that helps me keep up with evaporation and I would highly suggest you getting one as well since you'll be worrying about evaporation much more than I will be. Consistency is key for tanks this small and an ATO is a valuable tool as such. I go through a 5 gallon bucket of ATO reservoir water once every 6 weeks or so to give everyone some perspective. I use the IM Screen Top on my tank but I have considered getting a custom acrylic lid made for the tank, mostly for aesthetic reasons though.

I'd hate to say it since I spend a lot of time there myself, but the kitchen is not a good place for a reef aquarium. Cooking fumes from grease, oils, etc. will mix with the water through gas exchange and possibly have detrimental effects on the water quality. I would maybe look into getting yourself a strong cabinet or build a DIY tank stand for your aquarium. I found mine at a thrift store for $20 and spent $15 on supplies to spiffy it up a bit.