Suggestions for Actinic Supplement (Night Viewing Only)

[mitch91175]

I currently have an ATI 48 inch 8x54w sunpower t5ho high-output fixture and am looking to add blue LEDs for night viewing only. Not interested in spending $400 for a ReefBrite and am looking for alternatives. This is my frag tank:

As stated above, I do not need the strip for additional lighting for the frag tank, I just want to run it for about an hour each night so I can see all the pretty colors of my frags.

Do you guys have any suggestions?
Also not interested in changing out my current T5 bulbs to suit my needs (the coral comes first, then my night viewing a distant second )

 

[mitch91175]

Also, if ReefBrite is my only option, then do you feel that the ReefBrite XHO or non-XHO would be best?

 

[Leadfooted]

For what it's worth, we spend a load of money to make out corals as amazing as possible. I just installed the Reef Brite XHO 48" and words can't express what a difference it made. I spent some $150 on a marine orbit a while back and I'm so mad I spent all this time missing the way the corals and colors pop the way they do now. All the additives I've used, T5 color combos, Overeas LED strips, Marine orbit....... nothing ever made my corals look the way they do now, with the flip of a switch.

 

[mitch91175]

For what it's worth, we spend a load of money to make out corals as amazing as possible. I just installed the Reef Brite XHO 48" and words can't express what a difference it made. I spent some $150 on a marine orbit a while back and I'm so mad I spent all this time missing the way the corals and colors pop the way they do now. All the additives I've used, T5 color combos, Overeas LED strips, Marine orbit....... nothing ever made my corals look the way they do now, with the flip of a switch.

Good info. Leaning that way. How high do you have it mounted from the surface? My frag tank is only 10" deep so don't know if I would need the ReefBrite Tech vs the XHO.

 

[Leadfooted]

Mine sits about 6 inches above a 90. I'm not sure about the Tech version, maybe call and talk to one of their techs

 

[Bpb]

Have a look at the SBReef SBar actinic strips. Similar to the reef brite at about 1/2 the cost

 

[mitch91175]

Have a look at the SBReef SBar actinic strips. Similar to the reef brite at about 1/2 the cost

Can they mount on the ATI like the ReefBrite?

 

[Bpb]

Yes

 

[Jeepguy242]

i have the reefbrite tech led.... bought it before i knew about SBReef bar....


i love mine.... i have the 48" on a 72"tank


i run it from 2pm to 2am and the halides from 4pm to 10pm

 

[KJAG]

i have the reefbrite tech led.... bought it before i knew about SBReef bar....


i love mine.... i have the 48" on a 72"tank


i run it from 2pm to 2am and the halides from 4pm to 10pm

My tank is also 72”
How’s the spread with the 48” on the sides?

 

[Jeepguy242]

My tank is also 72”
How’s the spread with the 48” on the sides?

pic incoming

 

[Jeepguy242]

My tank is also 72”
How’s the spread with the 48” on the sides?

taken just now with all the lights in the house off....

the strip is about 8" above the water

and i am about 10 feet from the tank

 

[dragon99]

Here's a comparison between the reef brites and sbreef sbar
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/reef-brite-vs-sb-reef-bar.343678/

And Orphek is coming out with one:
https://orphek.com/or-bar-led-light/

 

[Jeepguy242]

shot with the halides and reefbrite on

 

[Tony Elenbaas]

I have 2 48x24x12 frag tanks on a common sump both have 2 blue+ and 2 actinic T5s, one has a 48 in reefbrite tech and the other does not. The corals in the one with the tech have colored up best and look great. Jason fox and cherry corals both recommend the reef brites. Well worth the money!

 

[Jeepguy242]

had i known about the SBreef bar i would have gone that route instead of the reefbrite just because i like to support forum sponsors....


after looking at the specs and comparisons of the 2 it looks like the SBreef is about the same as the XHO and less price than my tech strip

 

[KJAG]

had i known about the SBreef bar i would have gone that route instead of the reefbrite just because i like to support forum sponsors....


after looking at the specs and comparisons of the 2 it looks like the SBreef is about the same as the XHO and less price than my tech strip

Thanks, never heard of them. Will prob try out one of their strips. Pricing is decent for Cree’s and I like the 420nm addition.

 

[Bpb]

Has anyone attempted to remove the optics from their SBReef SBar? I have two complaints. The acrylic shield is cheap, and the violet diodes will quickly burn a black spot in the shield. Mine even have cracks in the burn marks.

I intend to try to remove the shield and replace it with glass.

Second, the light spread is super tight. I want to try and remove the optics to try and spread it out a bit. I don’t care if it reduces par, as mine are purely for the aesthetics of running them alone and the t5’s give more than enough usable light

 

[KJAG]

Has anyone attempted to remove the optics from their SBReef SBar? I have two complaints. The acrylic shield is cheap, and the violet diodes will quickly burn a black spot in the shield. Mine even have cracks in the burn marks.

I intend to try to remove the shield and replace it with glass.

Second, the light spread is super tight. I want to try and remove the optics to try and spread it out a bit. I don’t care if it reduces par, as mine are purely for the aesthetics of running them alone and the t5’s give more than enough usable light

The optics usually just pop right off, shouldnt be an issue.

 

[mitch91175]

Well I sent an email to ReefBrite for a recommendation about which would work best and my response from them was:

Get the XHO since I have an 8 light T5 fixture

Just seems kinda odd that I was asking about night time viewing and that I wan't worried about PAR to get the XHO fixture. I do want decent spread since my frag tank will be full in the next month or so. I may just get the XHO anyway, but that just seemed like a, "get our most expensive" and not really any technical response behind it.