What LED's for good spread and low mounting height?

[Ike]

I have a hybrid fixture that I'm trying to incorporate LED's into and I don't want to go higher than 6-8" above the water but I still want good coverage of roughly 24x24 from each unit. What are some of my best choices with those things considereded?

Thanks!

 

[F i s h y]

You can pick up some kessil A360WE lights for a reasonable price on here, and they are decent upper mid range LEDs in my opinion.

 

[Hydrored]

I would also take a look at adding LED bars like Reef Brite or Orphek you get great coverage and PAR to boot

 

[blasterman]

I have a hybrid fixture that I'm trying to incorporate LED's into and I don't want to go higher than 6-8" above the water but I still want good coverage of roughly 24x24 from each unit. What are some of my best choices with those things considereded?

Thanks!

Any black box.

Just unscrew the front plastic and pop the lenses off.

 

[Ike]

I would also take a look at adding LED bars like Reef Brite or Orphek you get great coverage and PAR to boot

Funny you say that, I haver a buildmyled light bar in there now and I considered getting a couple more but saw they were out of business. I need 60" for a 72" tank, which isn't very common

 

[Ike]

You can pick up some kessil A360WE lights for a reasonable price on here, and they are decent upper mid range LEDs in my opinion.

I had as 1st gen Kessil and couldn 't stand the thing, the shimmer was too much, and the intensity was too low for for my tastes. Still think I should consider it?

 

[jda]

Photon V2 - panels are better for this, or a handful of strips. Pucks are the worst.

 

[Ike]

Photon V2 - panels are better for this, or a handful of strips. Pucks are the worst.

I've been looking at those, Reefled90, strips, XR15s gen 5's, and hydra 32's as the primary cadidates. If anyone want to chime in further on these as options I'm all ears. Or just saying screw it and getting a 60" 8 bulb ATI...

 

[jda]

You don't see too many people regret a 8 bulb ATI. Some move away from them for some reasons, but not because they hated them or were unhappy with the performance... some fell for the old "bulb cost" argument or wanted some dusk/dawn apps.

therman uses the Photons. Knowing what it takes to have a TOTM type of tank, take a look at his threads and see if that kind of performance will work for you. This is not some thumb sucker with a few boogers that have just barley encrusted the frag plug who likes to show everybody their success.

If somebody pried my MH away from me, it would be ATI 8 or even 10 bulbs maybe with some RB strips for a bit of shimmer (like MH shimmer, not Kessil shimmer which drives me insane). Then Photons way up high running at 100% on all channels if T5s were not a choice, but I have the room.

 

[VJC]

I have my aquatic life T5 hybrids about 8 inches above the water surface on my tank with 2 Reefi duo extremes placed over the center space. The LED's are awesome and gives me decent spread over my 48"120 gallon.

 

[Hydrored]

I have my aquatic life T5 hybrids about 8 inches above the water surface on my tank with 2 Reefi duo extremes placed over the center space. The LED's are awesome and gives me decent spread over my 48"120 gallon.

must be an awesome setup, I really wanted to go this route but hanging from the wall or ceiling was not an option, wife’s orders.

 

[Ike]

ATI T5 have been a mainstay over my frag tanks for years. I’m confident I can grow a totm type tank with it, LEDs will take a little getting used to...

You don't see too many people regret a 8 bulb ATI. Some move away from them for some reasons, but not because they hated them or were unhappy with the performance... some fell for the old "bulb cost" argument or wanted some dusk/dawn apps.

therman uses the Photons. Knowing what it takes to have a TOTM type of tank, take a look at his threads and see if that kind of performance will work for you. This is not some thumb sucker with a few boogers that have just barley encrusted the frag plug who likes to show everybody their success.

If somebody pried my MH away from me, it would be ATI 8 or even 10 bulbs maybe with some RB strips for a bit of shimmer (like MH shimmer, not Kessil shimmer which drives me insane). Then Photons way up high running at 100% on all channels if T5s were not a choice, but I have the room.

 

[R0C95]

I run a single kessil a360x in the hood of my biocube. 4" above the water and max 30% intensity with great coverage and great results. You'll easily get 24x24 spread at 6" with this light.