ATI Powermodule Hybrid Club
- Thread starter rodneyri
- Start date
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
The optics are 80degrees. On my DIY ATI Sunpower with T5 and LED, I had 80degree lens as well. The ATI LED has very nice spread of light. No hotspots at all.
I have one cluster on my 8x24w and the LED cluster covers my 30 x 20 area EXTREMELY well.
The ATI LED Powermodule uses an Aluminium plate with a coated reflector; rather like the T5 reflectors which as you know are the BEST in the industry.
I promise you, you WONT be disappointed with the light spread from the LED's. ATI must have really done some research on the reflector because they are bespoke in design and not copied from another manufacturer.
Hope this is useful for you.
tmc1313
Active member
The optics are 80degrees. On my DIY ATI Sunpower with T5 and LED, I had 80degree lens as well. The ATI LED has very nice spread of light. No hotspots at all.
I have one cluster on my 8x24w and the LED cluster covers my 30 x 20 area EXTREMELY well.
The ATI LED Powermodule uses an Aluminium plate with a coated reflector; rather like the T5 reflectors which as you know are the BEST in the industry.
I promise you, you WONT be disappointed with the light spread from the LED's. ATI must have really done some research on the reflector because they are bespoke in design and not copied from another manufacturer.
Hope this is useful for you.
Sahin, yes very helpful! That answer just sealed the deal for me. If your not going to use a pc, do you use that controller box for the led's and T5's? I'm going to order the 4 bulb t5 3x75 led watt 48" hybrid. Can't wait!
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sahin
Ultimate Reefer
If your tank is 18" front to back, then the 4tube with 3xLED Clusters will be perfect for your tank. You will be able to grow SPS anywhere. The 4tube with LED in between is around the same as 6tube ATI non LED (maybe even better if you compare it to a Sunpower 6tube). So dont worry about front to back coverage.
Do post photos and let us know if you need any help with the software.
The software is confusing at first, but all it take is 5 minutes to go through the short tutorial Ryan has kindly produced a few posts above, and now I am setting up lots of custom profiles etc.
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
hear hear!
tmc1313
Active member
Thanks! I've been using the 6 bulb dimmable and am very happy with it, but this looks to good to go without. Like I asked before, if you don't want to use a pc, can you just use the controller box for the led's and T5's? I'll post pics when I get it.
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
It is possible. But I havent even tried to set up the light profile this way. You only need a laptop once to set it up. I reccommend using the software on a computer to set it up and then forget.
You can give it a go. Let us know how it goes.
tmc1313
Active member
Will do. Thanks
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
Do not use the controller box! You will mess things up. Trust me, been there and done that.
Greg at ATI North America said to not use the box and always use a computer. The box is a total PITA to use as well.
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
Wow, thats awesome dude! I take it the 80watt is dimmable in Australia? I'm sure you guys use same voltage as the UK, so you should have dimmable 80w T5's.
I have a 8bulb 24" T5 hybrid fixture over my 60 gallon.
Last week I set my bulbs to match V1...rotates:
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Coral Plus
LED Cluster
ATI Coral PLus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Coral Plus
I'd like some opinions on how I should run the LEDs. Right now I have been running the LEDs at Blue Plus all day. Would any of you guys do it any differently? I'd like to just mimic what V1 is doing because this tank is great looking but I cannot find what he is running the LED portion of his system at.
Last week I set my bulbs to match V1...rotates:
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Actinic
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Coral Plus
LED Cluster
ATI Coral PLus
ATI Purple Plus
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Coral Plus
I'd like some opinions on how I should run the LEDs. Right now I have been running the LEDs at Blue Plus all day. Would any of you guys do it any differently? I'd like to just mimic what V1 is doing because this tank is great looking but I cannot find what he is running the LED portion of his system at.
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
The T5's cover the spectral range pretty well. If you use the LED on the BLUEPLUS Preset, then that is fine; it has full Royal blue and some White and Blue. Main reason to change it would be if you use a lot of Blue+ on the T5's and wanted to utilise the daylight spectrum from the LED's. Use of higher amount of LED's (white channel mainly) will result in greater shimmer.
PS you can always PM Andrew (V1) or email him if his profile accepts either and ask him to email you his Light Profile.
I also have the 8x24w LED Powermodule. Do you have a build thread? Would be great if you can make a build thread on ReefCentral if you dont have one. I would love to share and compare how our tanks are doing since we have the same light.
jimrawr
New member
Hey everyone.. I am going to be shortly setting up a 75g tank and I am considering using this as lighting. My two options right now are either the Powermodule hybrid, or an ATI Sunpower.
I am wondering exactly what benefits does using the hybrid over the regular Sunpower provide? We all know the Sunpower can and will grow SPS and give them beautiful colors, so what exactly is the point of spending over an additional $1,000 to get the hybrid? Can someone shed some light on this for me?
I had the Vertex Illumina in the past and really wasnt happy with the performance of LED, I was much happier with T5s. So that's why I am a bit hesitant here
I am wondering exactly what benefits does using the hybrid over the regular Sunpower provide? We all know the Sunpower can and will grow SPS and give them beautiful colors, so what exactly is the point of spending over an additional $1,000 to get the hybrid? Can someone shed some light on this for me?
I had the Vertex Illumina in the past and really wasnt happy with the performance of LED, I was much happier with T5s. So that's why I am a bit hesitant here
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
- The shimmer is identical halide shimmer and not the disco ball LED effect.
- The pop from blue LEDs can't be matched.
- The software and customization of colors is limitless.
- The fans are thermostatically controlled to keep your bulbs at perfect operating temps.
- The LEDs really take away the flat look that T5s give. I don't mind an all T5 look so this isn't a huge deal to me but I very much enjoy the look now with LEDs.
- You can run the T5s less if you really want and replace them less. The LEDs put out a ton of PAR by themselves.
- You can get away with a 4 bulb unit on 24" tanks now. With just straight T5s you are looking at 6 minimum but 8 is ideal. That means you are replacing fewer bulbs per year.
That's a few reasons IMO. I came from an ATI Sunpower and absolutely loved that light. I hate using car analogies but this is like going to the dealership and adding every possible option and each option is beneficial to you. Do you have to get every option to enjoy the car? Certainly not but if you can afford it, you never regret getting those options.
The software does have a small learning curve but I posted a nice tutorial that should help anyone get setup and going. After that, the software makes a ton of sense and is very user-friendly.
jimrawr
New member
Thanks for that post rtparty. Yeah everything that you listed is what I was getting the feeling about, and your analogy is great. The LEDs aren't really necessary but ads some nice effects/benefits. I guess each user has to determine if those things are worth the extra cost. So you think a 4 bulb hybrid unit would be sufficient for SPS in a 75g?
This explanation of Rparty is great.. I was also thinking to upgrade but what a huge difference.. I once read that somebody added a ReefBrite strip and it was great...
What you think of adding to the 6 x 80 Sunpower a Blue or Royal Blue ReefBrite strip???
I know it is not the same as the original but probably it will give a chane to the original.
What you think of adding to the 6 x 80 Sunpower a Blue or Royal Blue ReefBrite strip???
I know it is not the same as the original but probably it will give a chane to the original.
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
A 4 tube ATI with LED is definitely equivalent to a 6 tube T5 only unit. Those LED's have very clever optic design. The spread of light is VERY good.
Think of it like this: each LED cluster is like an AI Sol (but with much wider optics), and then on either side you have the amazing T5 technology in a Powermodule package which you already know is the best performing T5 fixture out there.
Also consider that I already had this:
I modified my ATI Sunpower a few years ago with Cree Royal Blue and Blue LED's.
However, I was truly after the look and extra performance of the Powermodule, the POP from the Blue and Royal Blue LED, at least some shimmer, the ability to dim both the T5's and LED's; all together in one package. Thats the ATI LED Powermodule. :inlove:
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