Looking for opinions on a couple light setups, preferably from people who have had the tanks or similar sizes but all thoughts are more than welcome.
I'm getting ready to set up a 60 gallon cube 24x24x24 and need lights, I've done halides in the past and my last tank was all T5. I've been successful with both but looking to switch to LED for this tank for power and plug and play simplicity (set a spectrum and leave it alone). The trick is I've little doubt in a few years I may go to a 150g 36x36 cube and would like to be able to just scale the lights I use on the 60 to ease that transition for the corals but I'm probably overthinking it since there's no telling what will be out there by then.
I'm pretty sold on either the Kessil 360's or the XR30 Pro's because they just seem to be solid products that I feel like I can trust to have great results. If needed I'd throw some supplemental T5's on as well but would prefer not to if the the difference would be negligible since I'm kind of overdoing it for the recommended spreads on the 60.
Long story short do I go with a single XR30 over the 60 and would it need the T5's to balance out or do I go with 2x A360's with or without the T5's?
If I grew to the 150 the Kessils seem like they would be easier to scale by just adding 2 more but how about the XR30's, would one more give enough coverage? Thought on T5's is on the 60 use 2 or 4 bulbs either 1 or 2 in front and behind, on the 150 the thought is 6 bulbs adding 2 bulbs across the middle between the LED's.
Intention is to keep the lights higher off the 60g (12"-14") to keep heat transfer down and flatten out any hot spots. Any thoughts on that as well?
What has me looking back to the XR30's is everyone seems to think you get the best colors with them, is that just marketing or measurable? My understanding is I can also use them for "moonlights" where the Kessils don't seem to have that ability so I'd need something else for that which goes again the KISS plan.
TIA
I'm getting ready to set up a 60 gallon cube 24x24x24 and need lights, I've done halides in the past and my last tank was all T5. I've been successful with both but looking to switch to LED for this tank for power and plug and play simplicity (set a spectrum and leave it alone). The trick is I've little doubt in a few years I may go to a 150g 36x36 cube and would like to be able to just scale the lights I use on the 60 to ease that transition for the corals but I'm probably overthinking it since there's no telling what will be out there by then.
I'm pretty sold on either the Kessil 360's or the XR30 Pro's because they just seem to be solid products that I feel like I can trust to have great results. If needed I'd throw some supplemental T5's on as well but would prefer not to if the the difference would be negligible since I'm kind of overdoing it for the recommended spreads on the 60.
Long story short do I go with a single XR30 over the 60 and would it need the T5's to balance out or do I go with 2x A360's with or without the T5's?
If I grew to the 150 the Kessils seem like they would be easier to scale by just adding 2 more but how about the XR30's, would one more give enough coverage? Thought on T5's is on the 60 use 2 or 4 bulbs either 1 or 2 in front and behind, on the 150 the thought is 6 bulbs adding 2 bulbs across the middle between the LED's.
Intention is to keep the lights higher off the 60g (12"-14") to keep heat transfer down and flatten out any hot spots. Any thoughts on that as well?
What has me looking back to the XR30's is everyone seems to think you get the best colors with them, is that just marketing or measurable? My understanding is I can also use them for "moonlights" where the Kessils don't seem to have that ability so I'd need something else for that which goes again the KISS plan.
TIA
