LED's on a 180 tank

[Jackg962]

I am starting to plan out a 180G set up. With soft coral and LPS and fish. What type and how many LED fixtures would you all recommend to use on the setup? It should be a 72" length on the tank. I am not looking for top of the line, I have Ecoxotic LED on my 65 tank and they have worked well.

 

[ReefDoberman]

I would say pick up 3 used kessil a350w's. That would be a great option and the price should come down with the a360's being out.

 

[power boat jim]

For what you want to keep you could use 3-5 AIs depending on how you want to arrange the tank.

 

[azjohnny]

I am thinking about converting my 180 FOWLR to LEDs and the Kessils are so far on the top my list

 

[Jackg962]

So 3 of those Kessil spotlights would be enough light for that size tanks. I will look up the AI light you have reffered to
thx

 

[wildman926]

On another forum, there are some examples of a person using BuildMyLed.com strips on their 75g tank. They come in verious links, and you can order them any way you want, or get their premade strips.

Here are the pics. The first pic is their 6x54w T5. The other 3 are pics of a single LED strip. The strip is the "Custom Reef" strip with one UV LED in the center of each 12" section, using 75* optics, 3 year warranty, made in the USA -

T5s

BML -

 

[azjohnny]

So 3 of those Kessil spotlights would be enough light for that size tanks. I will look up the AI light you have reffered to
thx

From what I have heard 1 Kessil 350W will have the same coverage as a 250 watt MH and the white and blue color is adjustable. The 360W is now out and it's the same light as the 350W but is dimmable

 

[Ruu]

I'm re-doing my 180 shortly and am going through the same options you are I suspect.

I ordered a single 360W (and an Apex controller - probably should stop drinking beer and ordering stuff late at night) last night, so that I could assess coverage and color. I've either got a chunk of my main lighting or the world's most expensive refugium light on order - time will tell.

My current thinking, assuming that I like the Kessil, is to do one of the following:

1) Go with 3, covering 2x2 each.
2) Go with 3, covering 2x2 each, and supplement with some of the many T5's I have lying around.
3) Go with 4, spaced evenly.
4) Go with 3 or 4 on a light rail (which I also have lying around).

I have had reasonable success with my current T5 setup, but truth be told I have always missed the shimmer that I had with my smaller halide setups.

Once I see the first one in action I shall know more.

Dave

 

[coral_lagoon]

I'd go with a couple of strips of the Reef Brite XHO LEDs. I have two strips of the 48inch blue and white combos and they are bright. Great color too..

http://www.reefbrite.com/reefbrite-xho-led/

http://premiumaquatics.com/store/merchant.mvc?