Lighting 7x2x2 Tank. Led or MH.

[GardenVariety]

Hey guys. I'm setting up my tank again for LPS after a 5 year break. My head is spinning with all the info on LEDs. What are some recommendations for LEDs along with how many I'll need with a 7ft tank. I'm running a 12" canopy so I'm thinking Kessils may not work that well. I know MH is tried and true but there's also the heat (need for a chiller) to contend with.

 

[cap23244]

could do a 60" 8 bulb t5

 

[GardenVariety]

could do a 60" 8 bulb t5

I've considered that. I know it's the cheapest option but I'm more inclined to go with MH or LED for the shimmer.

 

[dz6t]

If you have AC in the summer, you should not worry too much about heat from MH with only one tank in the room.
I will go with an ATI 60 inch 8 bulbs t-5. If you like to have shimmer, get three or 4 those PAR38 blue and white LED light to supplement the shimmer.

 

[GardenVariety]

If you have AC in the summer, you should not worry too much about heat from MH with only one tank in the room.
I will go with an ATI 60 inch 8 bulbs t-5. If you like to have shimmer, get three or 4 those PAR38 blue and white LED light to supplement the shimmer.

Many are suggesting T5 paired with LED. I'll have to see if I can find the right combination to fit in my canopy. Thanks.

 

[rodneyri]

My tank is silimiar size (slightly deeper) and went with 4 x Radion Pro G4 and couldnt be happier. Tank is bright, cool effects of ramping ect and great color blending. Prior I used a Pac Sun 8x80 T5 which was awesome too..

 

[Ron Reefman]

There are several questions regarding led fixtures that you need to ask yourself, then you can get some real help. The cost of led fixtures range from $100 each to $1000 each and they both cover the same basic area of the tank and offer light that will grow coral. The difference in cost has much less to do with build quaity (IMHO) than it does with options and features that we reefers get to play with and fine tune things to our liking. But they all have very little to do with how well the light will grow coral in your tank. They can all do that much.

Questions:

1) How many fixtures do you want? A 7' tank is an unusual length. I had 2 that were 32" each over my 6' tank. That could work over a 7' tank with 5" or 6" off each end and 8" to 10" between the fixtures. Or you could do 3 or 4 smaller fixtures.

2) Do you have a budget in mind?

3) There are basic Chinese black box led fixtures (2 channel color control and manual dimmers) which need timers from the hardware store ($10 each) to turn them on/off. Chinese black boxes work very well, grow coral very well and come in several sizes. MarsAqua, GalaxyHydro, Euphotica, and more. ($100ea. to $200ea.)

4) There are a few that have built-in timers to turn the 2 different channels (white & blue) on and off. They also offer digital dimmer ability (not sunrise/sunset control, just like dimmer knobs only digital) OceanRevive T247B, Reef Breeders SuperLux, Viparspecta. ($140ea. to $200ea.)

5) Do you want sunrise/midday/sunset/moonlight control? These come in several sizes. At this level you can still get a less expensive black box or spend a bit more and get a better looking fixture (just remember, good looks don’t help coral grow). Euphotica. ($250 to $400)

6) Do you want more than 2 channel color control (like 6 or 8 channels)? These have sunrise/sunset ability as well. Reef Breeders, Aqua Illumination, Maxspect, Eco Tech. ($300 to $900+)

7) Is a remote control good enough to set the lights or do you want WiFi or a computer to help set the lights?

8) Do you want an led/t5 fluorescent hybrid fixture? They work very well for growing coral but there are very few currently being made and they are crazy expensive. Pacific Sun is the only one I know.

If you are just getting started, I'd go basic Chinese black box and keep it simple. Especially if you are using a canopy so what the fixture looks like is far less important than if it is exposed over the top of a pretty reef tank for everybody to see. They can grow any kind of coral in your tank, even at 30" deep. Once you know better what you are going to keep and you figure out what features you really want, then buy what you want and sell the used ones (or hang on to them as backups).

And just a reminder, none of the features discussed above grow coral any better than the inexpensive Chinese black boxes with 3 watt leds (98% true IMHO). They give you the ability to make the tank look better for your pleasure, but do very, VERY little if anything for the coral.

Personally, I like the control of sunrise/midday/sunset/moonlight because I'm home a lot and I like to watch the tank change as the day progresses. And I like having 6 channels of color control so I can fine tune the look in my tank. A simple remote is all I need to set my lights, I don't care about WiFi or computer help setting them. I also have a fairly good budget so I could afford $900 for 2 fixtures ($600 for the big one and $300 for the small one... when they were on sale).

Did I need these to grow healthy coral? Heck no. I used Chinese black boxes over my previous tanks that cost way less and they grew coral just as good as my new, more expensive ones. And mine are FAR from the most expensive. I’d need at least 2 and more likely 3 Eco Tech Radions at $900 each (that's right... $2700 total) and they won't grow coral any better either!

And there is no best fixture. People who tell you theirs is the best are really telling you theirs is the best for them. But it could be way off the mark for you. Make up your own mind!

You need to buy what is best for you.

 

[GardenVariety]

My tank is silimiar size (slightly deeper) and went with 4 x Radion Pro G4 and couldnt be happier. Tank is bright, cool effects of ramping ect and great color blending. Prior I used a Pac Sun 8x80 T5 which was awesome too..

I've been looking at Radions. I'm sure they are amazing but $3200 for lights on a LPS is hard to swallow. I ran this tank 5 years ago with 3x250 MH and it was amazing for several years. That setup was less than a grand.

There are several questions regarding led fixtures that you need to ask yourself, then you can get some real help. The cost of led fixtures range from $100 each to $1000 each and they both cover the same basic area of the tank and offer light that will grow coral. The difference in cost has much less to do with build quaity (IMHO) than it does with options and features that we reefers get to play with and fine tune things to our liking. But they all have very little to do with how well the light will grow coral in your tank. They can all do that much.

Thank you for all the information. The truth is I don't care about fiddling with LEDs all day. That's why I was initially going back to MH. I also don't care about brand name. Maybe I will look into the Mars Aqua. Going that cheap makes me a little nervous but maybe it's worth it. I know I'll probably need 4 small fixtures or 3 larger ones. Mainly, all I want is good shimmer with good color. I don't really have any budget but that doesn't mean I'm going to drop $4K on lighting. I'd rather buy more corals with that.

 

[midnightmadman]

Many are suggesting T5 paired with LED. I'll have to see if I can find the right combination to fit in my canopy. Thanks.

I have found when you mix t5 or any other florescent with MH you loose most of the shimmer.

 

[midnightmadman]

I've been looking at Radions. I'm sure they are amazing but $3200 for lights on a LPS is hard to swallow. I ran this tank 5 years ago with 3x250 MH and it was amazing for several years. That setup was less than a grand.



Thank you for all the information. The truth is I don't care about fiddling with LEDs all day. That's why I was initially going back to MH. I also don't care about brand name. Maybe I will look into the Mars Aqua. Going that cheap makes me a little nervous but maybe it's worth it. I know I'll probably need 4 small fixtures or 3 larger ones. Mainly, all I want is good shimmer with good color. I don't really have any budget but that doesn't mean I'm going to drop $4K on lighting. I'd rather buy more corals with that.

what spectrum bulbs are you looking at? I have been experimenting with some different brands. I also may have some I might sell.

 

[midnightmadman]

If you have AC in the summer, you should not worry too much about heat from MH with only one tank in the room.
I will go with an ATI 60 inch 8 bulbs t-5. If you like to have shimmer, get three or 4 those PAR38 blue and white LED light to supplement the shimmer.

There are a lot of those plug and play multiple computer style fans out there now. I grabbed one with 4 fans for like $12 and they move the air out of the canopy fine. I also have two other pushing air in though ports in the side of the canopy.

 

[sirreal63]

For what you want to light, I would suggest three Hamilton Caymon Sun 150 watt reflectors and M81 ballasts. Then if you wanted to add some T5 retrofit's you could easily. You already know it will work and is almost half the wattage of your old 250 watt setup.

If I went Led on that tank, I would make it as simple of a fixture as I could get.

 

[GardenVariety]

I have found when you mix t5 or any other florescent with MH you loose most of the shimmer.

I was looking at T5 + LED not MH.

For what you want to light, I would suggest three Hamilton Caymon Sun 150 watt reflectors and M81 ballasts. Then if you wanted to add some T5 retrofit's you could easily. You already know it will work and is almost half the wattage of your old 250 watt setup.

If I went Led on that tank, I would make it as simple of a fixture as I could get.

It's a thought. Those 150's will perform similarly to my old 250 SE setup? I do have a chiller but it's severely under powered at 1/10HP.

 

[sirreal63]

Impossible to say, I have no idea what your old setup was. I do know that a good reflector, bulb and ballast will be more than enough for the plans for the tank you have. If it were me, I would use the Hamilton 14k bulb and then T5 retro's to get the look you want. It is easy, inexpensive and it removes lighting as a variable to success, it simply works.

You should not need a chiller, just make sure the canopy is ventilated properly. If you had no heat issues with 3-250's then you will have even less with the 3-150's, the difference is 300 watts.

 

[GardenVariety]

Impossible to say, I have no idea what your old setup was. I do know that a good reflector, bulb and ballast will be more than enough for the plans for the tank you have. If it were me, I would use the Hamilton 14k bulb and then T5 retro's to get the look you want. It is easy, inexpensive and it removes lighting as a variable to success, it simply works.

You should not need a chiller, just make sure the canopy is ventilated properly. If you had no heat issues with 3-250's then you will have even less with the 3-150's, the difference is 300 watts.

Thank you again. I was using JBJ's with a basic reflector. I'm a bit surprised to hear that 150's will be fine. That's great. I'll look further into this option.

 

[GardenVariety]

Are these Hamiltons Double Ended Pendants?

 

[sirreal63]

Yes, 150's are a DE bulb that should be driven with the M81 ballast.

The bulb, ballast and reflector need to be matched to get the most out of the light. A weak bulb powered by an improper ballast in a bad reflector will not yield the same power as the same bulb with the proper ballast in a great reflector.

 

[sirreal63]

Thank you again. I was using JBJ's with a basic reflector. I'm a bit surprised to hear that 150's will be fine. That's great. I'll look further into this option.

An old post that shows wattage isn't the only thing that matters in giving corals what they need for light.

Palting is usually very modest but his tank speaks for itself. These are old pics from his build thread, I am sure it has grown even more and been fragged a few times since these pics were taken. His fixture isn't even what I would call a great fixture, but it obviously works wonderfully.

And where it was a year before...this is pretty darn good growth and color in a year under 150's and a tall tank.

It is hard to say that 150's don't have enough power or spread. I played around a little on Sanjay's site and pulled this up. Bulb, reflector and ballast combinations have more of an impact on PAR than wattage. Though it is usually easier to get more PAR from higher wattage, it isn't a guarantee, you can actually lose PAR with a poorly set up light. It is telling when a 150 watt 10K can smoke a 400 watt 20k.

I am not against leds, but it is important to consider all options. Your tank is only 24" tall, the tank above is 28" tall and he grew out SPS on the sand bed with a low end light. Yes he was running 10k's which have more Par than higher K bulbs but you also aren't doing SPS.

 

[GardenVariety]

An old post that shows wattage isn't the only thing that matters in giving corals what they need for light.

Thanks so much. My maintenance guy is against MH but I'm starting to lean heavily in that direction.

 

[GardenVariety]

I am not against leds, but it is important to consider all options. Your tank is only 24" tall, the tank above is 28" tall and he grew out SPS on the sand bed with a low end light. Yes he was running 10k's which have more Par than higher K bulbs but you also aren't doing SPS.

One last question. I was considering Hamilton retrofit kits so I can get the proper distance from the water. Considering these are double ended pendants, what would you recommend as far as mounting to the inside of a canopy?