Lighting a carpet under LEDs

[greech]

I may need to ask this in the equipment forum but I am in the procees of obtianing a haddoni for my 40 breeder. I have removed many of my corals and rescaped my tank to be more open but still need to remove a few more corals. Eventually this will be a species tank with maybe just a Hawkins Ecinata up top on the opposite side of the carpet a small acan garden and a scoly in the sand. I hope to have the haddoni (currently being held by my LFS) in my tank by months end.

My question is on lighting. I currently have a 4 bulb Sundial T5 with ATI ABS and AT Blue+ bulbs. From my reading I feel I have enough light but have really been impressed by the look of LEDs and am considering replacing my T5s with LEDs. I particularly like the shadow effect that the par 38 spotlights provide but am uncertain if these will provide the light that a haddoni needs. I was considering 3 bulbs since it seems the spread is about 12" (think using 40 degree optics so I could go higher on the optics?). Is this enough considering my stock plans and that I will not have wall-to-wall corals to light?

I am also partial to the new ecoxotic retro 36 fixture after seeing it at MACNA.

http://premiumaquatics.com/aquatic-supplies/EX-8220.html

Same question here. Is this enough light to cover what I am trying to do stock wise? The video at the bottom of the link looks like 2 of these is lighting a 90+ gallon tank so I would think 1 module should be enough for a 40 breeder (36"x18"x16")?

Does anyone have any familiarity with this lighting over a hadonni or can anyone provide any input on my plan.

Thanks.

 

[LesMartin]

I don't have experience of any of those LED's over a haddoni but I do use TMC LED tiles over my tank which houses a 14" haddoni on the sand and a 12" magnifica about 2/3 of the way up. I was initially concerned that I needed to have enough of the tiles so I allowed for one tile for every 15" x 15" area. The tank is 52" x 32" ( wide) x 26 ( water depth). If you're not familiar with the TMC tiles then they are approx 8" square and contain 10x Cree XR-E in cool white. I use the Marine White version which contains all white LED's. These were installed at the beginning of April this year and replaced a Giessemann Moonlight pendant ( 2x 250Watt halide bulbs and 4x 54Watt T5's). So far so good. Everything has retained its colour and growth rates - the tank also contains a plating acro approx 16-17" in diameter- and the anemones are as happy as they ever were.

 

[greech]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I was not familiar with those until now. Which tiles (model) are you using?

 

[kradleu]

wont a haddoni be a tad bit large in a 40 breeder? im just seen a few 12-16 inches in diameter or bigger

 

[LesMartin]

Thank you for sharing your experience. I was not familiar with those until now. Which tiles (model) are you using?

The Marine White version of these:

http://glassbox-design.com/2010/tmc-aquabeam-1000-hd-review-par/

 

[greech]

wont a haddoni be a tad bit large in a 40 breeder? im just seen a few 12-16 inches in diameter or bigger

That was my initial thought as well but I have read up a lot and posted earlier on the subject and got some helpful guidance from there. Obviously I wish I had more water volume but this will be a species tank solely dedicated to the haddoni and my clowns. I am going to keep a few SPS up and away and hold on to my scoly but that is all.

The Marine White version of these:

http://glassbox-design.com/2010/tmc-aquabeam-1000-hd-review-par/

Excellent, much appreciated!