Maxspect LED owners!!!

[Rosscopeco]

Oui.

 

[chercm]

so the question is it advisable for me to pick up the led kit for my 4x2x2 tank ? currently now it is sitting around 4 inch above the water surface

 

[chercm]

This is the Lens kit I am talking about (acrylic sheet, mirror sheet, reflector cup, and waffled pattern convex lens) for different model:

 

[bureau_13]

OK, my Aqua Medic 4x250HQI/4x39t5 seems to be crapping out, and these things have caught my eye. My tank is a bowfront, 72" x 36" (tall) x 19" (front to back at the ends). I have a mix of SPS and LPS, with most of the SPS higher up in the rocks, although my rocks go no more than 2/3 up in the tank. I asked someone...I think at Fin's Reef...and they suggested 4 of the G2 160 with the optics. Do you all think I need that many? Because if so I'm not getting 'em. I don't want to spend that much on lighting right now, so I will just try to fix my current lights. At 3 (or 2 G2 230) I would have to think about it.

 

[SimonSKL]

OK, my Aqua Medic 4x250HQI/4x39t5 seems to be crapping out, and these things have caught my eye. My tank is a bowfront, 72" x 36" (tall) x 19" (front to back at the ends). I have a mix of SPS and LPS, with most of the SPS higher up in the rocks, although my rocks go no more than 2/3 up in the tank. I asked someone...I think at Fin's Reef...and they suggested 4 of the G2 160 with the optics. Do you all think I need that many? Because if so I'm not getting 'em. I don't want to spend that much on lighting right now, so I will just try to fix my current lights. At 3 (or 2 G2 230) I would have to think about it.

Since your tank is quite deep at 36", you definitely need the optics. With optics, a 160W can barely cover approx 24x24 so you need at least 3 of them if not 4. Two of the 230W with optics will also work. I think Fins Reef's recommendation is appropriate for your tank size.

 

[bureau_13]

2x230 would seem to be more cost effective, and look less "busy" over the tank. Any reason NOT to go that route? It seems there will be fewer 3W LEDs than 4 of 160s. Hmmm...I really don't want to hang four fixtures over my tank.

Since your tank is quite deep at 36", you definitely need the optics. With optics, a 160W can barely cover approx 24x24 so you need at least 3 of them if not 4. Two of the 230W with optics will also work. I think Fins Reef's recommendation is appropriate for your tank size.

 

[stephane]

2x230 would seem to be more cost effective, and look less "busy" over the tank. Any reason NOT to go that route? It seems there will be fewer 3W LEDs than 4 of 160s. Hmmm...I really don't want to hang four fixtures over my tank.

Depend how many brace you have, 2 brace I would add 3x160 but one brace I will add 2x 230.

 

[bureau_13]

It's an acrylic tank with two openings, so in effect, one (wide) brace.

Depend how many brace you have, 2 brace I would add 3x160 but one brace I will add 2x 230.

 

[TonyV]

Getting mixed results on which fixture to buy for the new tank...

36Hx20Wx22H Custom Rimless w/Starphire
Mixed Reef but with the plan to migrate the tank to a more SPS dominant tank as time and funds allow.

G2-170 or G2-230?

I prefer a bluer look and the 4 30W whites found in the G2-230 have me thinking it may be a bit white and washed out.

Thoughts and comments?

 

[chercm]

is it advisable to get the LED kit ?

I did it

LED kit alone concentrate light in a narrower amazingly strong beam under the light. it is more for very deep aquarium. If you add the 60 degree lens the PAR is phenomenal under the light again be even narrower.

For 20-30 deep tank I my self prefer honeycomb diffuser I made a lot of PAR measurement and what they do is bring back all the light spill under a very nice cone who follow your rock aquascape up to the bottom of the aquarium but when I bring the PAR meter for example on the glass aquarium I have very little PAR. Oppose to the reflector kit alone the diffuser help blend the light to have no hot spot and be perfectly smooth all under the fixture. I found they increase PAR almost 3x all over under the fixture and about 2 time in the bottom front of the aquarium.

One thing very very important to understand with Maxspect stock or diffuser you need to use it close to water surface 2-3 inch maximum the lower the better. If not you loose the precious PAR. They have more wattage than most other LED fixture so if they use narrow reflector beam you will burn everything right under. There very hight wattage are design to cover a larger area without any hot spot under the fixture. I made some measurement if I raise the maxspect stock 8 inch on the surface I divide PAR by 3 at the bottom of the tank and spill the light in a very wide area.

Im french native and hope my english technical is clear enough to be understandable

 

[SimonSKL]

is it advisable to get the LED kit ?

It depends. The kit itself focuses the beams from 120 degree to 90 degree. If your current fixture barely covers the tank, the optic kit will give you some dark corners unless it is desirable to have those areas to be dark. If your current fixture sheds too much light outside the tank, the optic kit will help keep the light within the tank.

If you want to focus the light to less than 90 degree, you will need the kit plus the lens, which are only available in 60 degree at this time.

The kit will definitely make your live rock and corals stand out more but you will have to be sure it is not too much for the type of corals that you keep in the tank.

 

[Anemonebuff]

I did it

LED kit alone concentrate light in a narrower amazingly strong beam under the light. it is more for very deep aquarium. If you add the 60 degree lens the PAR is phenomenal under the light again be even narrower.

For 20-30 deep tank I my self prefer honeycomb diffuser I made a lot of PAR measurement and what they do is bring back all the light spill under a very nice cone who follow your rock aquascape up to the bottom of the aquarium but when I bring the PAR meter for example on the glass aquarium I have very little PAR. Oppose to the reflector kit alone the diffuser help blend the light to have no hot spot and be perfectly smooth all under the fixture. I found they increase PAR almost 3x all over under the fixture and about 2 time in the bottom front of the aquarium.

One thing very very important to understand with Maxspect stock or diffuser you need to use it close to water surface 2-3 inch maximum the lower the better. If not you loose the precious PAR. They have more wattage than most other LED fixture so if they use narrow reflector beam you will burn everything right under. There very hight wattage are design to cover a larger area without any hot spot under the fixture. I made some measurement if I raise the maxspect stock 8 inch on the surface I divide PAR by 3 at the bottom of the tank and spill the light in a very wide area.

Im french native and hope my english technical is clear enough to be understandable

Use Google translate and cut and paste if you are unsure. So far your English is fine.

Utilisez Google de traduire et de couper-coller, si vous n'êtes pas sûr. Jusqu'à présent, votre anglais est très bien.

 

[bureau_13]

Anyone buy these things in Maylasia, or China? How much cheaper are they? I have some contacts over there, I might be able to promise them my firstborn to ship a couple units to me if it were significantly cheaper.

 

[pecan2phat]

They are shipped out of Hong Kong, China and I asked someone to look into them over there and they are not that much less, just the exchange rate. Then you add on shipping, possible customs duties and your back to square one.

 

[gambitcobra]

Wow, cant believe this topic is still going strong. Just a update, i will be posting pics this week of the G2 units on my new 240 gallon tank. I plan on using 4 160w units with the new lenses.

 

[SimonSKL]

Wow, cant believe this topic is still going strong. Just a update, i will be posting pics this week of the G2 units on my new 240 gallon tank. I plan on using 4 160w units with the new lenses.

Thanks for starting this thread again after it was stopped, Gambit. I too have upgraded my 230W with the optic kit and some 60 degree lens. Now I am battling some cyano because of the increase in light intensity

 

[gambitcobra]

cyano is brutal! Good luck with that.

Ya so far I have only played with the G2 with the lenses to see the difference and WOW it definately stops all the excess light and gives everything direct focus.

I plan on using a few units with lenses and a few without to see how that looks.

I havent had a tank for over a month now, and the new tank and stand comes tomorrow. Im just hoping my corals and few fish will handle this last move.

 

[sploke]

Wow, cant believe this topic is still going strong. Just a update, i will be posting pics this week of the G2 units on my new 240 gallon tank. I plan on using 4 160w units with the new lenses.

Looking forward to this, I'm in the process of putting together a 265gal reef and these are an option so I'm curious to see what kind of spread and illumination you get.

 

[oopsydaisybaby]

Hi, I am getting my reef tank on Friday. I am upgrading from a 24 Gallon Nano to a 75 gallon tank. The tank is 18 (deep) x25 (Tall) x36 (Long). My LFS has ordered me one Maxspect G2 170W LED. I will be using the brackets to secure it directly to the tank. Is this ok? I will post pictures soon! I had a custom cabinet made just for this tank! I am really excited to have more room to play!

 

[hhaase]

Hi, I am getting my reef tank on Friday. I am upgrading from a 24 Gallon Nano to a 75 gallon tank. The tank is 18 (deep) x25 (Tall) x36 (Long). My LFS has ordered me one Maxspect G2 170W LED. I will be using the brackets to secure it directly to the tank. Is this ok? I will post pictures soon! I had a custom cabinet made just for this tank! I am really excited to have more room to play!

For that tank, it's a tough call between the G2-230 or the G2-170 with the lens kit. I probably would have sprung for the 230w for the extra power of the 30w units to punch deeper down. Dimensionally the same size, just more LED's in the 230w.

-Hans