Maxspect LED owners!!!

Questions about Maxspect

Questions about Maxspect

Hi all.

I am currently using an 8x39w T5 setup over my 95g reef.
The time has come to replace the lamps and am thinking about going LED.

The tank is 36x24x25. It is center braced and has built in overflow which. takes up about 12" x 8" on one end of tank.

What model number would be good for this set up?
Should I get two smaller models? (because of center bracing.)

The overflow side somewhat a wasted area and no need to illuminate that.
i am looking to keep some softies.
Also, I prefer a bluer look to the tank.

Any and all advice would be most helpful!

thanks in advance
 
stevedola said:
would a g2 110w extreme cover a 2ft and allow for sps middle up and clams on the sand?
Click to expand...

It would cover a 2ft cube, but I would pull the trigger on the extra lighting just in case you were to need it. I only have my highest setting running 30 min a day, so not sure how much that's doing. IMO, it would suck to spend the money on the 110w only to find that your clams need more since they will be on the bottom. I don't have a clam so I can't say for sure if they would need it.
 
Mandragen said:
It would cover a 2ft cube, but I would pull the trigger on the extra lighting just in case you were to need it. I only have my highest setting running 30 min a day, so not sure how much that's doing. IMO, it would suck to spend the money on the 110w only to find that your clams need more since they will be on the bottom. I don't have a clam so I can't say for sure if they would need it.
Click to expand...

I fully agree, and that is why I recommended that's why I also recommended that he get the 160 over the 110. If he wants clams on the sandbed, the 110 might work, and it might be great, but a 160 definitely will, and if the 30 watt LED's are too bright you can run them for a short amount of time like Mandragen and many others are doing. All of this information is listed numerous times throughout this thread. I would bet that about a quarter of the posts in this thread are about choosing which unit to get, and there are quite a few posts showing what the color looks like with all sorts of different LED's. I plan on getting a couple Cree blues and and maybe a couple red or amber LED's. I'm also getting the optics kit, but won't be putting the optics on the 30watt LED's. If anyone is thinking about getting a MaxSpect, I suggest you read through this thread. 99% of the questions being asked have already been answered, one way or another. I know it's a long thread, but if you're going to be spending $500+ on one of these lights, it's well worth it to learn as much information as you possibly can. If it wasn't for all the repeat questions in this thread, it would probably be less than half the size it is now. I don't want to sound rude, but you asked if anyone has a similar sized tank as yours and if you you read through this thread, you will see a LOT (it's probably the most common tank size on this thread. There are a lot of people with the 24" Cadlights cube, and I imagine it wouldn't take very long to see some great examples of what it would like look on that size tank. I imagine the first 10 pages of this thread shows at least 2 or 3 different 24" cube tanks with either a 100 or 160 over it.) of people's tank have the exact same dimensions as yours and and there are a ton with very similar sizes. Another good reason to get the 160 over the 110 is being able to mount the light further up than having to use the legs that come with it and place the unit just above the water line. I have a 20" cube that I'm setting up and I'll be using the 160 with optics just to focus the light more and not have as much light spill, because I'll plan on having the light about 8" above the tank.
 
Very well said canesfan, and again no one is trying to be rude. The point that this thread would be about 20 pages if it were not for the same questions over and over, is probably the best point anyone could make. You don't have to read the whole thread, just scan it.
 
I have read this thread. Ive been following it for many months now. Im just trying to figure out which manufacturer to buy from. Its difficult to pull the trigger on something youve never seen before like the MAXspect. There are the different manufacturers and then different models from the different manus. Spending 550 or 800 on a light is a lot of money. For that price I want to be sure. The reassurance from someone experienced with the product under similar conditions puts me at ease. You can understand that, right? Im sure others feel the same way and thats why people repeat questions. Different people have different concerns, ie. clams on sandbed, light spillage, coverage, ect...

the little time that someone like yourself takes to explain something or recommend a particular product may seem tedious and monotonous to you but to us on the receiving end it actually helps a great deal to hopefully make the correct decision.

Thank you to all of you for taking the time. I think a long thread is a small price to pay to help fellow reefers make the correct informed decision regarding this newer technology in our hobby.
 
I agree with you steve, and it also helps when people do thank you in a meaningful way for taking time again and again to explain something, it makes it worth while. It only becomes a chore when you are not rewarded for your efforts.

It is a lot of money for a light, and it was hard for me to pull the trigger as well. I had to ride over to bug brian at Fins and have him put the light on a couple different tanks.
 
Stevedola, I understand what you're saying and it makes sense. Maybe I just want to see growth pics, pics of people's tanks using MaxSpects, and what upgrades people have done to their unit(s) so badly that I have become a little impatient, and I apologize. Again, I think the 160 will be great for your tank and gives you a lot more options/variability than a 110. I simply think a 110 on your tank with your needs, might be pushing it (it might be perfect), but I know a 160 will get it done. For my tank, I would rather have the 160 Extreme because of the 4 15watt LED's, but my tank is 6" shorter and 4" more narrow (both front to back and side to side), so light spread and penetration is not as important for me. I think your choice should come down to the 160 and the 160 Extreme, unless you're willing to wait for the G3, but who knows when that will actually come out. I like the Extreme a little better because of the 4 15watt LED's. I believe these will give you better PAR coverage than the 2 30watt LED's. The 30watt LED's will most likely give you a higher PAR number, but it will be focused directly underneath the 2 30watt LED's, while the 4 15 watt LED's will spread out the PAR better, but that is a choice you have to make. As far as other manufacturers, I chose MaxSpect because of the price, the variability, and the ease of changing LED's and color. I think having the LED's being able to slowly change from 20% to 100% (sunrise) and programs to resemble a thunderstorm are pretty cool features, but I don't need those features and the extra cost they require. I like the AI's, but for your tank, you will most likely need 2 of them and that will cost a LOT more as well as the look of 2 units over the tank instead of one is a major drawback for me.



stpatrick said:
The K3 is dimable. Also has a SPS bar. Thoughts?
Click to expand...

I saw a G3 in September at MACNA, but will still don't know when it will be available. It was very nice and I liked it a lot, but remember, all those extra features will most likely be reflected in the price. Again, we don't know when it will be available, but I don't think it will be too much longer, maybe 3 or 4 months, but that is purely speculative, so don't hold me to it.
 
I think St Patrick was refering to the Key industries K3 LED aquarium light fixtures. I have been doing some research on them and they seem to very good. They use cree leds and are dimmable with a controller which has manual and programable modes. In addition the new models have a "SPS POWERBAR" which is added leds in the center that are able to be controlled/dimmed and emit red/blue/green/white or purple. Truthfully for 600 Im most likely going to buy a K3 for all the extra features and the cree leds.
 
Well I am now cutting down my 30w's to 4hrs a day. They are so dang bright that the gsp and zoas that I have tend to stay mostly closed when the 30w lights are on...
 
Will G2 extreme work?

Will G2 extreme work?

Hey guys,

I am planning on buying this tank soon, and am searching for affordable lighting options. The tank will be:

http://www.cadlights.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=47&products_id=175

I am looking at getting a Maxspect G2 extreme. I have one concern. My tank will be 3 feet wide. Will the maxpect cover the whole area and provide enough par on the sides of the tank for sps. The tank will be 100% sps.

Also, a specific question about the light. Can the color and output be adjusted on the light?

thanks guys
 
Stephane did not see your question: Since, I know him very well, I will answer. Yes, there is some green algae because his tank is very young and not mature. This tank was started in November 2010. So, it's quite young!


chercm said:
bud there seems to have a lot of green algae , is it due to the new lighting ?
Click to expand...
 
mooch1982 said:
Hey guys,

I am planning on buying this tank soon, and am searching for affordable lighting options. The tank will be:

http://www.cadlights.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=47&products_id=175

I am looking at getting a Maxspect G2 extreme. I have one concern. My tank will be 3 feet wide. Will the maxpect cover the whole area and provide enough par on the sides of the tank for sps. The tank will be 100% sps.

Also, a specific question about the light. Can the color and output be adjusted on the light?

thanks guys
Click to expand...

For a 3' tank, using only a 160w will give you dimmed edges as the 160w is only 16" wide - it fits perfectly for a 2' but not 3'.

If you're going to position your corals edge to edge on that 3', I'd recommend you to consider the 230w instead, it's 32" wide and with optics it'll give you a very good coverage edge to edge for a SPS dominated tank.
 
Too much?

Too much?

I am currently running a ADA 30c 12x12x12 tank but will be upgrading to a 14x14x14 tank with maybe going Sps, zoos, and rics but was wondering if a maxspect 400 G2 160w is overkill for the tank? How high do I need to hang it so that I won't bleach or kill anything? I am hoping to lower close to the water about 4" if possible at the moment I have it hanging about 18" high from the water. Please help out a reefer. Thanks
 
So I finally bid the bullet and purchased a G2-160W for my 34G Solana. I've read through nearly all the posts in this thread and appreciate the heads up on how to aclimate the corals in the tank.

I got the standard Semi LED version and from what I see when all Blues are on it's too blue but it's not too bad with the Blues & Whites are on. Finally it's not as blue as I like with all lights on.

For those of you who have swapped out some of the stock blues & whites. How many of the stock LED's did you replace and what did you replace them with? Can you give me an idea of color and the chip.

I know i'll plan on ordering some new chips to get the color I want, but would rather not reinvent the wheel. I'll probably go for at least two red, maybe violets. Is there a big difference between the blue and royal blue?

Thanks for the advice.
 
i am in the process of ordering some new cree's for my two 170. I plan to swap out maybe 8 whites to royal blues for each fixture.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

K
Fluval Reef 4.0 LED Nano Power Level for 15G?
Replies
3
Views
245
kingyking888
K
rockryno
32gal Maxspect Lagoon Build - Chicago Sunburst BTAS and SPS!
Replies
3
Views
320
rockryno
rockryno
sickman
Juwel Lido 200 - really reef tank ready all in one? Really Really?
2
Replies
39
Views
1K
Reefing102
Reefing102
R
some random questions
Replies
1
Views
234
SantaMonica
S
revclyburn
I think it's time
2 3
Replies
43
Views
5K
griss
griss
Back
Top