Nano lighting challenge - help me

[iwishtofish]

I'd like to put an LED fixture over my 15g mixed reef nano. Right now, I have a 2-bulb T5 fixture across the back, and two PAR38 (40 degree optics) up front. One of them specifically targets my maxima clam.

How can I add an LED fixture and provide enough light for SPS and a clam, yet not too much light for some LPS and softies? Is it not really practical? Should I just buy a couple more PAR 38s (wider optics), and ditch the T5s?

 

[Misled]

just buy a couple more PAR 38s (wider optics), and ditch the T5s?

I would do that.

 

[iwishtofish]

I would do that.

Thanks - I'm leaning more and more that way.

 

[rtparty]

How long is the tank?

There are a ton of options to go with. My big complaint with the par bulbs is the lack of spectrum in them. The tri color par38 bulb from ecoxotic is nice to add some extra color.

 

[Toadally]

You might think about using the Kessil A150w. I have two over my 40 breeder and can grow clams, SPS. Very nice colors....

 

[iwishtofish]

How long is the tank?

There are a ton of options to go with. My big complaint with the par bulbs is the lack of spectrum in them. The tri color par38 bulb from ecoxotic is nice to add some extra color.

23.5" x 11.5"

I'll look at the Ecoxotics. I have a hunch they are expensive compared to some other brands. I'm using older Ecoxotics now.

You might think about using the Kessil A150w. I have two over my 40 breeder and can grow clams, SPS. Very nice colors....

I'll look at that now, too. Thanks

 

[rtparty]

23.5" x 11.5"

I'll look at the Ecoxotics. I have a hunch they are expensive compared to some other brands. I'm using older Ecoxotics now.

The new panorama marine and actinic fixtures are nice as well but not cheap per say.

I think the tri color bulbs are around $100 each but help add spectrum


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

 

[iwishtofish]

The new panorama marine and actinic fixtures are nice as well but not cheap per say.

I think the tri color bulbs are around $100 each but help add spectrum


Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, I see the PAR 38s for about $155-$120, and the 60 degree optics would be more ideal than what I have now. Worth considering, for sure.

I'd love to have a single fixture, but I'm afraid it would be very tricky to have a mixed reef in a tank that is only 12" top to bottom. I wish the PAR 38s were dimmable. Maybe I should look at another brand...

 

[bdevillier]

look into the full spectrum bulbs from Ledtric. those who have purchased them have had nothing but good things to say.

 

[rtparty]

Yeah, I see the PAR 38s for about $155-$120, and the 60 degree optics would be more ideal than what I have now. Worth considering, for sure.

I'd love to have a single fixture, but I'm afraid it would be very tricky to have a mixed reef in a tank that is only 12" top to bottom. I wish the PAR 38s were dimmable. Maybe I should look at another brand...

The new panorama marine strips/fixtures are dimmable and you can control the white and blue separately. One would work well on your tank but two is ideal.

Just a thought.

 

[WingoLED]

My huge RBTAs are doing great with only 18W of royal blue and 12,000K white plus a 36W RGB bar which basically for effect only(I program it to slowly rotate from one color to the other.) I don't see why you cannot simply add just one more bulb and handle SPS or clams.

If you go the PAR route, consider multi spectrum bulbs, they are readily available in the web.

If you go bar type route, make sure you consider adding a fan, many people report premature burn out due to not enough heat sinking for some models in the market.

 

[iwishtofish]

look into the full spectrum bulbs from Ledtric. those who have purchased them have had nothing but good things to say.

Those look really good!

The new panorama marine strips/fixtures are dimmable and you can control the white and blue separately. One would work well on your tank but two is ideal.

Just a thought.

Looked at those. I noticed they have some multi-color ones now!

My huge RBTAs are doing great with only 18W of royal blue and 12,000K white plus a 36W RGB bar which basically for effect only(I program it to slowly rotate from one color to the other.) I don't see why you cannot simply add just one more bulb and handle SPS or clams.

If you go the PAR route, consider multi spectrum bulbs, they are readily available in the web.

If you go bar type route, make sure you consider adding a fan, many people report premature burn out due to not enough heat sinking for some models in the market.

Since my tank is so shallow, I'm thinking of adding a couple more PAR 38s (w/really wide optics). Probably at least tri-color to add more spectrum...maybe multi-color like those from Ledtric. I might add just one first, and then another, if needed. I want a couple darker areas in the tank for softies.

 

[Orm Embar]

Coral compulsion sells a dimmable Par38 similar to Ledtric's, except that it uses more cool whites and fewer royal blues (still has the 420 nm violets, a cyan, and a deep red). Optics are only 90 degrees, though.

 

[iwishtofish]

Coral compulsion sells a dimmable Par38 similar to Ledtric's, except that it uses more cool whites and fewer royal blues (still has the 420 nm violets, a cyan, and a deep red). Optics are only 90 degrees, though.

Thank you - I'll look it up!