Need advice on SPS lighting

[macdaddynick1]

Hey everyone, I have neglected my tank for the past 3 months and the problem with that is without trimming my corals started shading each other. My current light set up is reefbreeder photon gen-1 32" and 2 blue+ t-5s . I am considering switching my lights to either all T5s or a combination of T5(2-4 bulbs ) and 2 gen 4 radions. If anyone has an opinion as to what would be the better option to eliminate shadowing in an sps tank please feel free to share. Thanks in advance

 

[ChefZilla]

I would go with a 6 or 8 bulb t5 with a reefbrite strip. Best of both worlds

 

[Zik]

Too much growth?? Frags for everyone! haha

I remember your set up, but I'm not entirely sure if you'll be able to really avoid the shadowing, even with the all t5 route, just due to the angle of the light coming in. Definitely will be a softer shadow, but a shadow nonetheless.

*How high are your lights mounted?
My input after messing with my LEDs for a while is see if you can get them higher, or maybe pop some (or all!) of those optic lens off, and bump up the intensity to make up for reduced par after taking the lens off.

With my lights 8" above the water, thing's dont really get an even spread of light until about 15+" in the tank (so ~2feet away from the lights), so if you can raise it & see if that helps solve things, maybe that can help too!

 

[dodgerblew]

I'm partial to t5 Nick but I've seen some beautiful tanks lit by gen 4's. I never recalled shadowing on the Radion tanks but also wasn't looking for that. Coral growth shows good spread

 

[macdaddynick1]

I would go with a 6 or 8 bulb t5 with a reefbrite strip. Best of both worlds

I think you're right, I'm going to look into some ati fixtures, and if that doesn't work out I can always add some more retrofit t5s into the canopy and go with the LEDs in the middle.

 

[macdaddynick1]

Too much growth?? Frags for everyone! haha

I remember your set up, but I'm not entirely sure if you'll be able to really avoid the shadowing, even with the all t5 route, just due to the angle of the light coming in. Definitely will be a softer shadow, but a shadow nonetheless.

*How high are your lights mounted?
My input after messing with my LEDs for a while is see if you can get them higher, or maybe pop some (or all!) of those optic lens off, and bump up the intensity to make up for reduced par after taking the lens off.

With my lights 8" above the water, thing's dont really get an even spread of light until about 15+" in the tank (so ~2feet away from the lights), so if you can raise it & see if that helps solve things, maybe that can help too!

The problem is I already built the canopy so there's no way to raise the lights any higher, :/, but there is a good 10" before the water surface. Which means the light is about 34" from the bottom of the tank. You are right about the lenses though, I'm going to try to take them off for the time being. Did you end up taking yours off?

 

[macdaddynick1]

I'm partial to t5 Nick but I've seen some beautiful tanks lit by gen 4's. I never recalled shadowing on the Radion tanks but also wasn't looking for that. Coral growth shows good spread

Same here, from what, I've seen T5s grow some beautiful acros, I will be doing a little more research, but I think at this moment I am leaning towards 6 bulb ATI. Do you think 6 bulbs will be enough to cover a 20" wide tank?

 

[dodgerblew]

I have an 8 bulb dimmable over my 24" cube with a Reefbrite on each side. I originally had a 6 bulb. I like the 8 better but it depends on the dimensions of the fixture. If my tank was a 20" wide I would've stayed at 6.

 

[pciscott]

What are the dimensions of your tank, I run a hybrid T5 and led light on my display and while I like my light, it has some downside in comparison to Gen 4 Radions.

I run a very long photo period, my light comes on at 8am and goes off at 11pm. The first 2 hours and last three it is just blue led from Kessil and Reefbrite strips. The coral looks great under all blue, but the fish do not. This is where a Radion can add other colors at low intensity to make the fish pop while giving you the insane actinic pop.

The shadowing you refer to is because of the point source of the Radions, and when you run them at 8" off the water you need more fixtures to get rid of shadows. I keep my lights low because I do not want to be blinded by them when I enjoy my tank. I have a open top with large Crown molding on top to hide the light spill. I just ordered the lights to convert all 3 of my tanks to Radion gen 4 only, no T5 supplement. I am making the change after seeing several Radion only tanks with the best color SPS I have seen.

My tank has 16 4 foot T5 bulbs and changing the bulbs takes 4 hours with how my fixture comes apart, I look forward to not doing that chore going forward.

The Radion Gen 4 is soon to have an optional diffuser that will more evenly spread the light, it will lower intensity, but increase spread more evenly. This will help with shadowing when you run fewer lights and can't raise them for more spread.

I am putting 10 on the 400, 100" x 36" at 8" above water, I could do it with 6, but would have more shadowing. So I opted to add more so as to not have to use T5.

I told my wife they only cost $100 each

 

[Zik]

Same here, from what, I've seen T5s grow some beautiful acros, I will be doing a little more research, but I think at this moment I am leaning towards 6 bulb ATI. Do you think 6 bulbs will be enough to cover a 20" wide tank?

I took half off on each unit, and it definitely did help with spread. I tried to pop off each duplicate color. So I would leave 1 royal blue then pop the next royal blue off then leave 1 royal blue with and pop the next royal blue off .

My maze coral on the corner of the tank was receiving almost no light until i popped some off. Now it's definitely doing much better. I would suggest doing that before investing into new lighting since this will be free because you already own the light and no Coral will have to reaclimate to the light since they're already used to LED

But definitely pick up a par meter and check some levels first so you can match them after. When I tried popping all of them off and I didn't change the setting the par in the certain location went from 600 to 200 so there is a drastic difference depending on how many you pop off

 

[mike810]

My tank has 16 4 foot T5 bulbs and changing the bulbs takes 4 hours with how my fixture comes apart, I look forward to not doing that chore going forward.

I've found that wearing latex gloves while changing bulbs makes it a lot easier. I used to have to take my lights down to change the bulbs because I couldn't grip them. With the latex gloves, the lights stay in place and changing 16 bulbs is a breeze.

 

[pciscott]

My fixture is on drawer slides, is heavy, and takes 1 hour and 3 people to get off tank. Led = less bulb changes, which I put off and run way too long because of difficulty.

 

[m0nkie]

I also vote for ATI + Reefbrites. simple setup. looks clean. and works. RB comes with bracket that mount right into ATI

I'm not too impressed with ATI's hybrid unit. I would just get the dimmable + RB

 

[mike810]

My fixture is on drawer slides, is heavy, and takes 1 hour and 3 people to get off tank. Led = less bulb changes, which I put off and run way too long because of difficulty.

Hey Scott,

I was in the same boat also when it came time to change bulbs. I had to remove the fixture to change the bulbs. That's why I mentioned the latex gloves. The gloves let me easily grip the bulbs so I no longer have to remove the fixture. Just take the shield off and the bulbs are easy to twist with the latex gloves on.

Either way, leds are a nice solution also. Can't go wrong either way.

Edit: I have two 8 bulbs fixtures so I also had to change out 16 bulbs.

 

[mike810]

I also vote for ATI + Reefbrites. simple setup. looks clean. and works. RB comes with bracket that mount right into ATI

I'm not too impressed with ATI's hybrid unit. I would just get the dimmable + RB

I run two of the ati hybrids and like them. The leds give of a nice shimmer.

 

[vuqchu]

I also vote for ATI + Reefbrites. simple setup. looks clean. and works. RB comes with bracket that mount right into ATI

I'm not too impressed with ATI's hybrid unit. I would just get the dimmable + RB

I run two of the ati hybrids and like them. The leds give of a nice shimmer.

You guys both have 2 of the same ATI fixtures.

My vote is for ATI + reefbrite if you like a little pop. I will never run without ATI. Just saying

 

[SchnitzelReef]

What are the dimensions of your tank, I run a hybrid T5 and led light on my display and while I like my light, it has some downside in comparison to Gen 4 Radions.

I run a very long photo period, my light comes on at 8am and goes off at 11pm. The first 2 hours and last three it is just blue led from Kessil and Reefbrite strips. The coral looks great under all blue, but the fish do not. This is where a Radion can add other colors at low intensity to make the fish pop while giving you the insane actinic pop.

The shadowing you refer to is because of the point source of the Radions, and when you run them at 8" off the water you need more fixtures to get rid of shadows. I keep my lights low because I do not want to be blinded by them when I enjoy my tank. I have a open top with large Crown molding on top to hide the light spill. I just ordered the lights to convert all 3 of my tanks to Radion gen 4 only, no T5 supplement. I am making the change after seeing several Radion only tanks with the best color SPS I have seen.

My tank has 16 4 foot T5 bulbs and changing the bulbs takes 4 hours with how my fixture comes apart, I look forward to not doing that chore going forward.

The Radion Gen 4 is soon to have an optional diffuser that will more evenly spread the light, it will lower intensity, but increase spread more evenly. This will help with shadowing when you run fewer lights and can't raise them for more spread.

I am putting 10 on the 400, 100" x 36" at 8" above water, I could do it with 6, but would have more shadowing. So I opted to add more so as to not have to use T5.

I told my wife they only cost $100 each

4 hours to change 16 bulbs?? That is quite a chore. I can take down both my fixtures and change 16 bulbs in less than an hour. And that includes cleaning the fixtures.

Why does it take you so long?

 

[SchnitzelReef]

Need advice on SPS lighting

If you want the nicest color and best growth from your sps, T5 is the only way to go.
I played the Radion game, and lost. As soon as I started running T5s, my tank did a 180 and boom...take a look.

 

[Browncoat]

If you want the nicest color and best growth from your sps, T5 is the only way to go.
I played the Radion game, and lost. As soon as I started running T5s, my tank did a 180 and boom...take a look.

There is no denying you've got a nice SPS tank man but let's not say stuff that just isn't true shall we? The hobby has a long history of insanely beautiful metal halide run SPS tanks. There is never a "only way to go" in this hobby.

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk

 

[SchnitzelReef]

There is no denying you've got a nice SPS tank man but let's not say stuff that just isn't true shall we? The hobby has a long history of insanely beautiful metal halide run SPS tanks. There is never a "only way to go" in this hobby.

Sent from my SM-J700P using Tapatalk

Sorry I hurt your feelings..

My comment wasn't that T5s are the only light source that will grow sps, however if your goal is to have great color and great growth...T5s are your best choice. Metal halides are great, but they are energy hogs and they create a ton of heat. Neither of those work for me.