ImmaHyrdalisk
New member
I promised myself I wouldn't make one of these threads but here we go :headwalls:
I'm totally at a loss on what kind of lighting to put on my Nuvo 20 Fusion tank. The dimensions make it slightly odd to light with LED's because of how long it is vs the width (24" x 15" incl rear sump).
The game plan for corals is mostly soft and LPS corals, with maybe a Birdsnest SPS in there, a clam, or a BTA. It's hard to say at this point but I'd like to be able to light whatever I put in it rather well.
I'd prefer LED's but I'm not terribly opposed to T5's as long as the fixture is not so big it must be removed for every feeding. Hanging from ceiling is not an option so it should be able to mount on a gooseneck or mounted to tank.
Things I have in mind:
Current USA Orbit Marine ($160) fits the bill for everything but SPS lighting it seems, although still somewhat on the low end. Might be able to combine with Kessil a160we ($240 + mount) for focused intensity. This seems like a good option because the Orbit has moonlighting and ramping and the kessil has the intensity required for SPS. Someone on the Nano Reef forum had a setup like this and it looked solid but not sure of long term results.
AI Hydra 26 ($300 + mount??) - Everyone seems to like this but I can't find a good way to mount it. Coverage is also questionable as this seems to be very focused towards the center.
EcoTech Radion XR15w pro ($450 + $90 mount) - This seems to be a popular choice but a bit on the pricey side. Someone is selling this locally for $360 w/o mount but I might be able to get the price lower. It's feature rich and results seem to be very good. Still don't see a good progress thread to prove this particular setup. Still somewhat concerned about coverage.
Current Orbit Marine Pro ($360) - A new offering from Current. This really doesn't seem to be tested well yet, and the angle of the light seems like I might end up with some dead spots. Other than that the PAR looks about right and the form factor looks nice. I own the freshwater Current USA model and I like their setup overall so I'm considering this, but for the price it seems like I can get more elsewhere with proven track records.
T5 HO fixture 4 bulb ($100-$400) - I've never used T5's before but more even lighting and being able to easily change bulb colors sounds nice. These fixtures can be a bit wide (~7 inches on a 15 inch wide tank) but sounds like it will do the trick. Fixture prices seem pretty extreme though for any level of features. I am looking for something with moonlighting and a timer preferably but I can always rig something myself on a cheap fixture.
Maxspect Razor - This one seems popular but it does not seem very flexible if I wanted to put it on another tank, and the sheer sizeof it would make the whole tank look silly, it's practically as wide as a hood. This is a no for me but if you have good experiences please let me know.
I'd like to keep it in a reasonable price range around $500 but I also want to look at cheaper options like T5 fixtures.
TL;DR: I can't decide what to get for my IM Nuvo 20 Fusion and I'm running out of time. Help me Reef Central, you're my only hope
I'm totally at a loss on what kind of lighting to put on my Nuvo 20 Fusion tank. The dimensions make it slightly odd to light with LED's because of how long it is vs the width (24" x 15" incl rear sump).
The game plan for corals is mostly soft and LPS corals, with maybe a Birdsnest SPS in there, a clam, or a BTA. It's hard to say at this point but I'd like to be able to light whatever I put in it rather well.
I'd prefer LED's but I'm not terribly opposed to T5's as long as the fixture is not so big it must be removed for every feeding. Hanging from ceiling is not an option so it should be able to mount on a gooseneck or mounted to tank.
Things I have in mind:
Current USA Orbit Marine ($160) fits the bill for everything but SPS lighting it seems, although still somewhat on the low end. Might be able to combine with Kessil a160we ($240 + mount) for focused intensity. This seems like a good option because the Orbit has moonlighting and ramping and the kessil has the intensity required for SPS. Someone on the Nano Reef forum had a setup like this and it looked solid but not sure of long term results.
AI Hydra 26 ($300 + mount??) - Everyone seems to like this but I can't find a good way to mount it. Coverage is also questionable as this seems to be very focused towards the center.
EcoTech Radion XR15w pro ($450 + $90 mount) - This seems to be a popular choice but a bit on the pricey side. Someone is selling this locally for $360 w/o mount but I might be able to get the price lower. It's feature rich and results seem to be very good. Still don't see a good progress thread to prove this particular setup. Still somewhat concerned about coverage.
Current Orbit Marine Pro ($360) - A new offering from Current. This really doesn't seem to be tested well yet, and the angle of the light seems like I might end up with some dead spots. Other than that the PAR looks about right and the form factor looks nice. I own the freshwater Current USA model and I like their setup overall so I'm considering this, but for the price it seems like I can get more elsewhere with proven track records.
T5 HO fixture 4 bulb ($100-$400) - I've never used T5's before but more even lighting and being able to easily change bulb colors sounds nice. These fixtures can be a bit wide (~7 inches on a 15 inch wide tank) but sounds like it will do the trick. Fixture prices seem pretty extreme though for any level of features. I am looking for something with moonlighting and a timer preferably but I can always rig something myself on a cheap fixture.
Maxspect Razor - This one seems popular but it does not seem very flexible if I wanted to put it on another tank, and the sheer sizeof it would make the whole tank look silly, it's practically as wide as a hood. This is a no for me but if you have good experiences please let me know.
I'd like to keep it in a reasonable price range around $500 but I also want to look at cheaper options like T5 fixtures.
TL;DR: I can't decide what to get for my IM Nuvo 20 Fusion and I'm running out of time. Help me Reef Central, you're my only hope
