Fade2White12 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Hey all, I received approval from the wife to upgrade to a much larger tank from my 24g nano I've had going for about 8 years. The likely replacement will be either: 60g Rimless - 25x25x22 or 78g Rimless - 30x30x20 <-my choice The one hook is that she is terribly concerned about aesthetics, as we just moved into a new house and have been carefully decorating in a contemporary style. As a result, I not only need something appropriate for my reef needs (mostly LPS, but will be doing some of the easier SPS towards the top), but I also need the design to be very clean - ie a nice aesthetic, minimal cables, and the ability to be used with a gooseneck style arm or suspended via hanging kit. I'd prefer to use a single LED fixture, and I'm hoping that'll work considering the cube-style tanks I'm considering. Budget isn't much of a problem, although I would *prefer* to keep it reasonable. Thanks! Link to comment
4x5 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 The 78g option sounds very sexy. And since budget seems to be less of an issue I'd go with Vortech/s to keep wires out of the display and then a light of choice and it will be super sleek. Link to comment
Fade2White12 Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share Posted July 9, 2014 The 78g option sounds very sexy. And since budget seems to be less of an issue I'd go with Vortech/s to keep wires out of the display and then a light of choice and it will be super sleek. Thanks! But ya, Vortech(s) are part of the plan. The tank will also have a black rear panel, 3-side low-iron glass, and black silicone. The wife wants it to be sexy, and who am I to argue with her? Most of the equipment has been decided. But since I'm still stuck in T5/MH-land, I need some help with the lighting. Link to comment
4x5 Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 Thanks! But ya, Vortech(s) are part of the plan. The tank will also have a black rear panel, 3-side low-iron glass, and black silicone. The wife wants it to be sexy, and who am I to argue with her? Most of the equipment has been decided. But since I'm still stuck in T5/MH-land, I need some help with the lighting. Never argue with the wife. If it was my choice I'd probably go with an 8 bulb ATI unit over that size tank, I'm not sure there is a single LED option out there with 30" coverage but I may be wrong. Link to comment
TheKleinReef Posted July 9, 2014 Share Posted July 9, 2014 There was a 8 Bulb 24" fixture in the classifieds the other day. Join the t5 club! And the you could have Dave at NanoBox retrofit some LEDs in there. I think the ATI fixtures are pretty sleek too. Big, but sleek. Tank demensions seem awesome by the way. I can wait to see this! Link to comment
Fade2White12 Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share Posted July 9, 2014 I've been a part of the t5 club for the last decade. I'd really prefer to try my hand at LED, especially considering the electricity/bulb savings. I've gone through and replaced every single light in my house (inside and outside) with LED bulbs. Seems out of place to go back to florescents! You're also probably right about the 30" coverage, but I was hoping there was a fixture I may have missed. I just shot NanoBox an email to see if they can custom-fab a light for this tank. If anyone else has any other suggestions, please let me know! Link to comment
Fade2White12 Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share Posted July 9, 2014 So after emailing Dave at NanoBox, he suggested 2x of the 24" quad fixtures for a whopping total of $1350. Woof. No way I can do that. Maybe 1x would provide close to enough spread? I'm also really digging the look of the Kessils on their goosenecks with the 90 degree extender. Add a little bit of techflex and those would look pretty sexy. Would I need 2x? $800 is no small feat just for lighting either. Hmm. Link to comment
le0p Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 I have one kessil over a 40b (36x18) and the coverage is pretty good- 2x24 with usable light. Just not sure how it performs at the edges.. I'm planning to add another though so i get more high light real estate. I'd go for the 2 kessils unless you want to diy something with a really nice heatsink/housing. If you don't care about dimming/controllability, the a350w's are awesome and can still be found new for a reduced price and used. Link to comment
Halo_003 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 Personally, I'd say go with straight LED. Even though it may be more expensive at first, you aren't spending $200+ on bulbs every 6-12 months. Link to comment
DaveFason Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 If you go with the smaller size the 24" would cover it. The larger would ideally need something more down the road. Hope this helps a little more. -Dave Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 The issue is the depth. 24" is, well, decently covered with such a small strip like Dave's, but beyond that, 30" is too much for you to have coverage. Any rock or coral that is in front/behind any rocks will be unlit and you'll have harsh shadowing. Link to comment
Bingo1213 Posted July 10, 2014 Share Posted July 10, 2014 My thoughts on this are to go with LED's. I am over t5's as I have made the switch to LED's recently and will never go back. The fixture I am using is the Aquamana Full spectrum LED fixture. You might need two of these but they are a very reasonable price. They are very very bright, since I have added them my SPS have colored up and have grown like crazy!! I also like a very clean look and am currently building a canopy for my tank so the LED's are not even visible. Here is a link to the fixture when I ordered it the thing showed up in 3 days! http://www.amazon.com/AQUAMANA-LED-55x3W-Dimmable-Aquarium-Light/dp/B00FHDEAFQ Link to comment
Biokabe Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 It's worth it to go with LEDs, especially a high-quality light with controlability and dimmability. They are more expensive upfront, but you'll get your money back in bulb replacements and lower electric bills. I'm not a T5 guy, but some quick googling tells me that you'd probably need 8 bulbs to cover the tank. Assuming they cost as much as my power compact bulbs did ($25 each, roughly), that would be $200 every time you replace the bulbs. The LEDs, on the other hand, will probably last you 10 years, even if you light your tank 13 hours a day. Even if you only replaced the bulbs once a year, that would be $2,000 in replacement bulbs alone. Another consideration - LEDs run much cooler than T5 or MH bulbs. Depending on your climate, you might be able to avoid using a chiller for your tank. Link to comment
farkwar Posted July 11, 2014 Share Posted July 11, 2014 https://www.google.com/search?ie=UTF-8&client=ms-android-att-us&source=android-browser&q=vesa+radion Link to comment
ifarmer Posted July 12, 2014 Share Posted July 12, 2014 go for an ati 8 bulbs T5 or T5& LED combo Link to comment
Fade2White12 Posted July 14, 2014 Author Share Posted July 14, 2014 Plans have changed. Realized that based on location, the 30" width is just too much for the space. So instead of a 78 cube, I'm going with something a little longer. So dimensions are 36 1/2"x24 1/4"x22". So it makes something like a single Kessil impossible. I think something like the 24" from Dave at NanoBox makes the most sense, but any other ideas? So I need something with more spread, but I really don't have to worry about width anymore. I think it increases my options, no? Link to comment
Steensj2004 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Always could do two of the new EcoTech Radion XR15w lights? That would allow you to link your lights and pumps, also gets you a reef link for 50% off(100.00). Dave is probably gonna be your best bet honestly. Have him do a hybrid light for yah!!! Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Always could do two of the new EcoTech Radion XR15w lights? That would allow you to link your lights and pumps, also gets you a reef link for 50% off(100.00). Dave is probably gonna be your best bet honestly. Have him do a hybrid light for yah!!! You sure seem to be putting a lot of stock into how much area Ecotech claims that the little things can cover (note: 24" is a stretch, 18" is a realistic maximum, 14-16" being best coverage). Link to comment
Paleoreef103 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Plans have changed. Realized that based on location, the 30" width is just too much for the space. So instead of a 78 cube, I'm going with something a little longer. So dimensions are 36 1/2"x24 1/4"x22". So it makes something like a single Kessil impossible. I think something like the 24" from Dave at NanoBox makes the most sense, but any other ideas? So I need something with more spread, but I really don't have to worry about width anymore. I think it increases my options, no? I think something like the 24" nanobox would be great, but you might want some T5s to complete the build and make sure it's nicely covered from front to back. Honestly, finding a 6X39W Tek light or sunpower and having Dave retrofit in 4 of his LED boards would be just about ideal for your tank. You sure seem to be putting a lot of stock into how much area Ecotech claims that the little things can cover (note: 24" is a stretch, 18" is a realistic maximum, 14-16" being best coverage). Hey, I'm sure it could do a 24"X24" spread if you were rocking a 9" deep frag tank. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Hey, I'm sure it could do a 24"X24" spread if you were rocking a 9" deep frag tank. Nah, it's not a limitation of how much total power there is, it's limited by the surface area it can cover. The LED pucks are like 2-3" wide. Even if you removed the lens and had full spread, it still only covers what is under it and only on the side that faces the light. Everything behind it will be unlit. Link to comment
Paleoreef103 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 Nah, it's not a limitation of how much total power there is, it's limited by the surface area it can cover. The LED pucks are like 2-3" wide. Even if you removed the lens and had full spread, it still only covers what is under it and only on the side that faces the light. Everything behind it will be unlit. I was mostly just laughing at the quoted coverage area. Link to comment
Steensj2004 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 You sure seem to be putting a lot of stock into how much area Ecotech claims that the little things can cover (note: 24" is a stretch, 18" is a realistic maximum, 14-16" being best coverage). So then why would two 15s or one pro not be an option for 36"? I never said two would cover 48". Seeing as he now is doing a 36" tank, 18+18 = 36, right? Lol Link to comment
masterbuilder Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 I am a little late to this party but as an owner of a Radion Pro with wide angle lenses, I can tell you there is NO WAY you are going to cover a 36 inch tank with only one. The ends would be very dark and you will have lots of shadowing on the outside edges of whatever corals are anywhere near the ends. Two Radions will cover it quite nicely or another option is a 6 to 8 lamp T5 fixture. Link to comment
Steensj2004 Posted July 14, 2014 Share Posted July 14, 2014 I covered a 40 gallon very well with one Pro? I had SPS, LPS ,and everything in between. Growth was great. Link to comment
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