LED BATTLE: Lighting Advice For Shallow 25 Gallon Tank

[HelenofTroy]

I know this question has been asked so many times, but after foraging this forum and the web, I'm still looking for some more tailored advice:

 

Which LED light for an Innovative Marine Lagoon 25 gallon tank?

 

It's a shallow tank. Dimension are 24"L x 20"W x 12"H.

 

I'm looking to grow mixed reef, possibly more SPS heavy later on. I'm preferential to a good shimmer and a bluer look.

 

So many options:

1. Nanobox Duo Plus M (I know this forum loves Nanobox. Anyone have longer term experience growing SPS under them?)
2. Radion XR30w Gen4
3. Radion XR15w Gen4 x 2
4. AI Prime HD x 2
5. Kessil (which one? I used to have a Kessil A160 on my 10 gallon and loved the shimmer).
6. Others?

 

I looked at the AI Hydra 26 HD but the mounting options were terrible--no way to mount the light horizontally, so that one is out.

 

 

HELP ME CHOOSE.

[RIP Sebastian]

I know this question has been asked so many times, but after foraging this forum and the web, I'm still looking for some more tailored advice:

 

Which LED light for an Innovative Marine Lagoon 25 gallon tank?

 

It's a shallow tank. Dimension are 24"L x 20"W x 12"H.

 

I'm looking to grow mixed reef, possibly more SPS heavy later on. I'm preferential to a good shimmer and a bluer look.

 

So many options:

1. Nanobox Duo Plus M (I know this forum loves Nanobox. Anyone have longer term experience growing SPS under them?)
2. Radion XR30w Gen4
3. Radion XR15w Gen4 x 2
4. AI Prime HD x 2
5. Kessil (which one? I used to have a Kessil A160 on my 10 gallon and loved the shimmer).
6. Others?

 

I looked at the AI Hydra 26 HD but the mounting options were terrible--no way to mount the light horizontally, so that one is out.

 

 

HELP ME CHOOSE.

 

They're kickass. You'll be fine with one.

[HelenofTroy]

 

They're kickass. You'll be fine with one.

Which one?

[RIP Sebastian]

Which one?

 

Nanobox. Whoops!

[jedimasterben]

Nanobox Duo or Maxspect Ethereal.

[Teach]

Hydra 26 HD

[gus6464]

Giesemann Vervve

 

or

 

ATI Sirius

 

or

 

GHL Mitras

 

or

 

Kessil AP700

 

or

[Cencalfishguy56]

Which one?

kessil or nanobox, I would like to try a nanobox unit but the simplicity and shimmer of the kessil a160 I currently have is hard to beat honestly

[HelenofTroy]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yeah I agree A160 is simple and easy. Which spectrum you running?

[Cencalfishguy56]

Thanks for all the suggestions. Yeah I agree A160 is simple and easy. Which spectrum you running?

im usually around 16k for probably 5 hours of a 12 hour lighting schedule on a spectral controller, on my 20L I'm peaking at 60% intensity and 45% color I believe i can't remember lol I haven't messed with it in a while

[HelenofTroy]

Do you guys think one Kessil A360W will provide enough coverage for the tank? 24"L x 20"W x 12"H

 

And would it provide enough light for SPS? Some of the reviews here say long term growth under the light is not so great: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/kessil-a360w-tuna-blue-led-aquarium-light.html

[DAP]

I had a 160We on a 20 by 20 by 16 tank and it covered that completely.

 

I would go with a Nanobox light. Seems like that the LED mixture really makes the corals grow and color up.

[Cencalfishguy56]

Do you guys think one Kessil A360W will provide enough coverage for the tank? 24"L x 20"W x 12"H

 

And would it provide enough light for SPS? Some of the reviews here say long term growth under the light is not so great: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/kessil-a360w-tuna-blue-led-aquarium-light.html

definitely, I don't see a problem at all

[HelenofTroy]

How's the shimmer of the Nanobox vs. Kessil?

[R_MC]

Kessil is the shimmer king and produces the most evenly toned (least color separation) shimmer lines of any led.

[HelenofTroy]

Kessil is the shimmer king and produces the most evenly toned (least color separation) shimmer lines of any led.

 

Thanks. And you got a crazy light build going on over there.

[R_MC]

Hey Helen,

Thanks. Just noticed that you may want a more SPS heavy tank down the line. If so, I would recommend making g sure that you have at least 2 light sources. A single light source will create shadows that cause discoloration and strange growth of sps colonies.

[gus6464]

If you want a lot of shimmer and SPS I would just get an AP700 and call it a day.

[HelenofTroy]

Thanks for the input R_MC and gus6464.

 

Yeah I thought about the AP700. Seems like a bit of overkill though for a 25 gallon... But I'll think about it...

[gus6464]

Thanks for the input R_MC and gus6464.

 

Yeah I thought about the AP700. Seems like a bit of overkill though for a 25 gallon... But I'll think about it...

 

Hmm I will be running an AP700 and 4x T5 in a 24x24x16. No such thing as overkill.

[DaveFason]

Tons of good choices out there. If you are considering the NanoBox I personally used a Duo over the same tank for almost a year. I was able to grow things in 90% of the tank. As well it looks incredible over the Lagoon. I have tons of customers with success with SPS so I feel confident saying you would be fine.

 

Do the NanoBox units have as much shimmer as Kessil, no. But you can highly increase it with surface agitation.

 

Few pictures for you.

fts8316 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

clam8316 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

tritip5116 by Dave Fason, on Flickr

 

Hope this helps in any way.

 

-Dave

[doradosteve]

I looked at the AI Hydra 26 HD but the mounting options were terrible--no way to mount the light horizontally, so that one is out.

 

 

HELP ME CHOOSE.

 

H26 with one of these mounts

http://www.careefco.com/read-me/