Confused what to do about lighting

edsbeaker

edsbeaker

Member
I have all my equipment for my 140G upgrade, except for the lighting. I'm really torn on this one. My tank dimensions will be 60" X 24" X 22". Right now I have an ATI dimmable sunpower, 6 X 54W, so 48" long and 13" front to back. I don't believe 6 bulbs will be able to adequately cover the 24" front to back, so I need to buy some other fixture.

Please some advice! If I get a T-5 fixture, I would only consider another ATI dimmable. The only things I don't like about it is the heat and the cost of changing bulbs. It would still be only 48", but 8 bulbs instead of 6, (they don't make them in 60" or a 10 bulb one), the plus being it is a proven fixture, or should I use this opportunity to make the switch over to LEDs, which seems so appealing. Although I don't have any corals to worry about right now, it will be an SPS tank. My timing sucks because I think it's a bit to early on LED's, but if I stay with the T-5's then they will be with me for a long time, and I'll be spending $180 every 9 months for bulbs. So I'm feeling if I don't do it now, I won't have the opportunity later. :noidea:



So, the question is If it were you what would you do???
 
edsbeaker

edsbeaker

Member
Thanks Mark,
I knew someone would mention that one. Best of both worlds, but $2000 is so much for us. I would have to return my mp40's and get the wp40's instead! My other concern is that I know the 8 bulb dimmable sunpower would do for me, so I'm not really gaining that much with adding the LED part to it. Also I'd still have to pay for new bulbs every 9 months, one of the reasons I am thinking of switching to LED. My thought was one or the other for now. I just can't figure out which one.
 
Lil BamBam

Lil BamBam

Premium member
If you feel that you will be in the hobby for a long long time.. The ATI as said above is the way to go if doing T5's dimmable with LEDS..

Why do you want T5's to be dimmable?
 
edsbeaker

edsbeaker

Member
Lil BamBam said:
If you feel that you will be in the hobby for a long long time.. The ATI as said above is the way to go if doing T5's dimmable with LEDS..

Why do you want T5's to be dimmable?
Click to expand...

The 6 bulb I have right now is dimmable, and I love everything about it except for the heat it generates and the cost of the bulbs to replace. It wakes up slowly and turns down slowly at night. I love it because of the aesthetics and because I don't have to run it at 100% all day long. It can be on for only 3 hours at 100%, and ramps up smoothly to it or down from it at night. It's just very versatile for only a small difference in $.
 
edsbeaker

edsbeaker

Member
Edited my next question out from here, the answer would not have mattered because I really can't spend
$2000 dollars for the LED/T5 combo anyway.
 
MMreef

MMreef

Active member
Honestly the ATI T5 fixture will do a great job by itself, the LED hybrid will add more contrllability and shimmer that is missing using T5 alone. Is it worth the $$$$? Its for you to decide. Another possibility is to add reef bright led strips to existing ATI fixture and have led/t5 combo for less. I have seen it done and it looks great.
 
MMreef

MMreef

Active member
Also ATI is using the newest, most efficient LEDs on the market now, made by Philips. Over 40% more efficient than CREE and even more than that over Bridgelux.
 
tkh

tkh

New member
Having recently gone through this as well, and if you're a bit price sensitive, than I'd go with either DIY / Custom leds to dial in the right wavelenth combo, or just stick to T5s for a bit longer. You say you'd be stuck with whatever you choose for some time now, but really there would be nothing you lose by changing later, except redoing your light mounting. In terms of cost, any money you would save in bulbs you still save essentially later too, just one cycle later.

You are correct in the sense that leds still have potential to improve, and for prices to drop. If you're focusing on lps / softies, have had success with T5s in the past, then really there's no big push to change just yet! My 2c at least...

If you still want to go led, then seriously look into customized setups and layouts, or look into modular, easily changed setups, because leds will continue to improve, and our understanding of specific wavelengths as they relate to coral photosynthesis, growth, and coloration will similarly continue to improve.
 
S

sparky5785

New member
CoralCompulsion cc-120 fixtures you'd need either 2, 1 on each half of the tank longways left to right or 4, 2 on each half longways front to back. $250/ea. Great warranty local vendor and awesome customer service.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
 
tkh

tkh

New member
sparky5785 said:
CoralCompulsion cc-120 fixtures you'd need either 2, 1 on each half of the tank longways left to right or 4, 2 on each half longways front to back. $250/ea. Great warranty local vendor and awesome customer service.

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
You can get a custom led layout possibly too, but just fyi those fixtures do not do sunrise/sets, if I recall correctly, but then again - you have to decide how much you value that. Jimmy of CC helped me out a lot when I was deciding on leds, I'd recommend pm-ing him directly!
 
FishBeard

FishBeard

New member
6 bulbs is PLENTY adequate to light up a 24" deep footprint if you stick with T5. And a 48" fixture will be wide enough to light a 5' long tank no problem.
 
MMreef

MMreef

Active member
George is right , I have 6 bulb ATI right now over my 120 gal. and it is enough, especially if you set your rocks as islands in the middle just under the fixture.
 
S

sparky5785

New member
tkh said:
You can get a custom led layout possibly too, but just fyi those fixtures do not do sunrise/sets, if I recall correctly, but then again - you have to decide how much you value that. Jimmy of CC helped me out a lot when I was deciding on leds, I'd recommend pm-ing him directly!
Click to expand...
Yes you can get a custom layout and Jimmy can actually special order them with autodimming to do sunrise and sunset and moonlights that's what he is special ordering for me!:D

Sent from my SPH-L710 using Tapatalk 2
 
jm23

jm23

Active member
FishBeard said:
6 bulbs is PLENTY adequate to light up a 24" deep footprint if you stick with T5. And a 48" fixture will be wide enough to light a 5' long tank no problem.
Click to expand...
I agree, no reason to upgrade. I am always amazed when I see people put 2 AI Sols over a nano or more then 6 over a tank your size. A lot of people over do it. You should be fine as it stands.
 
edsbeaker

edsbeaker

Member
FishBeard said:
6 bulbs is PLENTY adequate to light up a 24" deep footprint if you stick with T5. And a 48" fixture will be wide enough to light a 5' long tank no problem.
Click to expand...
MMreef said:
George is right , I have 6 bulb ATI right now over my 120 gal. and it is enough, especially if you set your rocks as islands in the middle just under the fixture.
Click to expand...
jm23 said:
I agree, no reason to upgrade. I am always amazed when I see people put 2 AI Sols over a nano or more then 6 over a tank your size. A lot of people over do it. You should be fine as it stands.
Click to expand...
You really think the six bulbs will be enough for 24" front to back. I will have a 14" high canopy, so I can raise it up to about 10", but am worried that I'll have shadowing and just dim lighting in the front? I just assumed that it would be too narrow. Do you all have 6 bulbs over 24" tanks and they look good? If that's the case, I'm good! :dancing2:

I guess I'll just wait and see what it looks like. Thanks everyone!!!
 
MMreef

MMreef

Active member
My fixture is only about 6 in. from the water level and really you can't notice any shadowing, at least to naked eye. If you raise it higher like 10 in. it will cover whole tank no problem. Of course PAR levels will be lower around the edges but you can place low light corals there.
 
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