Cali Kid Corals

Lighting a 40-breeder Mixed Reef

eroper

eroper

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Hi Everyone,

I'm hesitant to post this, as I get impression lighting is an ever-discussed and never settled topic. That said, I'm hoping to get as much information as possible.

I have a 40 breeder I plan to use for a mixed reef. I'm trying to make a decision about lighting. The dimensions of the tank (36x18x17) seem to complicate things a little, as does my lack of in-person exposure to most of the available choices.

I have a Kessil 360x on my coral/invert QT (mentioned in this thread). I haven't had it up long enough to speak about coral health, growth, etc. but from an aesthetic and user interface perspective I'm pleased with it and enjoy the shimmer/caustics. I have it weighted blue/violet during the ramps and much whiter during peak intensity. I like having periods of both so I can enjoy fluorescing coral as well as fish and those corals that don't look their best under heavy blue light. It does cast hard shadows.

I'd prefer tank mounting right now as opposed to hanging lights, or installing wall brackets, although this isn't a hard requirement. If I obtain reasonable success with this tank it's highly likely that it will be replaced with a larger one in a different part of the house.

I find strong color separation/disco-ball-effect very distracting.

Here are some of the options I'm considering along with my perceived pros/cons. I'd appreciate any feedback from people that have hands on experience with them, particular if my perceptions are wrong. I'm also open to other ideas and suggestions.

I've done a lot of searching, reading, and watching YouTube. My conclusion is that most people recommend the only light brand they have personal experience with, or they bash the one that failed them. There are of course some data driven assessments, but my tank dimensions are not evenly divisible by 24".

Kessil AP9X
I have seen this in person
Pros
  • In theory, one of these should do the trick? (I'm a little skeptical). I believe this light was designed for tanks of this aspect ratio
  • I know that I enjoy the aesthetic
  • Single mounting arm and power cable
Cons
  • I worry about shading, particularly within branching corals
Kessil AP9X with blades
Aquatic Life, Reef Brite, AI Blade, Orphek OR3, etc.
I've never seen any of these setups in person.
Pros
  • The best of both worlds? Maybe?
Cons
  • Expensive
  • Many cables to deal with
  • Challenges blending spectrum (colors, blending, etc.) for a decent look without putting coral at risk
  • Lack of unified control, scheduling, etc.
  • More complicated mounting (ideal heights for the different fixtures, etc.)
Multiple (3?) Kessil 360x
Cons
  • Probably 3 lights, arms, wifi dongles, power cords to get shading under control, making it messy and expensive.
2x Radion XR15 G6
I've never seen these in person, but suspect I'd prefer the Pros over the Blues.
Pros
  • There are many visible and high-profile examples of success with these lights
  • It sounds like color separation is well controlled with the optional diffuser
Cons
  • The tank dimensions aren't ideal for 2, but would likely require more than 1
  • I'm annoyed that there's no Apex integration. Not a deal killer, not even that important, I'm just annoyed at the control plane fragmentation
  • Mobius with my Vortechs can be finicky. I imagine the same applies here
Concerns
  • These things get a lot of love. An almost ridiculous amount. (I don't know if this is deserved, or the result of very successful marketing and well-chosen sponsorships.)
  • Having to choose Pro vs Blue
AI Blades
I've never seen these in person
Pros
  • Full coverage lighting, minimal shading
Cons
  • Lots of cables
  • Depending on mounting I suspect either a ridiculous amount of spill, or annoying interference with tank access.
  • I've read many reports of poor quality control, at least when it comes to early adopters
Concerns
  • Will lack of shimmer/caustics disappoint me?
  • If I wanted to use these with a small Kessil for shimmer, what mounting options are available?
Neptune Sky
I have seen this one in person
Pros
  • Relatively large light source
  • I can probably cover the entire tank with a single light
Cons
  • Very subdued shimmer
Concerns
  • If covering the tank with a single light, will there be too much shading?
  • Probably not an ideal form factor for my tank dimensions?
  • Can I get the whiter daylight spectrum from this light?
  • Will Neptune keep making lights, or will this be a once and done product?

Orphek Atlantik iCon
I can't find a lot of information about this one. It looks to me like it would suffer terribly from color separation though
 
I use 2x Noopsyche K7 Pro 3 on my 40 breeder with the long side of the lights parallel to the short side of the tank. I find I have minimal shadowing and plenty of PAR @ 50% running power. If I had unlimited budget then I would use 2x XR30s in the same config for more even spread.
 
I'm going to give what I feel is the most honest and least helpful answer: that there is no right answer, since different lights do different things well (and each light is its own mix of what it does well). If you can, look at them in person, since I think that will be the biggest factor.

Regarding your point about Apex integration. I had a Kessil AP9x integrated with Apex for a while. I was NOT a fan and, if I were to do it over again, I'd have separate control points.

Regarding Neptune Sky: I've heard mixed-to-negative things about these lights, particularly because of their expense, the lack of moisture barrier for the electronics, and the fact it vents hot air down towards the tank.

Regarding Radions: I was definitely in the, 'Radions seem like a cult' camp until I saw them in person. I love the color, I love the customizability, and I immediately noticed the difference in coloration switching to these from my AP9X. Although, this does come with the caveat that my XR15s seemed to have less shimmer than my AP9X. Reefi labs is making a big push (and there's a few people on this board who have them) to be Radion's direct competitor, and seem pretty feature-packed for the price.

If you're willing to wait before upgrading, I'd recommend making friends here and asking if anyone has lights you could borrow for a few days to see how you like them. In-person viewing really is the best way to go about it, but you can't really go wrong with any of the lights you listed.
 
Agreed with Josh, the best way to make this decision is to go see other tanks with different lighting setups. I've never met someone who wasn't enthusiastic to show me their setup.

I went with Kessils for many of the reasons you listed above. Complete color blending. I can't stand the disco ball effect. I've tried Radions (gen 4) with diffusers and Orpheks but still did not like them. The shimmer is the closest look to metal halides and reminiscent of times I dived in shallow reefs.

I ran three A360x's over my previous 4 foot tank with 4 T5 bulbs. I currently run six A360x's on my 7 foot tank. Shadowing isn't bad right now with that many lamps but it will eventually be an issue when corals grow out so I plan on adding LED bars. If you use their rigid arm mounts instead of the goosenecks, all the wiring is run inside the tube so it's a clean look.

dscf4599-jpg.46035
 
I have been really happy with my ap700 kessil. One option would be to buy a used/inexpensive ap700 to see if you like that lighting effect before going to an ap900, but personally I don't see why the upgrade from there is necessary and would consider keeping the 700, then adding blades if you wanted more coverage.
 
Thanks everyone! It sounds like I'll have to track down someplace to see G6 Radions in person, preferably both Pro and Blue. I hadn't heard of Noopsyche or Reefi before, and I'll look more into those.

Thank you for the tank shot @CaseyP, that looks really nice. Are you using the 55 degree reflectors on those? Have you given much though to which LED bars you'd go with?

@H2OPlayar, what tank dimensions are you using that ap700 on?
 
eroper said:
Thanks everyone! It sounds like I'll have to track down someplace to see G6 Radions in person, preferably both Pro and Blue. I hadn't heard of Noopsyche or Reefi before, and I'll look more into those.

Thank you for the tank shot @CaseyP, that looks really nice. Are you using the 55 degree reflectors on those? Have you given much though to which LED bars you'd go with?

@H2OPlayar, what tank dimensions are you using that ap700 on?
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@eroper Where are you located? Long shot, but if you're near Roseville you're welcome to borrow one of my G6 XR30s for a couple days if you'd like to light your tank
 
IOnceWasLegend said:
@eroper Where are you located? Long shot, but if you're near Roseville you're welcome to borrow one of my G6 XR30s for a couple days if you'd like to light your tank
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Wow, that's an incredibly generous offer. Unfortunately, I'm down in Gilroy, so it would be a bit of a drive. I'll try calling around to see if any relatively local LFS have them on display.
 
eroper said:
Thank you for the tank shot @CaseyP, that looks really nice. Are you using the 55 degree reflectors on those? Have you given much though to which LED bars you'd go with?
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Yup 55º reflectors. They cut out all the side glare and I don't need the standard 130º spread given how many lamps I have. I'm in the process of building a light rack to mount the kessils and Quanta Pro led bars.
 
I don’t have mounting hardware. I think I was asking $350 for one. Might have gone down to $300. I’ll bump the for sale thread and tag you
 
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