Lighting options

I am currently running 4- 65w power compact bulbs. The fixture is getting old and rather than spending $50 on new bulbs in the near future, I am looking to go with one if the following options:

                                           LED Option 1
48" LED Quad 3W Light System by Beamworks (Timer Ready) The LED Quad 48" light fixture by Beamworks offers what aquarists always needed. Seventy two powerful 3W LEDs are packed into one space saving fixture. Fixture is fitted with 10000K and Actinic 460nm LEDs providing a high quality, energy efficient light output that will shimmer through your reef at the flip of a switch. This unit features anodized aluminum housing. A pair of cooling fans is included. Optional timer controllers and hanging kits are also available for future add.

                                   
T5 Option 2
48" 216W 4x54 T5 HO Aquarium Light Marine Reef Fish Tank 216W Power Output in total, the latest 48" Aquarium Light offers both outstanding performance and modern design for your aquarium. It supports 2 x 54W T5 HO 12,000K Fluorescent Lamps, 2 x 54W Actinic Blue Lamps and 4 x Bluemoon LEDs, which provides the full spectrum of what your aquarium will need to thrive and satisfies different light requirements of even the most demanding reef setups. German Aluminum Reflector for Maximum and Optimal Lighting Effect Non-corrosive Powder Coated Aluminum Housing Acrylic Shield to Protect the Light from splash.

Either light is in my budget. I was hoping to hear pros or cons based on what you folks are using. Any thoughts on PC lights? They seem to be getting phased out.

That seems like a really long photo period.  Especially with switching to new lights. 

I would do as follows (just my personal preference/opinion):

Blues on at 08:30-09:00
Whites/Reds on 1 hr later
Whites/Reds off at 19:00-19:30
Blues off 1 hr later.

You can have the white/red turn on later, off sooner while adjusting the tank to full power, then slowly up the time on them too--you'll have to watch how the tank responds, and decide what's going to help the most.

Way too long on the photo period. Even though you are running a single fixture over a 48" tank, LED light is much more intense than your PC's. I would plan on adding another of those fixtures over your tank at some point because having one will mean that you are going to have to run it at close to 100% once you acclimate everything to the new light.

It would run the following schedule.
Blues can come on and stay on as long as you want. They are less likely to bleach corals during the acclimation period. I would keep the brightness down to ~25% to start with.
The whites I would run at no more than 25% and no more than 4 hours to start. Wait a week and see how your corals respond. The whites/reds can come on anytime you would like for those 4 hours. I would recommend the blue stay on for one hour before or after the whites go on or off.

So if your blues come on at 8:00 then your blues should not come on until at least 9:00, but could come on later. Then if you blues shut off at 21:00 your whites should shut off no later than 20:00. Again you can set the 4 hour white period any time during the blue period as long as the blues are on before and after.

PC bulbs are one of the least powerful lights for aquariums and LED's are one of the brightest and most intense. So go slow and watch how your corals respond. Any sign of bleaching and you need to back those LED's back down. I would plan on it taking a bit longer than 2 months to get them up to the brightness you want.

Thanks for the reply. I've toned it down a little. I'm running the whites at 10% for 8 hours. I'm running the blues at 20% for 10 hours. I will keep an eye on things.

I guess that I wish the lights were a little wider. At 10&20% percent I am not getting the light to spread the width of the tank.

LakeCityReefs wrote: I guess that I wish the lights were a little wider. At 10&20% percent I am not getting the light to spread the width of the tank.

You could raise the fixture and increase the intensity to help get the coverage.

What's up with the spotlighting effect with the LED fixture? You said it was 48" long, right?

The spectrum of the LEDs and the PC's are two separate animals. You won't get as good of coral coloration out of the PC's...but the growth may be marginally better. I don't know anything about the LED fixture you purchased, but people with the *right* LED fixtures are getting quite impressive growth since the spectrum is more targeted toward coral needs.

Yes. I ended up getting an 18" 125w led. When you crank it up it stretches to the ends of the tank but in the photo it's only in 20% power. I really don't like the spotlight effect. Now I need some 12" T5s for either side or I will have to wait to but another small led.
I probably made a mistake with an impulsive buy. The LED was $120 slightly used. Retail is $269.

Put the fixture higher over the tank... it'll spread the light out more. 

Mark, where did you get those Old School pictures? A double hose regulator, must be from the 50s or early 60s.

I was able to raise the light 2". It is spreading out a little better. It still is most vibrant in the center. I am going to be patient and see what happens when I get it up to 50% power before I try to supplement the light. If I supplement the light I will probably add a single 48" 6500k T5 attached directly to the hood.