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Molli 
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Joined: June 28 2012
Location: Bountiful, Utah
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 Topic: Need Lighting Suggestions
Posted: August 30 2013 at 5:59pm |
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So I have a 93 cube I am purchasing equipment for. The dimensions are 30 x 30 x 24 deep. I have decided I don't want to use the canopy that came with it. I want an open top. I need suggestions for lighting, particularly lighting that isn't going to shine in my face while I'm looking at the tank. It needs to be strong enough to grow SPS that will be located in the upper third of the tank, eventually. Any suggestions? I almost don't care what it costs, within reason. I want a nice looking fixture (so homemade with wires all over the place is out of the question) and of course I want the lights to make the coral colors really show nicely.
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Snowsrfr
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Posted: August 30 2013 at 6:26pm |
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Check with Jackie (jstuver) and see if she still has her ATI Sunpower. Awesome T5 fixture. In my 20" deep tank I can grow SPS from the sand up.
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"A fish tank is not a pet. It's a TV that you gotta feed." - John Caparulo
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Molli
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Posted: August 30 2013 at 6:47pm |
 Snowsrfr wrote:
Check with Jackie (jstuver) and see if she still has her ATI Sunpower. Awesome T5 fixture. In my 20" deep tank I can grow SPS from the sand up. |
Its not enough light for my tank. If I end up going with T5 lighting I'll want an 8 bulb ATI fixture. I have a 6 bulb T5 fixture over my 65 gallon tank and know that 6 bulbs wouldn't sufficient cover a 30 inch wide tank. But I think all of the T5 fixtures will shine in my face, unless someone is aware of one that has some better shielding around it.
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Ann_A
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Posted: August 30 2013 at 7:18pm |
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To some extent, any fixture that will cover 30" x 30" will "shine in your face" unless it is almost 30" x 30" because of the optics that will be needed to spread the light. Unless you want a shadowing effect on the edges of your tank, whatever fixture you decide to go with will produce some extra light over the sides.
Personally, I really like the AquaIllumination LEDs because the fixtures are nicely finished, high quality, and seem to produce plenty of power. You could purchase the EXT tank mount with an EXT rail to suspend the fixture over your tank via a single support up the back of the tank. I believe only the Vega and Hydra work with the EXT system though.
If you can afford one, the EcoTech Radion Pro looks like a pretty decent light as well. I have heard that they are actually not wirelessly controllable. EcoTech advertises that the lights are wireless but doesn't specifically say what capabilities are wireless. It seems that the only wireless function is to interface with EcoTech's Vortech pumps. AquaIllumination LEDs, on the other hand, have built-in wireless control capabilities. With the use of AI's wireless controller or the new Director, you can have control over colors, intensities, timers, and an array of storm effects.
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Jimbo
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Posted: August 30 2013 at 7:30pm |
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I have a similar size tank 30x30x18 and I'm using an ATI Sunpower 8x24W. Very happy with the look and my SPS are very happy almost anywhere in the tank.
If cost is not an issue, I'd look into the ATI LED Powermdule ( T5 and LED combination). Looks like an awesome fixture but very pricey. Lots of places running 10% off Labor Day sales this weekend too.
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Molli
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Posted: August 30 2013 at 8:04pm |
Jimbo wrote:
I have a similar size tank 30x30x18 and I'm using an ATI Sunpower 8x24W. Very happy with the look and my SPS are very happy almost anywhere in the tank.
If cost is not an issue, I'd look into the ATI LED Powermdule ( T5 and LED combination). Looks like an awesome fixture but very pricey. Lots of places running 10% off Labor Day sales this weekend too.
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I have been looking into the ATI LED Powermodule. I'm wondering if I could find someone to build a small shield across the front of it. It sounds like a great fixture and so programmable. Now if I had a canopy that could slide backwards so that I could very easily access the entire opening of my tank I'd do that, but that may be an engineering nightmare LOL.
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Molli
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Posted: August 31 2013 at 6:24am |
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Teknik777
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Posted: August 31 2013 at 10:51am |
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are you really thinking of a sps dom tank? or just a few sps pieces.
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220 G SPS Display.
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