driving myself mad with lighting...help PLZ

[Devaji108]

OK I have been thinking about this WAYYY to much. to the point where its not even fun anymore. :(

so I am ask the reefing community for help. yeah I know I know another help me decide my lighting thread but oh well...

my tank is a standard 40br 36" x 18" x 16"
my focus for this tank is going to be gorgonians, LPS and softies maybe just maybe an easy SPS like a monti or birds nest. but the focus on on the gorgonians and some sponges.

wow I know there is no "best" light but what is best for me and my tank...
I have a ref angel controller that I could use to control the lights.

my thought with some pro and cons:

Kessil 2X A160 W/ the goose neck
pros:
I like the clean look but with the goose neck over my price point.
not sure if 1 Kessil A360w would cover the tank? maybe to much light spill in the room?
cons:
cost they are pretty pricey + it might be to much shimmer? I do like shimmer but for some reason I think it might be to much.

reefbreeders photon 24 W
pros:
a cheaper price point from a RC sponsor
wireless remote for programming the newer version is slimmer by 1/2"

cons. it still a bulky black box not so sleek looking.

buildmyled MC 20K
pros:
I really like the sleek slim look of this light. the MC has a 20K look with 3 adjustable channels + dimes all the way to 0 so I could use it for moon lights too.
cons have to buy 3 dimming cables at 10-15each + $15 for the tank mounts.
thus adding $50 to the price of the light. + i hear the resale isnot as good as the kessil or other high end lights.

ledZeal Malibu s150
pros:
A cheaper alternative to the name brands. can customize the lights. programable via wifi from phone! a sleek slimmer silver case.

cons:
no use warranty. might also have to pay some duty fees..

aquticlife Halo
dont know much about these info is kinda sparse. but worth looking into some more...

so many option. none are standing out as the winner.
as of right now I am leaning turns the BML MC 20K as its sleek, programable/controllable 3 dimming channels and can be use for moon lights.

so thoughts?

[Fig]

I would find 2 used Kessil A150's if it were me, but it sounds like you want some control over the lights. I had 2 on a 40 breeder also.

[Coelli]

I have 2 Kessils and mounted them with cheap electrical conduit that was painted with black appliance spray paint. They look great and were much cheaper than goosenecks. :)

[Devaji108]

they Coelli can you post a pic of your DIY goose neck plz. I was thinking of the same.
how did you attach them? to the stand or tank?

yeah I need...Ok OK want a lil bit more control. i really like the sun rise/set and be able to find that sweet spot of intensity for my tank. do I need to control all the channels prob. not.

BML has a dim-able hight output 20K can do sunrise/set but only dimes to 10% so no moon lighting there but thinking about that to. its a $100 cheaper that there multi channel version.

[mmittlesteadt]

I plan on only keeping easy soft corals in my 40 breeder, so I only have a single Kessil A160WE on my tank. This pic below is taken when I only had the light about 3" above the tank and the intensity turned way down low.

http://2ndnaturecreations.com/reef/kessil1.jpg

Then I made a mount for it using an old mic stand I had (bottom attached to back of tank stand/cabinet) You can buy mic stands dirt cheap from stores, even with goosenecks...used ones for even less)...

http://2ndnaturecreations.com/reef/canopycutout.jpg

I now have it mounted about 8" above the water (under the red flowers ;)). This pic below was taken on a sunny afternoon with the spectrum set at full daylight and the intensity just above "off"...I cant even stand having it at 100% because it makes my living room look like an airport runway at night.

http://2ndnaturecreations.com/reef/ready.jpg

Two of the A160WE's should be sufficient for a 40 breeder for just about any corals. I don't have anything in my tank yet so I can't personally speak to it's performance with corals other than a friend of mine has the same light over a 45 cube and he's growing LPS, SPS and softies and they are growing like crazy with just one A160WE.

[zachts]

I'm a fan of the BML strips now that they have 3 channel models. One would probably be enough light, two would be better for coverage and probably sufficient to let you transition to all SPS someday if you wanted........nice controller and tank mounts for them also....and for my liking if I were to buy a light for open top, No fans equals silent lights.........

Just my two cents.

[Devaji108]

^ yeah I am really thinking about the MC BML. i think it will work great for my tank. I dont plan on going SPS so one should be good. the price of the light is right but then you need the tank mounting feet + 3 cables still comes out at $450
still cheaper than then a pair of Kessil A160
but about 100 more than the reefbreerers

[Devaji108]

yeah I saw you did than on another thread! I will have no canopy and I am a bit worried about to much light falling in the room.
I could start off with one then get another in a few months.


I plan on only keeping easy soft corals in my 40 breeder, so I only have a single Kessil A160WE on my tank. This pic below is taken when I only had the light about 3" above the tank and the intensity turned way down low.

http://2ndnaturecreations.com/reef/kessil1.jpg

Then I made a mount for it using an old mic stand I had (bottom attached to back of tank stand/cabinet) You can buy mic stands dirt cheap from stores, even with goosenecks...used ones for even less)...

http://2ndnaturecreations.com/reef/canopycutout.jpg

I now have it mounted about 8" above the water (under the red flowers ;)). This pic below was taken on a sunny afternoon with the spectrum set at full daylight and the intensity just above "off"...I cant even stand having it at 100% because it makes my living room look like an airport runway at night.

http://2ndnaturecreations.com/reef/ready.jpg

Two of the A160WE's should be sufficient for a 40 breeder for just about any corals. I don't have anything in my tank yet so I can't personally speak to it's performance with corals other than a friend of mine has the same light over a 45 cube and he's growing LPS, SPS and softies and they are growing like crazy with just one A160WE.

[A sea K]

Have a look at the Maxspect Razor. Very pleased with mine and talk about a sleek looking fixture.
For your demands(LPS and softies maybe just maybe an easy SPS like a monti or birds nest) this fixture should be ideal. Probably a little more money than the Chinese no-name LED's but cheaper than most of the other big name brands.

[mmittlesteadt]

yeah I saw you did than on another thread! I will have no canopy and I am a bit worried about to much light falling in the room.
I could start off with one then get another in a few months.

If you are wanting to not have too much light spilling into the room, then I think you'll love the Kessil. You can see in my photos that it almost covers the tank with it being only 3" above the tank and at 8" above it covers the whole tank. I have no spillage of light on the floor (aside from through the tank which any light will do) and of course above it on the walls and ceiling from reflection off the water surface (again any light will cause that).

I love the shimmer on the walls and ceiling. But that's me.

[SnowManSnow]

look into www.oceanrevivellc.com LED fixtures IMO for those animals

[ChrisKirkland]

If you are going to spend close to $450 you might as well look at the EcoTech Radion G3.

[Reefvet]

It's pretty hard to beat a pair of A160s. I have been using A150s and A350s since they were introduced and they're great lights. I have A360Es now as well and they're a nice update to the originals.

Any light is going to grow softies faster than anything else so be aware that you'll have them shading your LPS in no time.

Photosynthetic gorgonians are tough to keep and you really want an established tank to even try them. Non-photosynthetic gorgs aren't as colorful but they're easy to keep alive.

LPS demand a lot of feeding to grow well so be ready to broadcast feed heavily and do some water changes.

[Devaji108]

well I think I have decided...prob. change me mind again but hopefully not.
I am gonna go with a 36" BML 20K light for $289. 90 optics, can dim form 10-100%
no moon lights or 3 channel controlling like the MC series.

but from what I hear it looks just like a 20k radium MH bulb. its dim able so I can do sun rise/set and find the sweet stop for my tank.

in the end i think it will have everything I am looking for at a reasonable price. slim sleek and good looking some controllability. might not had all the bells and whistles but i think it will do just fine.

I think the kessil might just have TO MUCH shimmer for me. I know that wired to say cuz i do like shimmer but just might be to much.

[mmittlesteadt]

well I think I have decided...prob. change me mind again but hopefully not.
I am gonna go with a 36" BML 20K light for $289. 90 optics, can dim form 10-100%
no moon lights or 3 channel controlling like the MC series.

but from what I hear it looks just like a 20k radium MH bulb. its dim able so I can do sun rise/set and find the sweet stop for my tank.

in the end i think it will have everything I am looking for at a reasonable price. slim sleek and good looking some controllability. might not had all the bells and whistles but i think it will do just fine.

I think the kessil might just have TO MUCH shimmer for me. I know that wired to say cuz i do like shimmer but just might be to much.

Well, the shimmer with Kessils is a love/hate relationship. Personally I love it so much that even with having nothing in my tank the shimmer alone is peaceful and relaxing.

Good luck with your new lights and the progress with your build!