PowerModule or LED: Can't Decide on Lighting Upgrade Changing 120 to Full SPS Reef

TheDogFather · #1 08-05-2010, 01:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trilinearmipmap

A couple of questions about the Illumina:

How wide apart are they hanging wires where they insert into the top of the light fixture? On the photos I have seen they look pretty close together. My current fixture is hanging from studs in the ceiling which are 48" apart.

Also when salt spray builds up on the underside of the fixture can you just wipe it directly off or is there a light guard that you remove and clean?

The griplock's on the top slide up to 4" from the edge of the fixture (40" apart on the 48" fixture), the fans are on either end so they can't be moved any closer to the edges. The LED pods are behind a clear acrylic shield that can be removed but just wiping off the slat spray is a piece of cake without dismantling the shield.

Cheers!

carnut · #2 08-05-2010, 01:43 AM

i Replaced my tek light with the dogfather's powermodule. It is at least twice as bright as my 8 bulb tek light every was. I moved sps down to keep them from bleaching. This light gets my vote all the way, currently looking for one for the other tank!!!!

Slick Fork · #3 08-05-2010, 02:06 AM

I've been humming and hawing as well. I don't like the flat light of T5's, but don't want to drop the big bucks on a full blown LED system when it's still so new. I've also read more than a few threads on Reef Central where people who like the look of 12-14K tanks really dislike the effect LED has on their coral colours. Those that like 20k don't seem to mind as they just crank up the blue.

What I'm considering doing is retrofitting a couple of reefbrite strips into my tek light. This would give me a mix of T5's and LED's, the LED's would give me the actinic pop and shimmer (I'd go with a reefbrite 50/50 and an all white) but let me use the T5's to adjust the colour as needed. This would be a little pricey but not as bad as dropping the $$$ on a full LED fixture

viperfish · #4 08-05-2010, 02:18 AM

I wish I had your problem, LOL! I would go for the Vertex hands down. If I was in a position to be able to get a quality fixture like the Vertex, T5's (or Halides) wouldn't even be an consideration.

Sebae again · #5 08-05-2010, 04:55 AM

I've seen the Vertex over the J&L sps tank and I was really impressed with the colour and intensity.Their tank isn't that deep but I'm not sure what the light was adjusted to. If I had the funds to buy one I would seriously consider getting one.Maybe if you were down their way they could do a demo for you and maybe they could even adjust the height of it to what it would be over your tank. Also you could find out what other Lfs o reefers have and see them in action as well.

Twinn · #6 08-05-2010, 06:03 PM

I've also been to J&L and I know they had to dial the LED fixture down to 60% as the light was to intense on the corals.

Ron99 · #7 08-05-2010, 06:31 PM

Personally, I would go with the AI. I'm not convinced the Vertex will provide even lighting. You can turn it up and bleach your corals down the middle to get decent PAr front to back or turn it down and have lower PAR in the front and at the back. I really want to see some more controlled PAR testing of this unit to see how even the lighting is and what you can achieve front to back and down into deeper tanks in order to justify the price.