How would you light up a sps dominant system?

[Slyguy00]

I think unless you just go led your maintenance costs will probably be about the same either way. If it was me id run halides mixed with led. Best color/growth imo.

[Myka]

ATI. Sleek brushed aluminum fixtures, and high output. I use all T5 on my SPS.

[Scythanith]

My 2 cents:
Metal halides with LED supplementation if you want faster growth and controllable colour. T5's if you want a little less heat and space savings. Less shadow than LED.
LED's if you want ultimate colour control and ramping, but don't mind gambling on growth rates and coral colour.

[Aquattro]

For absolute best color, I still go with 400w radium. If I had to factor in aesthetics, I'd probably go for the ATI hybrid light. Although, aesthetics was a big concern on my current build, and I think I did a reasonable job with my canopy.
Power is about the same, depending on what you spend, long term may be the same. I'm pretty sure all my old LED pendants are all dead, less than 4 years old.
All T5 is nice, but no shimmer is a deal breaker for me. You're used to MH, you'd miss it.
LED has ramping effects, that's something I miss from the LED units. The hybrid would give you all of that, maybe even color to rival MH.

While I bash LED often enough, if I had to rate color with MH being a 10, LED would still be an 8.5. T5 I give a 9.

Modern LED get points for low profile fancy looks when that has a big component to your build. While my canopy looks good, it is bigger than any LED fixture.

If I had bought the ATI hybrid as my first LED system, I may have stuck with it. Big initial price though.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

If I had bought the ATI hybrid as my first LED system, I may have stuck with it. Big initial price though.

Agreed. I wish I had just stuck with it when it was first ordered. Spent more than that since on different leds.

[xenon]

We use ReefBrite Halide hybrids on our SPS system with 6ft long XHO LED's.

It's not the best looking but the results we get from 400W Radiums is incredible.

[smokinreefer]

my building skills are... functional only...
I will have to buy something turn key for sure!

That Reefbrite MH/LED hybrid is interesting... that's the first one I've seen.
though I would want it to have more LEDs, but that particular one is a little more industrial looking than I would want.

Yes, i'm thinking if I go MH ,it would have to be DE simply for the size of the fixture required.

but... I just realized, if I do not put a hood on the tank, would the light spill be too bothersome considering we would be sitting down at the dining table next to it???

i'd like to keep things as sleek and simple as possible, but we shall see I guess, I don't want people to be blinded while eating lol.

[Scythanith]

All T5, that's what the real pros use.

[brotherd]

Orphek has the Atlantik v3 out now. I run the v1 and v2 units over my 180. It was a bit of a learning curve for me( I learned you can't pound corals with that intense light right out of the box). A nice light and can be custom ordered with fanless meanwell power supplies.

[MitchM]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

...

If I had bought the ATI hybrid as my first LED system, I may have stuck with it. Big initial price though.

I have 2 of the 4' ATI Hybrid units and I am not happy with them.
I have had 4 ballasts burn out and 5 of the LED reflectors melt.
ATI told me that part of the problem was that I hung the 2 fixtures side by side and caused the 2 units to overheat.
They still provided me with replacement components under warranty, but I didn't appreciate ATI trying to partially blame me for component failure.

WTF am I supposed to do for an 8' tank 30" deep lighting?

MH, LED and T5 are great options, but educate yourself about the limitations of whatever drawbacks the fixtures may have.