aquatic life or giesemann t5 hybrid

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

i think im going to take the dive and buy a new fixture, i really really didnt want to but i think it is going to be necessary. ok heres the background and the plan: the tank is 36x18x8. i want to shoot for sps mainly but i am a sucker for a bit of lps. initially i think the tank will be for cuc and coral qt, but later probably just a grow out tank.

if i get a 24" fixture, i can have some soft spots for lower light frags, but if i just go with the 36, i'll have that blanket coverage all over the tank. brs has a video comparing these two lights and states that the giesemann is a better fit and finish with better reflectors, however the sites im looking on do not state the width of the lights. so im sort of trying to figure that out and whether there is a kit to shorten the light. i guess im looking for specific comments from someone that has one of these lights.

 

[MadReefer]

Not sure about the fixture but you do want good reflectors. I always used geisman bulbs.

 

[amado]

Ok so I actually have two aqua life lights.
For a tank that size I would go with just two leds.
The aqua life fixers are too wide for a tank that small. You need a tank 24” wide for it to work perfect. Your tank is only 18” wide you will have a lot of light spillage. I would go with two leds. These are really good cheap leds that will
Provide enough light for that tank. These lights come with mounts. You can program them to ramp up and down.these lights are much easier to add to your aquarium.
These lights will cost you less than the aqua life hybrid fixture $299. You don’t need bulbs. 4 36” t5 bulbs is like $80-$100



NICREW Aquarium LED Reef Light, Dimmable Full Spectrum Marine LED for Saltwater Coral Fish Tanks https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08CK4NMSF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_2XNT30BAPCN6MRHF42PS?psc=1

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

I have that nicrew, the 100w. lol. you might be right about the light being too much $ plus the cost of bulbs$ every 6-9 months. they do sell an endplate for AL. you can narrow down to 16.

 

[iTzJu]

I'm planning a lowboy frag tank and will be doing strictly LED on it, my last frag tank was all LED as well and I got good growth. I am also in the process of going all LED on my display as well.

Id say, pickup another NiCrew fixture and see how your frags react, if you think you can pull more growth with a T5 hybrid, get it down the line.

 

[amado]

I have that nicrew, the 100w. lol. you might be right about the light being too much $ plus the cost of bulbs$ every 6-9 months. they do sell an endplate for AL. you can narrow down to 16.

like I said I own that light and I have it over a frag tank at 18 the light is not in the middle its spilling out. the hybrid work better for a 24' tank. that way they sit in the middle
and have less light spillage. I would use the nicrewlight and it should be fine. finding bulbs for the T5 are also going to be difficult.

 

[Deleted member 27248]

I have that nicrew, the 100w. lol. you might be right about the light being too much $ plus the cost of bulbs$ every 6-9 months. they do sell an endplate for AL. you can narrow down to 16.

Brs invesigates when a t5 bulb degrades...I won’t change them Until they burn out.

 

[mickeysreef <*))))<]

Brs invesigates when a t5 bulb degrades...I won’t change them Until they burn out.

LOL

 

[MadReefer]

That's what I did ir 2 years which ever came first.

 

[Hockeynut]

I think for a display I would go all led just for the color and mix abilities at different times. If I was going to go for a strictly grow out tank I would go hybrid for sure. Best of both worlds. Led strength and T5 coverage. Unless cost and heat weren’t an issue and in that case nothing beats metel halide, Nothing!!!!

 

[john90009]

When I get a tank that needs more then just a single xr15, I will deff be going with a hybrid fixture. If you are a sps heavy tank and will have a frag rack up high, you will need the wide spread of the t5 to hit that frag rack. On my cube now with a xr15 I also have reefbrites to hit the edges, my sps frags on the rack don’t flourish as well as if they were getting hit with t5 spill out light