Franco

I'm also located in Arlington if Isaac isn't available. Happy to help!

So thanks everyone for the helpful comments on this (and the banter about the step ladder growing in my tank - kudos if anyone knows any fish that will naturally eat it, driving me crazy). After way, way too much research on lighting over the past few days, I've decided I'm definitely sold on rolling with a 6x48" T5 ATI SunPower fixture with Reebrite XHO LEDs for supplemental light and shimmer. My main considerations in my decision were quality of light output, reliability, customer service/replacement part availability, and cost. I wasn't as much concerned with appearance of the unit itself, built-in customizable features, dimmability, fan noise, and whether the spread happens to fall outside my tank somewhat. Regarding dimming, because (1) I came across tons of stories about people having issues with the ballasts, and (2) it reduces T5 life, I'm completely disinterested. I knew I wanted a combo fixture, but wasn't sure between T5/LED, T5/MH, or MH/LED. After reading a bunch of horror stories about MH resulting in fires and other overheating-related issues, MH passed my risk tolerance threshold. After settling on T5/LED combos, I researched various fixtures to see which I liked best. I was surprised that there wasn't much in the way of studies comparing various T5 fixtures on the market, at least with respect to quantitatively measuring differences in PAR throughout the tank and over time. There's plenty of that info on individual bulbs, but not so much on fixtures. Most of the info I found was anecdotal or purely expression of opinion of which looked better. The four options I looked heavily into were the ATI SunPower, ATI Powermodule, Giesemann Matrixx II, and Pacific Sun Diuna. Pacific Sun Diuna - I really, really liked this unit. I love its controlability and its appearance. Its reflectors appear to be top-notch. Also, cost isn't prohibitive at $850 on Amazon, but it's certainly not as cheap as the GMann or SunPower. However, there were a few major drawbacks that kept me from going with it. First, it's way less available in the US, and I imagine that finding replacement parts down the road could be a serious headache. Also, the fixture only comes in 8- or 10-bulb options, and I'm looking for a 6-bulb fixture for my 90g. I'm definitely intrigued, especially for my 120g long build, but right now I have to very reluctantly pass. It's easily my second-favorite of the four fixtures though. Giesemann - I'll start with the positives. It was by far my favorite-looking unit, and reviews tend to be in consensus that it's the most ruggedly-built unit of the four. Additionally, it's comparatively cheap at $760 on BRS. However, it appears to have the worst reflectors of the lot. Additionally, it appears that this unit is notorious for having issues with properly cooling. It also appears that it was designed to be kept closer to the waterline than the others, which combined with its propensity for heating issues, really concerned me. Lastly, I came across several accounts of people having serious issues with Gisemann's customer service. Hard pass. ATI Powermodule - Not going to spend too much time on this. Two main things knocked it out of consideration for me - price ($1364 for 4x48" or $1790 for 8x48") and the lack of a 6-bulb option. I'm perfectly happy sacrificing some degree of controlability and a very slight amount of light quality for major cost savings. ATi SunPower - Easily the best bang for the buck. Quality of output is great thanks to its reflectors. Seriously, check out this comparison between the Giesemann and it using the same exact bulbs about 30 minutes apart: Giesemann - SunPower - It appears to have the best cooling system of the four, with the middle fans pulling the heat up and above the lights, where other fans then blow the hot air outside the sides. Also, somehow it's the cheapest of the four options, at $541 on BRS. It's not as sleek-looking as the options admittedly, but that's not a major issue. Really, my biggest complaint about the unit is that it only has two power cords - one for 4 bulbs and the other for the other 2 bulbs. I'd prefer that it have three so I could control each of the 2-bulb ballasts. Apparently, it's a pain to open up and modify, but I may go that route. Also, the fact that its fan power is static (versus dynamically controlled based on heat like on the Pacific Sun) is a minor drawback, but I mean, I'm basically nitpicking at this point. Six bulbs plus the Reefbrite LED will give me PLENTY of PAR for SPS, and if it's at all overkill, I can always raise the unit a bit. Overall, I feel that the SunPower offers the best bang for your buck, so I'll be putting in my order this weekend. Anyway, this is probably basic information for most of you, but figured doing a full write-up might be useful for anybody else who stumbles across this who's in my position. If anyone is interested in further information on lighting, some of the best resources I found were the following: Thread about these fixtures Article comparing PAR spreads between T5/MH/LED BRStv video on PAR for ATI SunPower Fixtures - 4-bulb vs 8-bulb

I'll definitely explore the Reef Brite LED strips. My goal was to use the T5s as primary lighting with LED supplementing and adding that nice shimmer. I imagine for a tank that's 24" high and 18" deep, I'll go with 4x48" T5s plus LEDs. The question then becomes placement - whether to place the T5s in the center and flanked by LED strips or on the sides with either an LED strip or a few Kessils in the middle. As for the T247, I actually have one running on my 45g currently. If they weren't so wide, I'd have probably bought one of yours already and gone with the dual T247s flanked by T5s for my 120 long. No shame in promoting your stuff for sale, they're great lights, especially for the price! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah the heat is really my biggest concern. Granted, the tank will be located in my below-ground basement, which is always cool. For AC, we only run window units, but there isn't one downstairs. The room is huge, and there would be no other sources of heat, but I'm really hesitant about halides still just based on heat alone. An aquarium chiller isn't out of the question, per se. But it's just another expense (welcome to saltwater tanks, me) and another piece of equipment that could potentially fail. I think I'm talking myself into just running a T-5/LED combo. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Now I guess my big decision to make is lighting. I'm thinking I'd like to make this tank predominantly an SPS reef tank. The 125g long is 5' and came with a 5' T5 fixture, which I had planned on supplementing with some LEDs. I guess I could just throw that over the 90 gal for now, but it's not really a good long-term solution. I saw a recent post here for a 4' T5/MH fixture. I know that's definitely provide sufficient lighting. My only reservations are that 1. LEDs are way more energy efficient and last longer, and 2. I'd probably need to invest in a water chiller with MH, or at least that's what I've heard. The advantage of course would be that it's cheap and a nice plug-and-play addition. Thoughts? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I had bought a 125g glass tank as an upgrade to my 45g. I haven't had the time to buy all the equipment and get it cycling yet though. Just stumbled across an insane deal though and hopped on it. Now I've got myself a 90g rimless acrylic tank with all the necessary equipment, which I'm picking up on Sunday. Woops. Assuming my roommates don't kill me, I may just set up this tank now and slowly keep working on the 125g, maybe make it a predator tank... Who knows. All I know is I'm excited for the new possibilities! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That's nice that it comes with the drill bit. I just figured I'd have to order one on Amazon for drilling. I'll check out their Eclipse L model, since I'm fairly sold on running a bean animal style overflow. Thanks for the recommendation!

Great find! That looks really sleek and well-built. I'm going to take a hard look at that one. The price is definitely attractive...

Hey guys, Figured I'd gather opinions on overflows. I'm at the infancy stage of upgrading to a rimmed 120 gal. Been doing some research on overflows, and I've landed on a 16" Synergy Shadow overflow. I definitely want to run a Bean Animal overflow, and this seemed like it'd be a good option. Current plan is to make this a mixed reef that includes SPS corals, so I want to make sure that my flow and skimming are good enough to support that. Anybody have any experience with this particular model? Or have any other suggestions for me to explore? FWIW I do not want to go with the bulky corner overflows.

If you end up getting that old rock, I'll definitely be interested! I'm just beginning to set up a 120 and will be looking to add plenty of LR to it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yep, you're spot on with what my original question. Sorry to anyone else if that was unclear. Sounds like setting up the 120 is the move and just doing diligent water changes on the 45. While I'm sure the water quality in the 45 would be better with a PS, it's definitely more of a "nice to have" than a necessity at this point it seems. And good call on the larger water changes - surely can't hurt to do a little extra volume in the meantime to keep nitrate levels low. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for the recommendation. I expect to have a mixed reef setup, including SPSs, in the 120. I plan on including both a PS and an algae turf scrubber in the sump. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Saltwater noob here - Wanted to pick the brains of the some of the more experienced hobbyists about the best approach for a protein skimmer for my situation. Currently, I have a 45 gallon reef running without a sump or skimmer (I know, I know). When I bought it, I thought it came with a sump and all the goods, but much to my dismay, it didn't. No harm no foul, just a bump in the road. Anyway, fast forward to now, and I've decided that I'd like a larger tank to accommodate some fish that need more space than what I have currently. Found a great deal on a 120 gallon tank and stand, and I'm picking it up this weekend. The plan is to drill the 120. So I'd like to get a skimmer that I can use on my 45 currently, without having to set up a sump for it that will be obsolete in the near future, that will also be able to handle the 120. So that being said, do y'all have any suggestions?

I'm thinking I'm gonna try the whole remove and nuke option. The tank came with a smallish cleanup crew, and they seem to be doing okay so far. Would hate to shock the whole system with extra ammonia knowing it'd kill them. Once the system settles, I'll toss in a peppermint shrimp to take care of any strays that I might have missed by eye. Man I was so excited to see something other than the CUC growing in my tank haha. The ups and downs of reef ownership [emoji849] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It's on a few of the larger, nicer rocks sadly. And yeah, all the rocks came from the same source, so I fully expect to find more of those little suckers popping up somewhere. That alone almost makes me think it might make sense to let the peppermint shrimp sniff them out for me and take care of them... That is, of course, assuming the ammonia/nitrate cycle doesn't take care of them itself. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk