How would you Light a PicoAquarium 15x15x8"

[BrendanG]

How would you light a PicoAquarium 15x15x8

 

Looking to Keep Ricordea, Zoanthids, Blasto's, Acans, and Rock Flower Anemones.

 

What fixture would YOU, put over such a tank?

[Shoelace]

What's your budget? A PAR38 bulb is less expensive. The Maxspect Razor nano is nice.

[L8 2 RISE]

PAR 38 or 1-2 ecoxotic nano arms with 6 total light strips.

[trockafella]

kESSIL 150

[matt]

You'd give it to me and I'd put somewhere under my d120...haha.

 

For your livestock plan and tank depth...you might even go old school wih some cheap PC fixtures. I've not used ecoxotic, but the following seemed kind of useful to me on the low end (small/shallow tanks).

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=2998

[lutz123]

Just be careful not to overlight...

[brad908]

Nanobox is the best led out

[Orion]

Brendan,

 

If I were you I would go to a LFS and check them all out in person. Quantum Reefs has AI's, Maxspect, Radions, Kessils, and more on display.

What light looks good to me may not necessarily look good to you.

 

Keep in mind all of the brands mentioned above will grow corals - All of them.

 

[nova423]

Nanobox is the best led out

Yes one of the minis would be perfect for a pico.

[trockafella]

Maxspect Razor Nano is by far the nicest looking LED on the market for a tank your size. Has lots of features and super sleek.. If youre going for function and style, its your best choice.

[brad908]

The razor nano is big, uses crappy led's, and lacks any real controlability

 

[Shoelace]

Lol. Here we go again. What car is better? Mercedes or BMW? Ryan is totally right. Go look at a few and just as importantly, consider your budget. The nanobox is nice, though. Perhaps that is the Ferrari.

[trockafella]

You're right. The razor is huge at 0.9" thick, uses Crappy cree LEDs and it doesn't even with a storm controller to be purchased additionally.

 

 

[matt]

I don't own these, but someone rather well known does

http://www.google.com/imgres?biw=1261&bih=681&tbm=isch&tbnid=wc-O4r7irwNfzM:&imgrefurl=https://www.ecoxotic.com/community/ecoxotic-shot-of-the-week/kevin-kohen-of-live-aquaria-amazing-nano&docid=zc8_ePZUvaC4QM&imgurl=http://www.ecoxotic.com/community/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/kevins_ecoxotic_DSC_0716.jpg&w=600&h=904&ei=mFGrUqihDef32QWuw4G4CQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=143&vpy=206&dur=1840&hovh=276&hovw=183&tx=137&ty=300&page=1&tbnh=142&tbnw=92&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0,i:96

 

Any given Sunday...

[trockafella]

IMO & IME ecoxotic is junk.. Maybe there new products are better, but the older ones were crap. Had them for a while and they didn't last. 

[matt]

IMO & IME ecoxotic is junk.. Maybe there new products are better, but the older ones were crap. Had them for a while and they didn't last. 

 

I'll defer to an actual user. I'm just wondering if the OP really needs to go full bore given his livestock plans

[YHSublime]

I was getting ready to light an 8x8x8, and it was recommended to me to try aqua style online. If you're in the market to try DIY, their customer service was pretty spectacular. I never ended up getting what I wanted, as my other half didn't like it taking up half of our living room table. I know a couple of our members who have ordered from them, and have had great results for great prices, plus you get to learn a little something if you go the DIY route.

 

Whatever route you go, let us know what you end up getting, lots of different advice.

[BowieReefer84]

8" deep tank and NO sps... Most of the above lights mentioned will melt everything.  

 

THIS http://www.rapidled.com/12-led-par38-bulb-mixed-color-with-uv/ would be perfect imo.  80* lenses and get it dimmable.  Hang it up like 12"

Edited December 13, 2013 by BowieReefer84

[Shoelace]

I've heard good reviews about Ledtric also.

[lutz123]

8" deep tank and NO sps... Most of the above lights mentioned will melt everything.  

Thank you! There is always a tendency to make suggestions based on sps, when in fact the corals mentioned prefer lower light. A PAR 30 may even be fine.

[brad908]

build my LED makes nice lights.

http://www.buildmyled.com/saltwater/

 

Had one over a 12" cube.

[bqq100]

For a frag tank of similar dimension I am planning on using a PAR38 bulb.  However if I was putting together a display tank that size I would probably go with DIY LEDs and one of these:

http://www.ledgroupbuy.com/dim4-4-port-led-sunrise-sunset-controller-v1-0/

 

I love that it's a controller that doesn't need separate drivers for up to 12 LEDs.

[BrendanG]

I currently have (2) 6w stunner strips with reflectors (16) 445nm Blue and (8) Magenta per strip lying around.

 

I've been contemplating purchasing possibly 1 or 2 additional stunner strips to supplement White Light 

Perhaps a (18) 8,000k White and (6) 453nm Blue

 

how important is providing UV spectrum for corals?

Would It be Wise to purchase a 403nm UV Stunner Strip?

 

 

My other options would most likely be a Dimmable PAR38 or PAR30...12"+ Hanging Height...

Thoughts?

[BrendanG]

That Maxspect Razor, does look really clean over most nano's....(is it dimmable? will I risk bleaching corals with it)

 

The Par 38/Par 30 are great options as well...( I've seen some units are dimmable)

 

I'll prob ditch the ecoexotic stunners...They just sit atop the tank, and take away from the display.

[trockafella]

The razor has its own built in controller, very simple.. So, yes its dimmable.