Light for IM Nuvo 20

[dante411x]

Hey all. 

 

So I'm having a bit of a problem with deciding what light to get for the new nuvo 20. I've been... debating this for a while now and have loads of options in my head but can't seem to settle. So I figured I'd ask for help!

 

Ideally, whatever light I'd get would be good enough to grow whatever goes in it. It's probably not going to be sps heavy at all, but that's the plan for now and it most likely will change. I really don't want to buy something and then have to upgrade it later. The dimensions of the tank make it kind of annoying though. This is the tank, to clear up any confusion. 24" x ~ 12"

 

I've looked at a few things... here's my list of potentials so far:

 

Maxspect Razor X 100w - this seems like overkill. It seems like it would fit but also I would get a lot of light spread into the back of the tank which I'd prefer to avoid. It's also quite a number of dollars more than I'd prefer to spend. 

 

AI Prime - I'm assuming 2 of these would be necessary for 24" of tank. I'm also still a bit worried about a lot of light spread around the tank from anything that's a single point. I also have no idea if it would be possible to get away with just one of these. Two of these are also not the cheapest combo. Once the goosenecks are added, they're actually more expensive than the maxspect. 

 

AI Hydra 26 - overkill? same concerns as the maxspect with added uncertainty of whether or not it would provide enough coverage for the entire length of the tank. Also I've seen quite a number of reviews of these failing after a few years from humidity and that's not exactly reassuring. 

 

Kessil A80 - assuming i'd need 2 of these as well. Also, I don't plan on having a controller on this tank, so lack of controllability unless I buy their controller or any other controller is kind of annoying. However, if at one point in the future I do get an apex again, having that option would be pretty cool... Also, while I love shimmer, I find that kessil shimmer can be a little... excessive. The money is again a thing here. Two of these plus goosenecks plus the controller... 

 

Ok. So now on to the much cheaper lights that I've no idea about: 

 

AquaMaxx NemoLight - It has a built in controller. Nothing fancy but at least it's not just a light plugged into a timer. The wattage seems.. Real low. 

 

Ocean Revive light from amazon - I mean, it looks like a chinese fixture. No idea about anything here but I did run two chinese lights on my 210 and they were awesome, so I don't necessarily immediately toss the idea. 

 

So. With all that. I'm a little lost. I'd really appreciate any help here. As a few final notes, I definitely want to spend less than all the money on this light. That said, I have thoroughly learned the lesson of not getting what's necessary at first in this hobby. That's a recipe for me to just spend all the money in the future, so I'd prefer to just get one thing and be done. 

 

I'm also rather worried about light spread on the back wall and in front of the tank. Some will be acceptable but alot would be awful. 

 

Ok, I feel like I'm starting to ramble here, so... yep. Help!

[ImGoingCoastal]

I had the same problem with the same tank.

https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/360492-bommie-sps-uwdanno/

This tank solved that problem for me. I loved it so much I decided to follow his lead.

Since I cant afford a brand new Radion, I bought a used Gen 2 Radion XR30W for $200.

Gotta say I love it..

Let me know if you are interested in the light, I think the guy I bought mine from has another.

-A-a-ron

[YHSublime]

Ocean revive 247s are great!


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[dante411x]

19 minutes ago, ImGoingCoastal said:

I had the same problem with the same tank.

https://www.nano-reef.com/forums/topic/360492-bommie-sps-uwdanno/

This tank solved that problem for me. I loved it so much I decided to follow his lead.

Since I cant afford a brand new Radion, I bought a used Gen 2 Radion XR30W for $200.

Gotta say I love it..

Let me know if you are interested in the light, I think the guy I bought mine from has another.

-A-a-ron
 

Oh that's a very interesting idea. I completely ruled out Radions mainly for the slightly absurd amount of money they'd cost. Completely forgot about older generations. How would that work for controlling the light though? I don't actually have any idea how they work. 

 

10 minutes ago, YHSublime said:

Ocean revive 247s are great!


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Didn't I see somewhere that you had this tank at some point? As an office tank? Would that fixture work well?

[ImGoingCoastal]

You program your light from a PC using a micro USB cable. You can create your own profile or use some of the preloaded ones. If you want, you can buy a reeflink as well and make it wireless. I think the Apex controller works with it as well.

-A-a-ron

[dante411x]

6 minutes ago, ImGoingCoastal said:

You program your light from a PC using a micro USB cable. You can create your own profile or use some of the preloaded ones. If you want, you can buy a reeflink as well and make it wireless. I think the Apex controller works with it as well.

-A-a-ron
 

Gotcha. That’s more than acceptable. I wasn’t sure if I would have to buy a reeflink no matter what. 

 

If your friend still has one and would be willing to part with it for a nonexorbitant amount of money, definitely let me know. A radion is definitely a thing I’d like to have. 

[YHSublime]

Didn't I see somewhere that you had this tank at some point? As an office tank? Would that fixture work well?

Yup, mounting them was the hardest part.


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[dante411x]

On 12/25/2018 at 10:10 PM, YHSublime said:

 

 

Yup, mounting them was the hardest part.


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Doesn’t that light come with a bracket stand? Looks like I could just sit it right over the tank?

 

still lost here. The radion is now on the radar but that particular g2 didn’t work out. I’m half tempted to just buy the g4 pro and call it a day but it’s been out for more than two years. Seems a little.. silly to spend $900 for a light and mount and have the g5 come out. That would be my luck lol

[ImGoingCoastal]

I'd go for the g3. G4 is several hundred dollars more for not that much of an increase, IMO. G3 has UV whereas the G2 does not.

-A-a-ron

[YHSublime]

Just now, dante411x said:

Doesn’t that light come with a bracket stand? Looks like I could just sit it right over the tank?

 

still lost here. The radion is now on the radar but that particular g2 didn’t work out. I’m half tempted to just buy the g4 pro and call it a day but it’s been out for more than two years. Seems a little.. silly to spend $900 for a light and mount and have the g5 come out. That would be my luck lol

 

The light/bracket for me (I think for an IM30 though) was too big for vertical, too small for horizontal if using the stand bracket. Honestly, spending that type of money on a light is ridiculous. Ocean Revive 247 can handle anything you throw at it in that size tank, you can send me the extra $650 burning a hole in your pocket  

[dante411x]

1 minute ago, YHSublime said:

 

The light/bracket for me (I think for an IM30 though) was too big for vertical, too small for horizontal if using the stand bracket. Honestly, spending that type of money on a light is ridiculous. Ocean Revive 247 can handle anything you throw at it in that size tank, you can send me the extra $650 burning a hole in your pocket  

Lol that’s exactly what I’m thinking. That light would be more expensive than the rest of the entire system. And that’s if I throw a mp10 on there and some expensive corals. I’ve been looking around for a decent deal on a gen 2, might wait and see for a month or so while the rock cycles. No real need for a light quite just yet. That’s good to know about the ocean revive. Definitely gonna get it unless something too good to pass up comes along (I’m still grumpy about missing out on that pair of ai primes)

[YHSublime]

2 minutes ago, dante411x said:

Lol that’s exactly what I’m thinking. That light would be more expensive than the rest of the entire system. And that’s if I throw a mp10 on there and some expensive corals. I’ve been looking around for a decent deal on a gen 2, might wait and see for a month or so while the rock cycles. No real need for a light quite just yet. That’s good to know about the ocean revive. Definitely gonna get it unless something too good to pass up comes along (I’m still grumpy about missing out on that pair of ai primes)

 

You'd have the same mounting trouble with a Gen 2, or any other type of light. Plenty of black boxes that would be cheap and overkill on that tank, I just think the 247's are bang for the buck these days.