Led spread on a 29g

[Arok3000]

I'm currently running a single Vega over my 65 gallon (36x18x24). It spreads sufficiently from end to end. The idea of needing two of these lights over a 29 gallon is laughable really.

[intarsiabox]

Thanks for all the replies! I have a Cree 60W LED over the tank right now but it has very little spread even though it is 16" long with lights edge to edge. Light fall off just 2 inches on either side of the fixture is pretty drastic. I have 2 AI Sol blues on another tank that I will be able to try out when the tank is getting shut down but I want to stick with just a single fixture and I don't think a single Sol will cover the 30" spread to my liking. The Vega is supposed to have much better coverage than the Sol as does the Radion. I also had a welder at work do up a light stand that is 18" above the tank rim so that right now is my limiting height factor. So the plan is to sell the 2 Sol's and controller and buy just a single light fixture when the time comes.

[xenon]

Originally Posted by Arok3000

I'm currently running a single Vega over my 65 gallon (36x18x24). It spreads sufficiently from end to end. The idea of needing two of these lights over a 29 gallon is laughable really.

Post pics of your spread. Any spotlight effect?

[Arok3000]

Unfortunately there is less spotlighting than I had wanted. In my new tank that will be set up in a couple of weeks, I had wanted to isolate a section of rock from the rest of the tank. I think my result will still be desirable, but the sides won't be as isolated as I had hoped.

In this picture, the light isn't completely ideal. I had to mount it a bit to the right so the dimmest point will be at the upper left, the crossbrace is causing a shadow down the middle, and the return locline is blocking the torch to the right. The light is mounted 9" from the top of the tank.
In a 29 gallon, I'm sure you could keep SPS anywhere if it was mounted at the same height.



Hope that helps.

[Mike-fish]

i have a 150w mh over my biocube 29 with no heat issues it sits about 6" off the water. light spill isn't bad either

[SpikeJones]

Originally Posted by Arok3000

Unfortunately there is less spotlighting than I had wanted. In my new tank that will be set up in a couple of weeks, I had wanted to isolate a section of rock from the rest of the tank. I think my result will still be desirable, but the sides won't be as isolated as I had hoped.

In this picture, the light isn't completely ideal. I had to mount it a bit to the right so the dimmest point will be at the upper left, the crossbrace is causing a shadow down the middle, and the return locline is blocking the torch to the right. The light is mounted 9" from the top of the tank.
In a 29 gallon, I'm sure you could keep SPS anywhere if it was mounted at the same height.



Hope that helps.

alittle off topic but, what kinda tang is that

[intarsiabox]

Originally Posted by Arok3000

Unfortunately there is less spotlighting than I had wanted. In my new tank that will be set up in a couple of weeks, I had wanted to isolate a section of rock from the rest of the tank. I think my result will still be desirable, but the sides won't be as isolated as I had hoped.

In this picture, the light isn't completely ideal. I had to mount it a bit to the right so the dimmest point will be at the upper left, the crossbrace is causing a shadow down the middle, and the return locline is blocking the torch to the right. The light is mounted 9" from the top of the tank.
In a 29 gallon, I'm sure you could keep SPS anywhere if it was mounted at the same height.

Hope that helps.

Thanks for the picture, it helps a lot! The outer edges of the tank look very well lit. Did you get the Vega color? How do you like your unit?

[Arok3000]

Yes, I think the tank is sufficiently lit. Don't get me wrong, if I wasn't changing tanks around in the near future, I would probably look at a second unit, but for a 30" tank I think the light is good even at 24" deep, let alone 18". If you are indecisive on the unit, I'll be taking this apart in the coming weeks, and I can take a picture of the light over my 20 long sump, it has the same dimensions as your 29, only a little shallower.

So far I like the light, but it's my first LED to be honest. I had seen a few LED set-ups and none with a Vega, but some with a Sol and a few with a Radion or many. I kind of just got sick of trying to pick apart weaknesses between this and the Radion and others and just went and bought it. I'm not displeased at all!

And this tang?


I have absolutely no idea what it is to be honest.
When I bought it, the store didn't know and got me the shipping list and gave me it's scientific name. I looked it up and there seemed to be some confusion as to whether it was a mimic tang or a vampire tang. Neither of their names actually were the same, but the similarities are there, but not exact.
Anyways, I forgot what the name was, so anyone's guess is as good as mine at this point.

[Zoaelite]

Totally read this as leg spread on a 29g .

My Radion is over a 24" tank but its a little lower than it should be, the intensity never hits more than 60% so I would say hanging it a little higher on a 30" and increasing the intensity would work just fine.

My guess is a juvi orange shoulder tang, hard to tell when their small though and keep in mind there are hybrids of orange shoulders and Lieutenant tangs so you never know.

[intarsiabox]

Originally Posted by Zoaelite

Totally read this as leg spread on a 29g .

My Radion is over a 24" tank but its a little lower than it should be, the intensity never hits more than 60% so I would say hanging it a little higher on a 30" and increasing the intensity would work just fine.

My guess is a juvi orange shoulder tang, hard to tell when their small though and keep in mind there are hybrids of orange shoulders and Lieutenant tangs so you never know.

I guess I shouldn't have been lazy and made LED in capitols in my title!

Thanks for the input, it sounds like either the Vega or Radion will be capable enough, now I just have to decide which one to get. I'm also sadly going to have to get rid of my Tomini tang (my favorite fish) as I'm only going to keep my 29g going and shut down the larger tank. Of all the different sizes of tanks I've had over the years I have always missed my 29g I had on the kitchen counter a few years ago and have never enjoyed the larger tanks as much.

I was thinking either orange shoulder or mimic tang myself but what they look like as juvi's and what they look like as adults can be completely different things.