Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment
Blogs FAQ Calendar

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 01/06/2017, 06:16 PM   #1
Goubli
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Scottsdale
Posts: 96
ATI or Giesemann?

Hello all,

I think I've narrowed down the lighting choices to either the Aurora t5/LED or the ATI Powermodule t5/LED.

I have a 63" x 22"w x 25" RSM S 650. I am planning to have mostly SPS and some LPS.
Do you think I can get away with a 48" or would I need the 60"?

Also, I've never had t5 or LED as I've been out of hobby close to a decade. I like a nice crisp white with tinge of blue and dislike yellow/natural light in my tanks.
I am thinking of using the t5 as the workhorse and supplement the LED for dawn/dusk flourescence and overall color purposes. Is that what people do?

I am trying to avoid needing to ramp up the LED intensity as I add newer corals.

Thanks for any advice!

Goubli


Goubli is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/06/2017, 06:42 PM   #2
ksicard
Registered Member
 
ksicard's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Posts: 538
If you want the T5's to be the primary light source go with the ATI. ATI PM's are more focused on T5's and using LED to supplement, where the geissemen is more focused on LED's and using T5 to supplement. That's the main difference between the two in my opinion.

I would definitely go with the 60" model for either light.


ksicard is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/06/2017, 07:47 PM   #3
ReefCowboy
Registered Member
 
ReefCowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 1,742
Ive been loking arond for years and IMO based on reviews from owners, the hybrid that relies more heavily in T5's do better. Ive read more than once sunpower fixtures alone show better results to corals than the powermodule due to leds. Between your two choices, the Powermodule from ATI is way overpriced for the leds it offers, but you cant beat their reflectors and overall par offered. The tank will do well on the lighting dept, Period.
Auroras are sleek, and look awesome but I feel the 48" unit although great wont put out as much over the corners as a 60". Long term you would be more satisfied with a 60" unit.
Remember T5 bulbs are preety dimm at their extremities compared to its middles so by default if you dont get as much par on its ends from start while trying to cover 6" farther into the tank ends, you will have a shadowing/low light issue for some sps.

ATI all the way is my 2 cents.


__________________
Rimless 150 Gal Sps System: Giesemann Spectra/New Apex/2x MP40qd's+ 2x Gyre XF250's/Cor20/Custom Stand, Sump and Algae Scrubber/2x DOS dosing/Skimz Octa 205i Skimmer
ReefCowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/06/2017, 08:38 PM   #4
BryanS4
Registered Member
 
BryanS4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: Hernando Beach, FL
Posts: 944
Ati hands down. You won't be disappointed.


BryanS4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/07/2017, 12:12 AM   #5
Goubli
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: Scottsdale
Posts: 96
Ok, I'm fairly sold on the ATI. What is the proper ballast that I need? Does it matter, or should I just ask the vendor and trust what they recommend?


Goubli is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/07/2017, 12:35 AM   #6
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
 
rtparty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Utah
Posts: 7,404
Quote:
Originally Posted by Goubli View Post
Ok, I'm fairly sold on the ATI. What is the proper ballast that I need? Does it matter, or should I just ask the vendor and trust what they recommend?
ATI has ballasts already built in


__________________
Ryan

Click on my user name and check out my homepage!

Current Tank Info: 50g Cadlights/Giesemann Spectra (250w Radium, 2 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Actinic)/2 x Vortech MP10wQD/Skimz SN123/Eheim Compact 3000+
rtparty is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/07/2017, 12:40 AM   #7
gus6464
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,079
The ATI kinda defeats the purpose of a hybrid. You might as well go all T5 than to pay the massive premium on the PM. While ATI makes the better T5 only unit, Giesemann makes the better hybrid with the Aurora. The better hybrid though is a Nanobox ATI Sunpower.


gus6464 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/07/2017, 12:46 AM   #8
Voodoojar
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2016
Posts: 123
The new giesemann t5/led thats about to come out looks very interesting


Voodoojar is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/07/2017, 01:23 AM   #9
ReefCowboy
Registered Member
 
ReefCowboy's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Long Island, New York
Posts: 1,742
IMO the benefits of a hybrid is to get growth and spread of T5's with shimmer and Pop of Leds.. tanks with T5's only are flat and boring while Led only lit tanks can be lacking spectrum and spread with some fixtures. A hybrid would allow benefits from both which is ideal.
Giesemann's T5 reflectors are not as good as ATI's, and the fixture doesnt put as much par, so basicaly the fixture relies more on the Leds if you are considering a 48" unit for a 60" tank that is also 24" tall tank.
Relying on those Aurora led clusters as the backbone of the tank lighting will NOT be better than the Powermodule with monster par from T5's with leds for accent and visual appeal.

Just look at how many successful running ATI powermodules. That is one of the top if not best lighting fixture out there


__________________
Rimless 150 Gal Sps System: Giesemann Spectra/New Apex/2x MP40qd's+ 2x Gyre XF250's/Cor20/Custom Stand, Sump and Algae Scrubber/2x DOS dosing/Skimz Octa 205i Skimmer
ReefCowboy is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/07/2017, 05:41 AM   #10
eder10986
Registered Member
 
eder10986's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2016
Posts: 504
I just purchased an ati sunpower and currently run two kessil 360we

Will finish my McGyvering skills this weekend to hang both together.

Looking forward to observing different results!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


eder10986 is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 01/07/2017, 09:20 AM   #11
frogspawn74
Registered Member
 
frogspawn74's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: O' Fallon, MO
Posts: 706
Quote:
Originally Posted by eder10986 View Post
I just purchased an ati sunpower and currently run two kessil 360we

Will finish my McGyvering skills this weekend to hang both together.

Looking forward to observing different results!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Great choice! I run ATI/Kessil hybrid and couldn't be happier with the results.


frogspawn74 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:46 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2025 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2025 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.