Ecoxotic LED vs AI system

[Northstar24]

All,

I am getting ready to pull the trigger on 180 gallon reef setup but I am torn between two lighting systems and need opinions.

I've decided the LED is the way to go, as they're less heat, and you don't have to screw around with changing bulbs etc.

I'm thinking its between three of the 23.5' Panorama setups from Ecoxotic:
Panorama LED Fixtures - Panorama LED Lighting - Products

Or

6 of the 12' setups from AquaIllumination
Products AquaIllumination

I prefer the look of the Ecoxotic units, and it would only be ~225 Watts of lighting for the tank. However, I am concerned that the light from those units would not make it all the way to the bottom of the tank, which means no coral for the bottom 5' or so of a 24' tank. Is that really a big deal if I have enough LR up higher in the tank to place coral on?

The AI system should allow me to keep pretty much anything from what I understand, but it has a higher wattage use as well as a higher initial investment.

I plan on starting off as fish only and slowly moving into corals, clams and the whole 9 yards. I don't want to find out I'm limited after spending $2-3k on a lighting setup

Does anyone have experience with either of these systems or have other thoughts/opinions/tips?

 

[reeffreak]

I personally like the AI better.The optics use to focus the bulbs help it put out monster PAR.So much PAR that people are hanging them 1-2 ft above the tank and still are getting excellent PAR.Alot of it has to do with the Cree bulbs use.I am almost 100% sure both of those help them penetrate deeper then the Eco.

Does the Eco allow you to ramp up 0-100% or set whites and blue separately,say 40% white/100% blue.Does it come with a controller?Personally,I'm going to go with the AI's.I'm still waiting on an answer on the lastest version.They are supposingly adding more blue and different colors(voilet,perhaps) so corals will ''pop'' more.

 

[Northstar24]

I don't think you can control the intensity or the coloration of the Ecoxotic units, other than adding different colored modules to the fixture (they offer modules in a range of colors)

The other thing I was thinking of (eventually) is some sort of electronic monitoring system like the Reefkeeper, which according to their website supports direct connecton/communication with the AI system.

Does anyone think the AI system will have problems getting useful light to the bottom of a 24' tank?

 

[reeffreak]

There are few people here running LEDs.Maybe one or more will chime in on their experience.Keep researching,it took me months on deciding which LEDs to get.Personally,again,those 1w unfocus LED bulbs in the Eco won't cut it especially the depth of your system.

Here is one of probably many threads of AI on RC.
Aquaillumination LED - Reef Central Online Community

...and PAR measurements compared to another popular LED Maxspect
AquaIllumination PAR Measurements - Reef Central Online Community

 

[Northstar24]

+1 Reef

Thanks for the links!