Order has been placed for a custom 190 gallon (60x33x24) built by crystal dynamics. I'll be upgrading from a red sea 425xl, which is still up and running and being lit by 4 radion xr15 g 4 pros. So question is will the 4 be enough for an sps dominant reef tank? The obvious concern here is the width being at 33". In the 425xl, majority of my aqua scape sit mid tank, with this new build I like the minimalist aqua scape look where rocks sit lower for sps to growth, just below mid tank. For anyone that has similar tank dimensions, Id appreciate your input as well as other that may have had experience with wide tanks.
Are 4 Radion xr15s G4 Pros enough?
- Thread starter ODSlim
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Not many have solve this issue very well, so that is likely the lack of responses. Those that have don't seem to post a lot.
Likely not with 4x xr15s. They shadow, the 33" is quite a lot of room to cover (you might need two rows of LEDs) and a xr15 will not really get 24" very well without shadowing and low output area.
If you are going to be SPS dominant and will be fairly highly packed (you will likely want clams on the sand bed and even some other types of corals), then I would look at those tanks which do this same thing with Radions and a lot of them have a xr30 for every foot (aligned front-to-back)... even then, many have added 4x T5s to help with the shadows.
Lighting a large tank well with LED is no joke... this is why many that do end up with panels or black boxes... or 6-10 Radions or Hydras (many times the number that EcoTech recommends). You have a tough problem to solve, so good luck.
Likely not with 4x xr15s. They shadow, the 33" is quite a lot of room to cover (you might need two rows of LEDs) and a xr15 will not really get 24" very well without shadowing and low output area.
If you are going to be SPS dominant and will be fairly highly packed (you will likely want clams on the sand bed and even some other types of corals), then I would look at those tanks which do this same thing with Radions and a lot of them have a xr30 for every foot (aligned front-to-back)... even then, many have added 4x T5s to help with the shadows.
Lighting a large tank well with LED is no joke... this is why many that do end up with panels or black boxes... or 6-10 Radions or Hydras (many times the number that EcoTech recommends). You have a tough problem to solve, so good luck.
Caravanshaka
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2017
- Messages
- 956
- Reaction score
- 1,653
- Location
- Austin, TX
- What state or country do you live in
- Texas
I don’t think you will be happy down the road with 4 xr15’s and SPS dominant. At the beginning you may be ok, but as those frags become colonies the shading will be bad. 4xr30’s would be better, and adding an aquaticlife hybrid to those would be best.
on a 54x30 I had a 48” aquaticlife with 3 XR30 pros turned front to back to get good coverage.
on a 54x30 I had a 48” aquaticlife with 3 XR30 pros turned front to back to get good coverage.
motortrendz
2500 Club Member
I've been planning a tank that's the exact size as your. And my plan was to have 5 xr30s across the tank positioned front to back to cover the spread. (Hoping that will be enough) may have to add a row of t5s in the front and back to eliminate shadows and blend the light better.
Thanks everyone for you input. Iv pretty much taking measurement and staring at the tank using my current 425, and definitely agree that the 4 xr15's will not suffice a 30 wide tank.
But rather than selling off the xr15's Id like to implement them some how, any ideas? You think buying 2 xr30's and have it alternate with the xr'15 or I can buy another track and staggering it?
But rather than selling off the xr15's Id like to implement them some how, any ideas? You think buying 2 xr30's and have it alternate with the xr'15 or I can buy another track and staggering it?
CoralsAddiction
Well-Known Member
I kinda did what you’re thinking about doing. There are Gen 4 Pro XR30 and Gen 4 XR15 on my 40B 36x18 tank. It works good but I think 2 XR30s would work better.
LIreefguy
Valuable Member
2 xr30 pro on a 40 breeder is overkill lolI kinda did what you’re thinking about doing. There are Gen 4 Pro XR30 and Gen 4 XR15 on my 40B 36x18 tank. It works good but I think 2 XR30s would work better.
To the op
I would do 3 xr30pro on the tank you have
The 30 are much stronger than the 15 with much wider spread. I would sell the 4 lights and get 3
or I would buy 2 more and have 6 over your tank.
basicslly make your own xr30 put 2 light one in back and one in front Like 6-8inches apart then next 2 then next 2
that was my thought as well !!! but what has me thinking is that the xr30's have a 30" wider spread vs the xr15's at 24". I suppose I could get away with it still and and have strategic plan for sps placement. I'm just not to keen on being limited I guess.
Why not go halide and t5? Great spectrum, great coverage, great growth and cheap to boot.
Birddog
Hooked on Reefing
I have two XR30 Gen 3 Pro over my 36x24x21 (65 gallon) and honestly I contend that it is not enough because of shading issues. Perfection for me would be three units mounted with alignment front to back. If you're going to be SPS dominant, then you're going to need more than 4 XR15's...
Caravanshaka
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2017
- Messages
- 956
- Reaction score
- 1,653
- Location
- Austin, TX
- What state or country do you live in
- Texas
They sell different width end bars and light mounting bars so you can do this. I can't recall which size exactly you need, but the stores that carry the fixture can get the extended pieces to make it happen.
ca1ore
10K Club member
Excellence Award
Reef Tank 365
CTARS Member
Article Contributor
R2R TV Featured
Thinking ‘outside the box’ .... unless you plan to keep SPS on the bottom right up to the front panel or enjoy shining light on said panel so you can scrub off the algae I fail to see why 33” is a problem for your lights. Seems like the 60” length will be more of a problem . My tank is 36” front to back and I light it as if it were just 24” deep. Means I cannot put SPS on the bottom at the front, but that’s aesthetically unappealing to me anyhow. 15s are more flexible than the 30s so you can always start with four and then add incrementally as you need. I bought 30s for my tanks but always wished I had gone with the15s.
Last edited:
Thinking ‘outside the box’ .... unless you plan to keep SPS on the bottom right up to the front panel or enjoy shining light on said panel so you can scrub off the algae I fail to see why 33” is a problem for your lights. Seems like the 60” length will be more of a problem . My tank is 36” front to back and I light it as if it were just 24” deep. Means I cannot put SPS on the bottom at the front, but that’s aesthetically unappealing to me anyhow. 15s are more flexible than the 30s so you can always start with four and then add incrementally as you need. I bought 30s for my tanks but always wished I had gone with the15s.
This was my thought from the beginning even before the purchase of the RS 425, I went with the xr15 due to the fact that it was just that "flexible", I was able to space out to my liking. Also, knowing the fact that I may upgrade in the future to a bigger tank I was able to keep or add another xr15. But it was never on the horizon for a 30-33" wide tank, I knew that if an upgrade was to happen it would be longer tank per se'. But geezzz, once I saw that depth of a 33" tank I fell in love of the real estate, It may not seem like alot with the difference of 3" but it is, I was able to compare side by side. Thinking about the cons, it was given that the reach to the back of the tank was gonna be a slight challenge. But regardless, this upgrade will now sit on a 40" tall steel stand with a 24" tall tank. Id would just need a 2 step stool to fully manage the tank, and being 5'11 helps as well. Going back to your theory, Id like to keep lower light corals at the sides and on the sand bed and sps more concentrated in the mid center. What bogged me was that the xr15 only had a coverage of 24" vs the xr30 with a 30" coverage, I definitely over looked that part prior to the purchase. So moving forward, unless I find a smoking deal on three xr30's which probably wont happen till the holidays, Im going to ride these xr15"s and possibly add more. That or ditch the radions and get some orapheks LED panels??
Tom Stevens
Active Member
Not sure this will help butI have a 72x24x24 on order too and I am going with 5 xr15s and 4 T5s using the 61“ ATI Hybrid. I have been told T5s provide great coverage so I am hoping for the best of both worlds. The ATI fixture is priced fairly reasonably too.
Big C
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Mar 9, 2018
- Messages
- 544
- Reaction score
- 943
- Location
- Northwest Indiana
- What state or country do you live in
- Indiana
I just did something similar for my new build. 61” hybrid with one XR15 and two XR30s (from existing tank). Hybrid fixture is up and can post some par numbers once the radions are installed.
I am expecting similar results to the BRS investigates. You may check that video out. They went 24” wide but you can get idea of how par drops off.
Huff747
Valuable Member
This is basically what I have (Aquatic Life rather than ATI) on similar sized tank. And I run the Radions up to 90% during the peak, and there are a lot of spots I wish I had some more par.
