How many XR15 for 5 foot tank?

[Mr. Charlie]

Tank is 60”x25”x16” HIGH. Going with Radion XR15 Blues, will 3 work for a mixed reef with some SPS also?

 

[KellyCorals]

Tank is 60”x25”x16” HIGH. Going with Radion XR15 Blues, will 3 work for a mixed reef with some SPS also?

Yes I think 3 would be perfect. My tank is 24” long and about 16” deep and one XR15 blue has the perfect spread - so 3 should work great! I added the reef brite kit on mine for xtra PAR.

 

[Mr. Charlie]

So you’re getting good PAR numbers? In my mind 3 sounds about right too and if you watch the BRS YouTube video they talk about how awesome the spread is on the gen5’s. Good PAR for a 24”x24” area.

seems a lot of people think otherwise though and a lot recommend the XR30’s ..... has me second guessing. Maybe I should add a 4th, IDK

 

[Bj’s Reef]

I’m following to see what everyone thinks.

 

[Mr. Charlie]

No one thinks much it looks like lol

 

[Williamson’s Reef]

I have 4 on a 6x2x1. 300 par at 70%. SPS grow out. When the colony’s start to get shadowing I will turn on my t5s and lower the % on the radions. I have 3 XR 30s on a 72in x 30in x 28in. All Sps..With the t5s just turned on the last few months for shadowing. Excellent combo. I have another 6x2x1 LPS ,zoas and shrooms with only 3 XR15s. And it’s plenty. You’ll be fine with 3 and add in t5 or led bars later when everything is big.

 

[hhaase]

Three will be plenty of PAR and coverage I'd think. Overall though as things grow in, and shadowing becomes more of a concern, you may want to consider a 4th more for light spread as opposed to PAR output. Or LED bars / T5's as others have suggested. Particularly with your depth, PAR will definitely be there already.

A single XR30 is exactly the same output as two XR15's. Just in a denser package. There's also no price advantage either way, where a single XR30 costs the same as two XR15's. Since you don't need to punch that deep, only having 16" depth, I'd personally go with the 15's over 30's.

 

[blstravler]

I have 4 G5 XR15 Blues on a similar size tank with T5 hybrid and I am all SPS. I think if you are doing mixed you will be fine.