Lighting a Cube(ish) IM EXT 150 Lagoon

[Aaron Stone]

I am starting to piece together everything for a new system built around Innovative Marine's EXT 150 which is essentially 48"x36"x20". I really like the dimensions and have the perfect, wife approved, spot for it where it can be viewed well from three sides. I have everything figured out... except for lighting.

The tank will be almost exclusively SPS, so high PAR with even distribution is the name of the game. Also, I miss the MH shimmer. After iterating multiple manufacturers, configurations and combinations ad nauseum I believe that I have settled on two Radion XR30 Pros side by side oriented with their lengths front to back. I am also planning on supplementing them with one or two of the smaller Kessils, purely for shimmer.

Does anybody with these lights see an issue with this configuration in this application?

 

[TX_REEF]

Sounds like a solid setup to me. Yay kessil!

Check out Reefi LED light fixtures as well, I think you get more power for your $.

LED Lighting – ReeFi Lab

www.reefi-lab.com

 

[Aaron Stone]

I looked into Reefi lights, but some of the reviews I saw commented on some disco-ball action, and while I love me some ABBA on occasion, disco stays out of my aquarium.

Honestly I would gladly go back to MH if I wasn't worried about obsolescence and heat.

 

[TX_REEF]

At the end of the day I don’t think anything beats good old MH T5 combo!

 

[Aaron Stone]

Amen! I loved my old Phoenix 14k with an AB combo on the side.

See, now I am second guessing my choice again!

 

[RedReefer]

I would do three XR 30's at least. I run two over my 100 gal cube with four reef brites. Lights every area of the tank with minimum shadow.

 

[Aaron Stone]

I would do three XR 30's at least. I run two over my 100 gal cube with four reef brites. Lights every area of the tank with minimum shadow.

What are the dimensions of your tank out of curiosity?

 

[RedReefer]

34 x 34 x 24

 

[Aaron Stone]

34 x 34 x 24

That's a lot of light! Have you taken PAR readings on the tank?

Most of the info I have been basing my choice off of is the testing that BRS did on the Radion XR30 Pro (below) that that showed 325+ across the 24"x24" area at 18" deep. EcoTech says a solid SPS coverage of 36"x36" for a single fixture, but I always take manufacturer statements with a bit of salt.

 

[X-37B]

I run 2 photon 50's on my ext 170.
59×30×21.7.
The Photons have plenty of par as im running;
Red 30% white 40% with the rest at 60% and im getting 300 to 350 par on the 150lbs of live rock.
For xr30's I would run 4 if the goal is sps dominant like mine im starting.
Tanks 2 months old.
Great light for the price vs Radion, imo.
I do run 3 xr 15's on my ext 50 frag system as I have 5 from a previous build.