Question for the Radion users

[ca2or]

I have a 36 inch tank. 18 inches front to back and 24 deep. My tank is acrylic and I have a clear center brace. It's about a quarter inch thick.

I also have 2 Radion XR30W units which I am going to install in my canopy. I am trying to sort out the best layout for coverage.

If I put the lights side by side I absolutely get the whole tank but both pucks on both lights will be somewhat interfered with by the center brace and upper lip. If I put them diagonal I get overlap at the center brace and the outer pucks have the openings without intrusion.

So I guess my question is exactly how much will the center brace actually affect light penetration? Which layout?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I have a 36 inch tank. 18 inches front to back and 24 deep. My tank is acrylic and I have a clear center brace. It's about a quarter inch thick.

I also have 2 Radion XR30W units which I am going to install in my canopy. I am trying to sort out the best layout for coverage.

If I put the lights side by side I absolutely get the whole tank but both pucks on both lights will be somewhat interfered with by the center brace and upper lip. If I put them diagonal I get overlap at the center brace and the outer pucks have the openings without intrusion.

So I guess my question is exactly how much will the center brace actually affect light penetration?

Hi. It's not really Radion specific.
That's an overlap in coverage.
For a visual you can set the units on top of the canopy. Draw an imaginary line from the pics to the cente brace. Using the angle of the spread of the lens. Like a V coming out of each one.
You'll likely find that by setting them a little wider space between them it will reduce the middle hot spot. A bit closer will increase it slightly. It may help overcome the brace shadow.

My self personally if it's a shallow or not very tall canopy I would pull the lenses or go with the wide lenses. It'll decrease shadowing issues and give a much smoother even spread. You can check the intensity with a Lux meter that's cheap to make sure you haven't lost much intensity.
I don't think you will.
I have three 12in ai sol in my 48in w tank and I used this same scheme. I have on very tall it's very tall rock. An I do get a shadow. But. It's very tall.
Search here on r2r. Reduce shadowing.

Radion with standard lenses are made to be mounted high and lensed and powered to penetratit a deep deep tank. That's a lot more than most of us have. My ai sol fwiw if I kep the lenses in produce 2000 par easily at 7 in. It was over 100,000 lux.
With no lenses at 7 in I can get 60,000 lux that's close to 1200 par. On a 24 in tank. Needless to say. It's dimmed way down

For an LPS tank tank id try 30,000 at the top of the water.

 

[Salty1962]

I have 2 XR30 Pro's in my tank that is @24" deep. I put wide angles in the 2 center pucks and the TIR on the outside so I could get penetration on the sides. Shadowing is minimal with my setup. Something to think about.

 

[ca2or]

Next question. I am coming from 2 AI Primes that ran at 80% at peak combined with a 250w MH which ran for 4 hours a day. What intensity should I have these radions at?

 

[ca2or]

Thank you both for your help thus far

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Next question. I am coming from 2 AI Primes that ran at 80% at peak combined with a 250w MH which ran for 4 hours a day. What intensity should I have these radions at?

That would be what the lux meter is for.
If you measure the lux intensity you can match it. It reads exactly how much light you have.

Just like matching alk.
And you can decrease the intensity 30% or more to acclimate.

 

[ca2or]

That would be what the lux meter is for.
If you measure the lux intensity you can match it. It reads exactly how much light you have.

Just like matching alk.
And you can decrease the intensity 30% or more to acclimate.

No I hear you. But asking for even $20 more to spend in my tank after spending what I just did for these lights might be the breaking point. DON'T WANT TO HIT THE BREAKING POINT with the wife. Otherwise tank goes bye bye to appease wife and daddy ain't happy no more.

I will get one.... Maybe next check. But I already removed old lights and hung radions. The AI's were at 80%so I setup the radions at 40%thinking they are probably twice as strong. I'm simple minded sometimes so 2 pucks equals twice as strong on my mind..... Please correct me if I'm wrong.

What I don't know is if I should increase it a little more to match the halide.

Currently running the preset vibrant color configuration

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

ugg. its hard to use and inaccurate, but try the apps.....lux light meter by crunchybytebox for android or galactica for I phone. i tested 14 apps on two platforms and three devices. those worked ok.
and trust me, i know budget reefing.

 

[ca2or]

ugg. its hard to use and inaccurate, but try the apps.....lux light meter by crunchybytebox for android or galactica for I phone. i tested 14 apps on two platforms and three devices. those worked ok.
and trust me, i know budget reefing.

Yeah.... Sounds hypocritical to say budget and Radiin in the same thread.

 

[ca2or]

This is what it shows at the surface

 

[ca2or]

This isn't peak time though

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Yup. Find the peak. Drop 30% go up 1500 2500 Lux a week. Keep an eye on the coral.

 

[ca2or]

Peak or close to

 

[ca2or]

Is that figure good?

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Is that figure good?

yup. Intensity is kinda species specific.. If your tank is good, your good. dont fret.
Really its just a tool so its easier to acclimate to the new light.

think of the same way you do salinity or alk when you drip acclimate.

 

[ca2or]

Thank you again man.

Guess it's time to consider selling my AI Primes and possibly even the MH's. Dunno though.....don't really want to part with the MH's....might keep them for backups.

 

[ca2or]

I have 2 XR30 Pro's in my tank that is @24" deep. I put wide angles in the 2 center pucks and the TIR on the outside so I could get penetration on the sides. Shadowing is minimal with my setup. Something to think about.

Yeah I have been thinking about upgrading these to the Gen 3 pucks and doing exactly what you did.