Questions about lighting plans for my first reef

[jgvergo]

Hi R2Rers,

I am building my new system and I need to finalize the plans for my lighting. The tank will be 2'x4'x17" tall and I will have a canopy. My plans are to use one Radion XR30W Pro and 4 54Watt T5 bulbs. I intend to keep a mixed reef. Do you think I have adequate lighting? Is this overkill? Other comments?

 

[Jimbo662]

If the tank is 4 ft long one Radion won't cover it. 2 on that size tank is probably overkill. You could look at the XR15 Pro. I used one of those on my previous cube and it was great.

 

[Diesel]

Depends on what your understanding is with a mixed reef.
IMO one radion and the four T5 bulbs you should be good.
It's for sure a great start, in the end you always can add another radion to the tank.
Another option is to use is the Four T5 and get two Hydra TwentySix HD LED Module.
The new AI's are awesome and gives you enough cover for a 4' tank with the four T5 you can turn this tank into a full blown SPS tank.
Now if you really want to grow corals with awesome color go the ATI route with a 48" LED T5 PowerModule Hybrid.
I won't have to explain and fluff the pillow on this ATI unit as it will proves it self.
Hope all the info works out for you.
Read up the options I gave you and looking forward to see this build getting wet soon.

 

[Jimbo662]

Whoops...I read your question as radion or t5.

 

[theblackpearl]

With one radion on a 4 foot tank you are gonna have the spotlight effect.....If you really want radion LED's you should get 2 XR15 and equally space them

If you want LED's and only want to buy one fixture look here https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/photon-48-w/

 

[jsker]

You can always dial the light down if there is too much light.

 

[mcarroll]

T5HO+LED is one way to go, but you're kinda picking the most expensive way possible to light your tank. Both in upfront costs and ongoing expenses. As others have mentioned there are better LED picks for your tank.

If DIY is out of the question then at least consider some fixtures designed for rectangular tanks like the Orbit Marine Pro. The fixtures being recommended are really ideal for more cube-shaped tanks. Folks very often wind up mounting them higher than would be required on an ideal tank to get coverage into the corners, but then end up spilling lots of light onto the glass and out into the room, killing a lot of the efficiency gained by using LED.

At the very least consider T5-only and LED-only options. For the cost of the LED fixture you selected you could pay for around 3 years of bulb replacements for the T5 unit. Leave out the T5 unit and you save all the extra power and bulb replacements you'll need + the upfront cost of the fixture. Smart!!

Last, no matter what you decide, get a lux meter to help you set it up. Your eyeballs are terrible at judging brightness, so it will be a crucial help.

 

[jgvergo]

Depends on what your understanding is with a mixed reef.
IMO one radion and the four T5 bulbs you should be good.
It's for sure a great start, in the end you always can add another radion to the tank.
Another option is to use is the Four T5 and get two Hydra TwentySix HD LED Module.
The new AI's are awesome and gives you enough cover for a 4' tank with the four T5 you can turn this tank into a full blown SPS tank.
Now if you really want to grow corals with awesome color go the ATI route with a 48" LED T5 PowerModule Hybrid.
I won't have to explain and fluff the pillow on this ATI unit as it will proves it self.
Hope all the info works out for you.
Read up the options I gave you and looking forward to see this build getting wet soon.

Diesel, my definition of "mixed reef" is pretty simple...Being so new to the hobby I'd like a setup that give me the flexibility to grow just about anything.