Switch to Radion: Quantity and type doubt

[Janci]

Hi guys

I have been looking to all the tank shots with Radion lights and I can say that this did not make my choice of lighting any easier.
All tanks look amazing but there is so much difference in tank dimensions and the quantity of used light.

My tank is L.1320mm x W.800mm x H.550mm
Or in more convenient dimensions
53" x 31.5" x 21"

I have now a combination of T5 (8x54W) and some led strips but want to make the switch to Radions.
Question is: how many and which light do I need?
I am doubting between:
3 x XR30w Pro
4 x XR30w Pro
6 x XR15w pro

I like to have full coverage but some how feel like the XR30's are overkill for the waterdepth that I have.
3 XR30w would create shadows on the sides, bue to the position of the live rock.
Between 4 XR30 and 6 XR15 there is a nice economical difference.
I feel the 6 pieces of XR15 would do best, but will they have enough PAR at the bottom?
I have tried to get the fixture positions in a drawing:

This is my SPS tank at the moment.
Please feel free to give all kinds of advice.

 

[cmantis]

I am a big fan of using the 6x xr15's for more even coverage. My tank is about same dimensions and that is what I will be going with but haven't yet so can't give you first hand account.

 

[Janci]

I am a big fan of using the 6x xr15's for more even coverage. My tank is about same dimensions and that is what I will be going with but haven't yet so can't give you first hand account.

Thanks.
I hope someone has a similar experience as I believe many people go for the XR30 while they might be better of with the smaller brothers.
What will be your water depth and are you going for sps?

 

[Faisal27]

I don’t know if this helps but I have three of XR 30 on 10’ by 2.5 by 2.5 tank and they are amazing .. more than enough lighting for me and depth is 80cm ...

 

[Bob Lauson]

I have four radions on my 42" x 42" x 24"deep aquarium.

 

[Janci]

I have four radions on my 42" x 42" x 24"deep aquarium.

Wow, that looks great.
Are those 4 times the Gen4 XR30's?
Besides the extra cables was there any reason why you choose the 4 XR30's over, for example, 8 XR15's?

 

[Janci]

I don’t know if this helps but I have three of XR 30 on 10’ by 2.5 by 2.5 tank and they are amazing .. more than enough lighting for me and depth is 80cm ...

Hi Faisal.
Do you have PAR measurements for your set up?

 

[Bob Lauson]

Wow, that looks great.
Are those 4 times the Gen4 XR30's?
Besides the extra cables was there any reason why you choose the 4 XR30's over, for example, 8 XR15's?

I had a 60” long peninsula aquarium prior to this one and three XR30’s covered it well so when I went to this cube I just got one more. All the cables go through the conduit structure and running 4 Radion as well as coming up with a support structure for 4 was easier.

I have three Gen 2’s and one Gen 3.

 

[Oldreefer44]

Or.............you could get 1 Orphek Atlantik which would cover the whole thing.

 

[Janci]

Or.............you could get 1 Orphek Atlantik which would cover the whole thing.

I did not check these ones.
OA is now in version 4 I guess?
Do you have first hand experience?

 

[Oldreefer44]

I did not check these ones.
OA is now in version 4 I guess?
Do you have first hand experience?

Yes I have 2 of the V4's on a 135. Able to grow Acro's on the bottom of the tank. About as simple as it gets to program etc.

 

[Janci]

Yes I have 2 of the V4's on a 135. Able to grow Acro's on the bottom of the tank. About as simple as it gets to program etc.

Interested. Do you have a tank shot with the lights that you can share?
Any PAR measurements?

 

[10Seconds]

Or.............you could get 1 Orphek Atlantik which would cover the whole thing.

+1. If I was going to use LEDs, that would be my choice from everything I have read.

I am actually wondering what is making the OP want to change lights to start with, is there an issue or does he just want a change.

Personally, I am a big fan of MH/T5 for an SPS tank.

 

[Janci]

+1. If I was going to use LEDs, that would be my choice from everything I have read.
I am actually wondering what is making the OP want to change lights to start with, is there an issue or does he just want a change.
Personally, I am a big fan of MH/T5 for an SPS tank.

Running the tank with the T5's makes me miss the pop and shimmer from a LED ficture.
T5 do their job well, but they are running at 100% intensity and soon I need to replace all bulbs again.
On the long run LED would be a better and a more economical option as well.
Counting on 6 pucks with a max of 95W where
- you do not run all leds at 100% if you follow the radion AB+ program
- due to the 20" water height, intensity might also be lower than 100%
So in the end the change might lower the power bill as well.

On the other hand I was seeing all those tanks with radions and so much variety of used fixtures and positions and intensity.
Most reefers prefer the XR30 Pro, while in many cases the XR15 most probably do better when positioned well.

 

[Velcro]

Have you seen a tank lit by only radions in person?

 

[Janci]

Just received this information from Ecotech Support concerning the spread of the fixtures:
XR15wG4Pro: 28'' x 28'' x 28'' (mounted 8''-12'' off the surface of the water)
XR30wG4: 32'' x 32'' x 32'' (mounted 8''-12'' off the surface of the water)
XR30wG4Pro: 36'' x 36'' x 36'' (mounted 8''-12'' off the surface of the water)

I am not sure what this means and asked for the following clarification:
XR15G4PRO: 28'' x 28'' x 28'' (mounted 8''-12'' off the surface of the water)
--> this means that with a water column of 28" high, there is a usefull spread of 28"x28" with the fixture 8"-12" above the surface?

 

[Janci]

Have you seen a tank lit by only radions in person?

yes

 

[Velcro]

Just received this information from Ecotech Support concerning the spread of the fixtures:
XR15wG4Pro: 28'' x 28'' x 28'' (mounted 8''-12'' off the surface of the water)
XR30wG4: 32'' x 32'' x 32'' (mounted 8''-12'' off the surface of the water)
XR30wG4Pro: 36'' x 36'' x 36'' (mounted 8''-12'' off the surface of the water)

I am not sure what this means and asked for the following clarification:
XR15G4PRO: 28'' x 28'' x 28'' (mounted 8''-12'' off the surface of the water)
--> this means that with a water column of 28" high, there is a usefull spread of 28"x28" with the fixture 8"-12" above the surface?

lol one radion xr for 28x28x28? Maybe a frag tank...

 

[Faisal27]

yes

Mine

 

[Faisal27]

Radions x30 are really good and their app is very useful .. just my two cents .. three of them are surprisingly enough for my 500g corals doing great