Too much light for nano aquarium?

[curtdog6]

Hey I have a fluval 13.5 and I have been wanting to upgrade the light for awhile. Came across an old radion xr30 in good working condition for a good price and of course bought it on an impulse. Is it too much light no matter how low it’s turned down? Or will I be ok with the proper settings? I have a seneye par meter on the way.

 

[OfficeReefer]

I guess it would work, provided you hang it far enough away and keep it on very low power say 5% to start. I think the Evo comes with a 7-14W LED fixture and it does get warm. If you are referring to the Blue version, that's 100w or so but a Pro version is going to be too bright.

 

[Nano sapiens]

I run an old DIY LED array with the same max 180W output as the XR30 on a 12g, so it's certainly doable. In some ways (LED longevity/reduced heat buildup, larger spread), a larger array run at lower power can be a plus, even if the LEDs might not all run at peak efficiency. In fact, I need no fan at all since the large heatsink is plenty (it only gets mildly warm to the touch even on the 'midday' cycle).

The cost/benefit ratio is not good if the unit is new, but it's a better value when bought for a good used price. And you will have a great light to use if/when you upgrade.

 

[Hooz]

If it's adjustable, there is no such thing as "too much" light. Get your PAR dialed in and enjoy nice even coverage for all your stuff!

This coming from a guy about to put a Hydra 26HD on a 10g tank (I don't want shadows! ), of course.

 

[curtdog6]

Thanks for the help all. I have the light going and everything seems to be going well. Also made a diy mesh top that looks pretty decent. The light makes the tank look a lot better.