24x20 SPS dominant lighting

[reef’r]

Tank is a 38g 24x20 cube currently running 4t5 and an xr15. SPS dominant mixed reef, still have a lot of room to add more corals and probably will continue adding a mixture. I’m thinking about adding two AI primes to the fixture on either side of the xr15 keeping the t5 and just reducing their runtime to like 4 hours peak. Thoughts? Am I out of my mind, way over kill? Do I already have all the light I’ll ever need?

 

[TX_REEF]

I think you're pretty well covered as is. SPS really don't need more than 300-400 PAR, and 400 is pushing it. Anymore than that and you're roasting them. There may be some crazy exceptions that want more PAR, but that's been my experience. In my frag tank, my SPS get 250-300 PAR and love it.

 

[reef’r]

I think you're pretty well covered as is. SPS really don't need more than 300-400 PAR, and 400 is pushing it. Anymore than that and you're roasting them. There may be some crazy exceptions that want more PAR, but that's been my experience. In my frag tank, my SPS get 250-300 PAR and love it.

I’m sure I’ve got the par, just looking for the spread. I was wanting to pickup a used xr30 to replace the 15 but can get two new primes for the price of a used 30. With the two gaps in the fixture the 15 may be filling the void well enough I just know reviews on the g6 radions are less than ideal

 

[reef’r]

I think you're pretty well covered as is. SPS really don't need more than 300-400 PAR, and 400 is pushing it. Anymore than that and you're roasting them. There may be some crazy exceptions that want more PAR, but that's been my experience. In my frag tank, my SPS get 250-300 PAR and love it.

Btw I’ve read through your low boy build a couple times, that tank is sweet I’d love to have one

 

[Faurek]

The newer gen xrs have more spread, so I would say it will look more diffused and blended, also avoiding shading better.

 

[bobnicaragua]

The T5 will take care of the spread and shadowing. I think you’re fine as is, but more is probably better. I have very little open space above my SPS tank.

 

[reef’r]

The newer gen xrs have more spread, so I would say it will look more diffused and blended, also avoiding shading better.

The T5 will take care of the spread. I think you’re fine as is, but more is probably better. I have very little open space above my SPS tank.

I’ve tossed around the idea of doing multiple different lighting setups but I think ultimately I’m just going to leave as is. As most have said I think with the 4 t5 and the radion im probably more than covered tank is an AIO so the I’m only lighting a 24x20 area which should be more than doable with this lighting combo for any growth I decide to add in. Once things grow out into large colonies (even if I’m still running this system by that time) maybe then I will add something additional to the fixture like a couple AI primes. I’ve watched the brs vid on this very setup a couple of times and the aquatic life with an xr15 pro was the highest producer of par out of the three lights tested. I’ll spend the money elsewhere

 

[reef’r]

I want to add two 24” orphek bars just for blue pop. I’m happy with my xr15 pro running all channels 100% with four t5 blue plus during peak. My t5 are running for about 4 hours. When should I bring on the orphek bars? I’m assuming after the t5 shut off maybe only run orpheks for like the last 2-3 hours of my photoperiod? Would that be too many changes going from LED, to t5 LED, back to LED and then brining in another LED source?

 

[bobnicaragua]

I want to add two 24” orphek bars just for blue pop. I’m happy with my xr15 pro running all channels 100% with four t5 blue plus during peak. My t5 are running for about 4 hours. When should I bring on the orphek bars? I’m assuming after the t5 shut off maybe only run orpheks for like the last 2-3 hours of my photoperiod? Would that be too many changes going from LED, to t5 LED, back to LED and then brining in another LED source?

I would turn down your XR15 to 20% and not change the existing photoperiod for the XR15 or T5.

Turn on the orpheks right after the XR15 ramps up and turn them off right before they ramp down.

You can slowly bump up the XR15 in the future, but you may not need to.

 

[reef’r]

I would turn down your XR15 to 20% and not change the existing photoperiod for the XR15 or T5.

Turn on the orpheks right after the XR15 ramps up and turn them off right before they ramp down.

You can slowly bump up the XR15 in the future, but you may not need to.

So I ordered 2 or3s and Orphek emailed me suggesting going for the or4s since they were at a promotional price. I did and received them yesterday since they are the or4 they are programmable through the app. I’ve actually been increasing my xr15 intensity and swapped back to AB+ due to recommendation from @Lavey29 who uses xr15s. I’m currently sitting at 57% was heading towards his recommended 75% and 1% increase a day. With the new additions should I really drop the intensity of the xr15 to ~20? So much back and forth about the g6 radions and whether or not they’re worth a hoot and I will also say I’ve gone a bit crazy with lighting over this tank

 

[reef’r]

The only current FTS I have has a huge fish trap covering most of it but I will post one up later for reference that way everyone posting can see what I’m working with I’m sure that’ll help as well

 

[Lavey29]

So I ordered 2 or3s and Orphek emailed me suggesting going for the or4s since they were at a promotional price. I did and received them yesterday since they are the or4 they are programmable through the app. I’ve actually been increasing my xr15 intensity and swapped back to AB+ due to recommendation from @Lavey29 who uses xr15s. I’m currently sitting at 57% was heading towards his recommended 75% and 1% increase a day. With the new additions should I really drop the intensity of the xr15 to ~20? So much back and forth about the g6 radions and whether or not they’re worth a hoot and I will also say I’ve gone a bit crazy with lighting over this tank

Rent a par meter and map your tank. I can only provide my experience with XR15 lights but when you run hybrid combos with other lights that can change the dynamics of the radions. I do think combos of LED and T5 lights are probably the best set up out there for corals.

 

[bobnicaragua]

I agree with Lavey, T5 and LED is as good as you get for corals, especially SPS.

I have OR4s on my tank along with T5 and ReeFi UNOs. Orphek bars put out a lot of par, so you don’t want to just add them. I would defently reduce your XR15 and not run the orpheks at full power.

If your XR15 is at 57% now, maybe run the orpheks at 35% and the XR15 at 35%. Then see what you alkalinity does.

You can eventually bump all your LEDs up to the 50% -70% range. Increase them slowly and see what your alk does. Watch your corals and see how they respond.

 

[reef’r]

Thanks for all the input @bobnicaragua and @Lavey29 i really appreciate it. I was thinking of trying to photone app with my IPhone just to get somewhat of an idea of where I’m at

 

[Lavey29]

I've used the photone app and it is fairly accurate compared to a par meter when I checked it. Only at the water surface though.