Another how to light my tank thread -72x36x30

[Fiziksgeek]

Hey all, planning is getting serious. I have some lvl beams designed to support a 72x36x30 peninsula tank and currently have a wooden mock up of the tank in my living room. I've been out of the hobby for about 13 years and coming back in big time! LEDs were really in their infancy when I had a tank back in the mid 2000s timeframe and I am impressed an overwhelmed by what is out there now. My desire is to have a mixed reef of acros and LPS. I have not gotten a tank design yet, but one desire that I have is lids on the tank. So although a tank of the size I desire could be done with a eurobrace, it will likely have a couple of cross braces, but not cure yet, could be convinced one way or the other. Budget is ample, but not unlimited. I don't want to be wasteful with either the purchase or monthly electric bill. Thoughts I had:

3 x Radeon XR30 G5 Pro running perpendicular to the length of the tank
6 x Radeon XR30 G5 Pro running parallel to the length of the tank
8 x Radeon XR15 G5 Pro
3x Phillips Coral Care gen 2
3 Kessil APX9
3 Kessil APX9with 36" Reef Brite XHO
3 Kessil A360X with 36" Reef Brite XHO
3 Kessil A500X with 36" Reef Brite XHO


Some notes: I have seen the Radeon XR30 G5 blues in person and thought they were more blue than I wanted, so the pros are more appealing. Ideally I would like some shimmer, hence the kessils draw my attention, but dont want it to be overwhelming. One thought I had was to start with less and add more later to help spread the cost, for example, maybe start with 3-XR30s and then add 3 more in a year or two when the tank is settled in and the coral load will start to increase.

Open to suggestions!

 

[blaxsun]

Four XR30s mounted vertically are plenty. You might also be able to get away with 2-3 Neptune SKYs.

 

[Fiziksgeek]

Thanks for the recommendation. Nepture Skys were not on my radar.

 

[JMSKI333]

What’d you end up deciding on this? I’m literally in the same exact boat as you are. Same tank dimensions and torn between kessil’s with reef brites or radion’s

 

[jmoneyyy703]

Ap9x or a360x with reef brites look phenomenal. Another option is ATI stratons.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

For my AGE 210g (72x30x22) I have 4 g5 radion xr30 pros which are going to be front to back and 4 72” reef brite xho strips 2 on each side. I’m sure this would work very well for your set up as well.

 

[xabo]

For my AGE 210g (72x30x22) I have 4 g5 radion xr30 pros which are going to be front to back and 4 72” reef brite xho strips 2 on each side. I’m sure this would work very well for your set up as well.

Running something similar to your setup on my 225g (72X24X30)........6 G4 XR30 Pros front to back and 4 60" OR3 Blue+

 

[Fiziksgeek]

What’d you end up deciding on this? I’m literally in the same exact boat as you are. Same tank dimensions and torn between kessil’s with reef brites or radion’s

I have Kessil APX9s in the box waiting to go...save some money with the black friday specials. I've been visting local stores to see what they had set up so I can get a first hand impression. Finally saw the kessils running in person and loved the look.