Full SPS tank, hybrid versus Radions only

[inspii]

Hello.

I’m going to get a tank which has dimensions 160 x 60 x 45cm, which is roughly 5.5 x 2 x 1.5 feet.
I already have 9 Radion XR 15 Pro here (don’t ask why), 5 G4 and 4 G5. All G4s have diffusers, the G5s don’t.

I plan to go for 90% SPS in this tank.

Would you guys do 4x 80W T5 with a bunch of Radions (6-9) in the middle?
Or do you think it’s a good idea to buy an additional G5 and do 2 rows of 5 Radions each, with alternating G4 and G5?

so it’s a bit like

————————————————————
T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5
T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5
G4 G5 G4 G5 G4 G5 G4 G5 G4
T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5
T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5
————————————————————

versus

————————————————————

G4 G5 G4 G5 G4

G5 G4 G5 G4 G5

————————————————————

the additional price would be similar/comparable, option 2 (led only) can save me the bulb changing hassle.

what would you choose?

best regards

 

[renzema]

Used to be a hybrid like your first option but now all LED with Hyrdas spread in about the same config you are planning. My tank is comparable to what you are looking to do, 49"x34"x22"

The main difference I have seen is a bit more shadowing but much better shimmer. It took a little work to reduce shadowing. I did this by widening the lights and angling a bit. My corals all look great and have great color. The par is all still 250-350 everywhere in the tank even on sand. I have the LED's up high enough that I don't have hot spots.

T-5's are great for providing a even amount of light and help with shadowing. That is honestly the main point of a hybrid option.

Choose what you like.

 

[Bpb]

I think the shadow filling nature of the t5’s would maybe provide more noticeable benefit than an additional xr15. They’d both work about the same most likely. I don’t expect you’d see a dramatic difference in growth rate outside of maybe some nominal improvement in shape once pieces get larger

 

[Gp!]

If you've already got them you might as well try them. Plenty of people have success with them

 

[bobnicaragua]

I would go with the hybrid option fot the best possible coverage.

 

[inspii]

Hello.

I didn’t even realize that multiple spaces are stripped out that screwed up my attempt of a visualization. I meant it that way:

————————————————————
T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5
T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5
G4 .. G5 .. G4 .. G5 .. G4 .. G5 .. G4 .. G5 .. G4
T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5
T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5T5
————————————————————

versus

————————————————————

... G4 ..……. G5 ……... G4 ……... G5 …..… G4 …

... G5 ……… G4 ……… G5 ……… G4 …….. G5 …

————————————————————

Anyway, thanks for the responses. I’m still not clear on what I’m doing.

I’m used to be a hybrid guy, too. But I’m not sure how much more spread I’m gonna get versus saving bulb change and use the Radions more efficiently (in the hybrid option, they may run around 5-30%, in Radion only they may run with 40-65%).
having that many lights here already is really tempting to not use T5s.

another idea would be buying an additional G4 instead of G5 and arrange them like this:
————————————————————

..……..…... G4 ..……... G4 ………... G4 ……...……
……. G5 ……….. G5 ………… G5 ……….. G5 ……
...….……… G4 ……..… G4 ………… G4 …….………

————————————————————

best regards

 

[bobyboy]

Hybrid all the way, I’ll never setup another tank any way.
FYI with the hybrid option you only need about half the amount of LED fixtures that you have listed.

I’d do this, setup a 4 bulb T5 Hybrid with half the LED fixtures check par then add if needed.