G5 XR15 Blue vs. XR30 Blue : What's the difference and will one save you $$ over the other?

[randyBRS]

It's just the season of lighting around here these days and FINALLY we've got the data in for the Radion G5 XR15 Blue!

Let's see if multiple XR15 Blues can accomplish the same tank goals as a few XR30s in today's testing.

 

[pciccone]

I've been sitting at the edge waiting for this video coming from the XR30 thread and video you did only a short while ago, and I thank you TONS for both! Since you did that video, but before you published this XR15 video today, I have been busy changing fixtures out. What do you expect when your locked in the house all day?

Can you help me adjust / tweak for a 96" 300 gallon tank (30" deep)? Here is where I am at now:

XR15 GEN5 spacing @ 8.25" AWL (let's just say 8" for argument)
*** SPS Configuration ***

1 - 11"
2 - 25.8"
3 - 40.6"
4 - 55.4"
5 - 70.2"
6 - 86"

Essentially we are 11" at the ends, based on a best of 10" I extrapolated from the XR30 video and 14.8" between fixtures based on a best of 14" also extrapolated from the XR30 video. I'm at 80% peak on the AB+ spectrum, but that's based on 6 fixtures and a 30" deep tank. While I know that you did not explicitly do testing with these parameters it would go WORLDS to help me and others with tanks surpassing 4FT on your best educated guess / answer.

I gather I may need 8 lights, but don't want to spend for sure until your reply. Based on your numbers I would be starting at 8" then 9.2" then 13.6" in the middle and then the last two back down to 9.2" and 8". Again, this would be based on 8 lights.

Any insight on 6 vs. 8 and overall spacing comments? Intensity I can adjust easily based on the final fixture count and spacing.

 

[Reefman71]

So if I’m understanding him correctly the XR30’s are overkill. I’m glad I went with 4 XR15’s over mg 6ft tank. Saved some serious $$$.

 

[adrianr514]

Rather disappointed that you didn’t test out three XR15s on the 4 foot tank instead of the 4. I feel like spread would have been more even and you could run them at a higher intensity.

 

[Reefman71]

3 is plenty on a 4 foot tank. Like I said I’ve got four on a 6 foot tank and only have them At 50% intensity.

Rather disappointed that you didn’t test out three XR15s on the 4 foot tank instead of the 4. I feel like spread would have been more even and you could run them at a higher intensity.

 

[Peppe]

It's just the season of lighting around here these days and FINALLY we've got the data in for the Radion G5 XR15 Blue!

Let's see if multiple XR15 Blues can accomplish the same tank goals as a few XR30s in today's testing.

@randyBRS why at 12:20 the figure referring to the mounting height of 8" is not shown?

 

[randyBRS]

@randyBRS why at 12:20 the figure referring to the mounting height of 8" is not shown?

I can see how listing this would be a benefit for those who jump to the end to see our recommendation templates. I'll see if we can work that into the graphics.

I'll admit that after 5-weeks of testing and writing these, I start to feel that everyone knows what I'm talking about throughout each video and I find myself omitting some repetitive info towards the end.

 

[AlainD]

Hi @randyBRS ,
Your recommandation for a 120g full of sps is either 4 xr15 or 3 xr30 in parallèlement. As the total price is the same, i think the best solution is 3 xr30 in parallèle of the tank to have the least amont of mature sps self shading. What do you think ?

 

[shadow1013]

@randyBRS Im sure you tested it but why was 3 XR15 not recommended for SPS?

Rather disappointed that you didn’t test out three XR15s on the 4 foot tank instead of the 4. I feel like spread would have been more even and you could run them at a higher intensity.

 

[randyBRS]

Hi @randyBRS ,
Your recommandation for a 120g full of sps is either 4 xr15 or 3 xr30 in parallèlement. As the total price is the same, i think the best solution is 3 xr30 in parallèle of the tank to have the least amont of mature sps self shading. What do you think ?

With the XR15s being exactly half the price of the X30s, using 4x-XR15s winds up saving you the cost of the 3rd XR30 ($840). Not only that, but having the ability to space the XR15s more optimally across the tank winds up making XR15s my personal choice for this size of tank!

 

[randyBRS]

@randyBRS Im sure you tested it but why was 3 XR15 not recommended for SPS?

There's a hard balance to strike between what we consider "optimal" and what "we can get away with". This conversation goes back to when we recommended (3x) XR30s for the same SPS tank goals where it would seem that (2x) would have done the trick.

Over the years we've greatly expanded our knowledge about single point lighting across the hobby as a whole, so much so to the point that newer lighting technology continues to try and replicate wide/well dispersed lighting (similar to T5s) as closely as possible. I would say that the main goal for attempting to achieve this type of lighting dispersement is directly related to reducing shadow points and hard to light areas in and around large mature coral colonies. The ultimate goal being as close as a natural lighting representation as possible where instead of a single point of light coming from the sky, we actually have a very large atmosphere to act as our diffuser and create a blanket of light that envelops majority of the coral.

All that said, we keep in mind those goals when creating and testing recommendations and put together what we believe will provide the highest percentage of success...not just in those first few years of the tank when it's pretty easy to properly light 1"inch frags and small mini-colonies, but more importantly from a future focused outlook where we want to see these tanks thrive for 5, 10, 15+ years down the road when corals are bursting from the tank's seams.

In this specific case, we took that notion of splitting up essentially (2x) XR30s into (4x) XR15s and found that because we can optimally space the single point light sources more evenly across the tank, we can actually achieve those goals of 5+ year SPS dominated systems at a lower cost, but still with the main goal of a blanket of light throughout the tank that will envelop larger more mature colonies down the road.

 

[AlainD]

Yes @randyBRS , a math error on my side , but there will be the shading probleme cause by mature sps if we go with 4 xr15 ?

 

[AlainD]

Yes @randyBRS , a math error on my side , but there will be the shading probleme cause by mature sps if we go with 4 xr15 ?

Sorry you answer my question in the same time

 

[Reefman71]

Sorry you answer my question in the same time

The XR15’s give you less shadowing. More flexibility.

 

[Peppe]

I can see how listing this would be a benefit for those who jump to the end to see our recommendation templates. I'll see if we can work that into the graphics.

I'll admit that after 5-weeks of testing and writing these, I start to feel that everyone knows what I'm talking about throughout each video and I find myself omitting some repetitive info towards the end.

ok, so your final raccomandation for a 48" reef, is that of mounting 4 xr15 g5 blue whit your template, at 8" from the water surface?

 

[Reefman71]

@Peppe the XR30’s are overkill. You can have 4 XR15’s, more spread more light for the same price as 2 XR30s. XR15’s are the way to go. Tank size is irrelevant

 

[randyBRS]

ok, so your final raccomandation for a 48" reef, is that of mounting 4 xr15 g5 blue whit your template, at 8" from the water surface?

For SPS dominated goals...It sure is!

 

[Peppe]

@randyBRS when will a similar video be available for the xr15 g5 pro?

 

[randyBRS]

@randyBRS when will a similar video be available for the xr15 g5 pro?

I believe Brent will be running the battery of tests on the Xr15 Pros starting next week. He's about 3-4 weeks ahead in testing based on our schedule which means we'll probably see this one in the next 3-5 weeks.

 

[AlainD]

Hi @randyBRS, so for a 120 gallons full of mature sps, i will not have sps self shading with 4 G5 xr15. No need to put 3 xr30 in parallel of the tank ?