Ideal tank height for SPS

JasonKlink · Oct 17, 2018

I've been watching the BRS WWC you tube videos. WWC mentioned they feel part of their success is using taller tanks. I'm having a custom tank built and was going with 24" high. However, after watching these videos I'm reconsidering. I went to the LFS and looked at a 30" high tank and thought it was too tall. I've had a 300DD in the past and 27" wasn't too bad. The new tank will be SPS dominated and lit by 2 Radion XR30 Gen 4 Pro's mounted in an Aquatic Life t5 Hybrid fixture. The new tank will be 60" wide and 30" deep. I'm interested to hear what others have to say on this topic.

Hitman · Oct 17, 2018

Personally 27”-30” is perfect. I don’t think 2 XR30 Gen 4 pros will be enough though. For even spread I think 3 would be needed to prevent shadowing. I have 6 AI LED’s and 4 - 60” T5’s over my 72” and feel I have awesome spread for all my corals.

jda · Oct 17, 2018

I would choose the height based on how you plan to light it. With 30 inch depth, the XR30s are going to struggle to spread this far without the diffusers... and with the diffusers, then the penetration will not be as good. I do not think that a single XR30 can handle 30x30x[27x30] in a SPS tank... 24 might be better... or more units.

Also consider what your arm length is. I can handle 27" too, but I have a 36" tank next and it looks like a real bear to mount stuff.

I would not look into WWC too much for your tank. They have different goals than you do and different techniques. Unless you want to run your Radions at 100% all the time and raise them way up high, then what they are doing will not matter too much to you. There are other hobbyists that use Radions with T5s that are a great source of knowledge that might help more. What they do can work, but you have to do all that they do, not just some of it.