Is this enough PAR? Two XR30 G6 blue and two 60" reefbrite XHO

[stephanjupillat]

Future tank will be 6'Lx28"Wx26"H. I'm tall so figured I'd add 2" in height and hopefully still be able to reach the bottom.

I know three XR30 G6 blue's will be enough to light this tank for SPS. However I wanted to add two 60" reefbrites blues, 1 on each side and maybe angled in a little to prevent shadowing.

Do I really still need 3 XR30's or can I get away with 2 of them for a 6' tank? I've read people using 3 of them over 6' tank and only needing them set to 50% AB+ for SPS, and that was without the reefbrites.

 

[wculver]

For me this wasn't so much about intensity, those are able to light the tank inside the light pattern they cover. The challenge here is the length which you've already mentioned in your question. I wasn't able to get good coverage out of two and had to go with three because there would be either massive shadows on the outsides or a massive shadow in the middle, neither of which were acceptable. I would say though the additional lights above and beyond the three would be a little much. Might consider that a phase II if you feel the shadows left are too intense.

 

[stephanjupillat]

For me this wasn't so much about intensity, those are able to light the tank inside the light pattern they cover. The challenge here is the length which you've already mentioned in your question. I wasn't able to get good coverage out of two and had to go with three because there would be either massive shadows on the outsides or a massive shadow in the middle, neither of which were acceptable. I would say though the additional lights above and beyond the three would be a little much. Might consider that a phase II if you feel the shadows left are too intense.

thanks. That's what I was afraid of also. Will get 3 and maybe later add the reefbrites

 

[lakai]

Future tank will be 6'Lx28"Wx26"H. I'm tall so figured I'd add 2" in height and hopefully still be able to reach the bottom.

I know three XR30 G6 blue's will be enough to light this tank for SPS. However I wanted to add two 60" reefbrites blues, 1 on each side and maybe angled in a little to prevent shadowing.

Do I really still need 3 XR30's or can I get away with 2 of them for a 6' tank? I've read people using 3 of them over 6' tank and only needing them set to 50% AB+ for SPS, and that was without the reefbrites.

I have 4 XR30's for my 6' tank. thinking about getting another one.

 

[Robinson]

Minimum 3 and that will required planning on where are you going to place the corals (acros), 4 is good (thats what I have) 5 is perfect.

 

[stephanjupillat]

Minimum 3 and that will required planning on where are you going to place the corals (acros), 4 is good (thats what I have) 5 is perfect.

wow that's a lot. Do you have them perpendicular or something? really wide tank? pics? thanks!

 

[oreo54]

Cutoff for long vs wide placement is probably about 24" 28"-36" probably best sideways
Your tank 28"
Then 1 for every 2 linear feet.

None of this is set in stone though.

 

[Robinson]

wow that's a lot. Do you have them perpendicular or something? really wide tank? pics? thanks!

Yeah, tank is 30” wide. Radions are front to back, also have reefbrites and t5. Coverage is very good all over. Hitting 350-450 at aquascape area.

 

[stephanjupillat]

Cutoff for long vs wide placement is probably about 24" 28"-36" probably best sideways
Your tank 28"
Then 1 for every 2 linear feet.

None of this is set in stone though.

yeah I was afraid of that. 3 sideways it is. thanks!

 

[stephanjupillat]

Yeah, tank is 30” wide. Radions are front to back, also have reefbrites and t5. Coverage is very good all over. Hitting 350-450 at aquascape area.

awesome tank! That's a lot of light. Going to request 3 xr30 G6 blue put in sideways in the canopy. For a 28" wide tank I think I'll get better coverage. Just surprised you have that much for 6' x 30". AB+ I'm assuming? at what percentage? 3 at 50% I heard was enough. I'll check par when I set it up of course, but figured you would have your percentage even lower considering you have a lot more light power to choose from. And yours are G6, right?

 

[Robinson]

awesome tank! That's a lot of light. Going to request 3 xr30 G6 blue put in sideways in the canopy. For a 28" wide tank I think I'll get better coverage. Just surprised you have that much for 6' x 30". AB+ I'm assuming? at what percentage? 3 at 50% I heard was enough. I'll check par when I set it up of course, but figured you would have your percentage even lower considering you have a lot more light power to choose from. And yours are G6, right?

Thank you! They are G4 pro, running at 60% right now. Im still ramping up the hrs of the T5 (2 hrs for now). before the T5 PAR already was 350-450 on the majority of the acros with some hitting the 490-500. That was at 68% 4 radions AB+ and reefbrites. Plan is to run at 60% with the t5, I will PAR again once all is set, so far acros are responding good. Personally I think that with radions, 350-450 PAR is the sweet spot for acros, some of them color better on the upper side of that window. I just installed t he T5 as I was missing some coverage in the front and back of the tank, plus I missed what T5 spectrum brings to the acros.

It looks like a lot of light, but to be honest I hade the same 4 G4 on a 48" long tank. initially started with two and was not satisfied, when I got the third one is when the acros started to take off. Then got a four one from a friend and grow was even better. Of course intensity is set lower but that also helps with the life of the fixture and LED diodes.

This was my red sea 425xl with the four radions before I upgraded to the current tank

 

[stephanjupillat]

Thank you! They are G4 pro, running at 60% right now. Im still ramping up the hrs of the T5 (2 hrs for now). before the T5 PAR already was 350-450 on the majority of the acros with some hitting the 490-500. That was at 68% 4 radions AB+ and reefbrites. Plan is to run at 60% with the t5, I will PAR again once all is set, so far acros are responding good. Personally I think that with radions, 350-450 PAR is the sweet spot for acros, some of them color better on the upper side of that window. I just installed t he T5 as I was missing some coverage in the front and back of the tank, plus I missed what T5 spectrum brings to the acros.

It looks like a lot of light, but to be honest I hade the same 4 G4 on a 48" long tank. initially started with two and was not satisfied, when I got the third one is when the acros started to take off. Then got a four one from a friend and grow was even better. Of course intensity is set lower but that also helps with the life of the fixture and LED diodes.

This was my red sea 425xl with the four radions before I upgraded to the current tank

You liking the reef brites? Saw some videos from BRS reviewing those and XHO. They state using them alone will work and are actually better than their fluorescent counterparts.

Money shouldn’t be a stopping factor for getting the correct amount and types of lights, however 4K is a lot for 4 radions. BRS does recommend 1 radion for ever 16-18” of length for SPS.

Orphek atoms recommended height is too high for me, same as their strip lights. ATI Straton pro may never hit the US market. However duplicating T5’s with 6 reef brites XHO LED’s look like the par will be high enough, and much cheaper. 4 blues, 2 half half. $2400 vs $4000. Decisions decisions…