Radion pro/t5 pairing question

Vmacisback · Nov 4, 2013

I plan on using 2 radion pro's and 2 80w or 54w t5's on my new tank. Since I dont have a good idea of what the radions look like over the tank and their appearance, I am wondering what bulbs would be best for the t5's. I plan on either using Geisemanns or ATI's. Please give me your suggestions on which bulb color to select that would compliment SPS the best. I was thinking a true actinic but what do I know. Thanks

Vmacisback · Nov 4, 2013

seriously no one can tell me a t5 bulb that will compliment radion pros and growth of SPS?

maharsreef · Nov 4, 2013

Hey bro, I use Rad Pros. 3 over a 200 gal. Let me tell you that the color and growth I get from my SPS and Chalices/LPS is phenomenal. Truthfully I don't know why anyone would waste time, money, energy on supplementing with T5.

Vmacisback · Nov 4, 2013

maharsreef said:
Hey bro, I use Rad Pros. 3 over a 200 gal. Let me tell you that the color and growth I get from my SPS and Chalices/LPS is phenomenal. Truthfully I don't know why anyone would waste time, money, energy on supplementing with T5.

Really? good to know! Do you think 2 Radion Pros would be enough for a 60x36x27? I have a small plastic center brace so i cant really have a 3rd in the middle or else i would.

maharsreef · Nov 4, 2013

I think you could get away with 2 of them. Especially if you hang them at least 13" from the waterline. It depends on your rock structure/ what corals you are growing. My tank is 72x30x22 high. My 3 are hanging lenghthwise, end to end. Like this - - - and right over the reef structure, where the majority of SPS is. In front of the structure is sand bed and chalices, so low par is no big deal. But I also run only 70% at 13" off the water. Hope that helps.

kracer1025 · Nov 4, 2013

I had 3 pros over my 180 and was supplementing with 4 80w t5s to get rid of the shadows caused by the LEDs. I was using 3 ati blue+ and 1 ati purple+ it looked good. I have now added 2 more pros and eliminated the t5s and am happy. 2 fixtures should cover if hung high enough but you will get some shadows.

Vmacisback · Nov 4, 2013

kracer1025 said:
I had 3 pros over my 180 and was supplementing with 4 80w t5s to get rid of the shadows caused by the LEDs. I was using 3 ati blue+ and 1 ati purple+ it looked good. I have now added 2 more pros and eliminated the t5s and am happy. 2 fixtures should cover if hung high enough but you will get some shadows.

what are the dimensions of your 180?

kracer1025 · Nov 4, 2013

72x24x24

Vmacisback · Nov 4, 2013

kracer1025 said:
72x24x24

yea the 36'' width of the tank is whats killing me and reason for the t5s

kracer1025 · Nov 4, 2013

Yeah the 24" width was causing shadows I would say at that width supplementing would be a good idea.

Vmacisback · Nov 4, 2013

kracer1025 said:
Yeah the 24" width was causing shadows I would say at that width supplementing would be a good idea.

would you say 4x80w t5s with the radion in the middle running end to end like this - ? or just 2 80w t5s?

I think 4 would for sure get the job done.

jedimasterben · Nov 4, 2013

If you're just wanting distributed light to fill the tank, use two ATI Coral Plus, then that also eliminates the need for the white and most of the colored LEDs on the Radions so you will avoid spotlighting.

I use two 39w ATI Coral Plus in addition to my LED array over my 80g tank (48"x24"x16"). The T5s are around 22-24" off the sandbed and give an even 75 PAR across it, in addition to filling the entire tank with light.

Just the two T5.

With LEDs.

kracer1025 · Nov 4, 2013

I run my radions at 100% all channels for 5 hours so it took a bit more t5s to get the look I was after. The spotlighting with them at full power was very strong. I tried 2 at first since most retro fit 80w t5 ballasts will only fire 2 bulbs and found I was still unhappy with the coverage so I added the 2nd set with my radions running like this - - - across the tank. Now I have them running | | | | | this way but it took 5 of them to get the coverage I was after.

Vmacisback · Nov 5, 2013

kracer1025 said:
I run my radions at 100% all channels for 5 hours so it took a bit more t5s to get the look I was after. The spotlighting with them at full power was very strong. I tried 2 at first since most retro fit 80w t5 ballasts will only fire 2 bulbs and found I was still unhappy with the coverage so I added the 2nd set with my radions running like this - - - across the tank. Now I have them running | | | | | this way but it took 5 of them to get the coverage I was after.

gotcha

all in all are you happy with the radions over ur sps reef? I am a halide/t5 guy and still have some reservations about the switch. Granted most of my sps are frags with some small colonies i still dont want the 3 month brown out phase. I am hoping the t5s will help with this. But overall hows ur growth and coloration with the radions?

kracer1025 · Nov 5, 2013

At first I tried the whole start with the levels low and work up but my corals started to lose color within a few days. After lots of changes I finally did opposite of what most people have recommended with LEDs and decided to run them full power and my Sps colors and growth have since improved. I'm still not 100% if they are comparable to halides/t5s but so far I've been happy now that my color has started to come back. My tank is currently full of frags due to a really bad Dino outbreak but it is making a turnaround.

Vmacisback · Nov 5, 2013

kracer1025 said:
At first I tried the whole start with the levels low and work up but my corals started to lose color within a few days. After lots of changes I finally did opposite of what most people have recommended with LEDs and decided to run them full power and my Sps colors and growth have since improved. I'm still not 100% if they are comparable to halides/t5s but so far I've been happy now that my color has started to come back. My tank is currently full of frags due to a really bad Dino outbreak but it is making a turnaround.

sorry to hear about the dyno outbreak. Well you have me some good info thank you! About how far do you keep the radions off the water?