Radion XR30 G5 - How Many??

karamreef117

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 26, 2020
Messages
220
Reaction score
70
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
2 is good for a four foot tank if you want to be extra safe do 2 xr30 and one XR 15 right in the middle. G5 is also powerful dont forget that so running them at the right settings and percents would give you no issues. I Hope my input helped!
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I have a 5 foot tank - I use 2 G5 30's. I have more than plenty of light. But - I'm curious, can someone explain to me (besides aesthetics), why people buy powerful lights and then set them at 40 or 50 percent. For example - I use (cant remember which one) one of the set settings, but - at the peak they are at 100%. The coverage with the G5's is fantastic. The shadowing thats there - is where I want it (i.e. under rocks). ?
 

nereefpat

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 20, 2018
Messages
7,929
Reaction score
8,687
Location
Central Nebraska
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
can someone explain to me (besides aesthetics), why people buy powerful lights and then set them at 40 or 50 percent.
I think that it's largely the fault of the LED manufacturers. There are trade-offs with each category of light. The downside to LEDs is the spread and shadowing. The big popular brands for LEDs (AI, Kessil, Ecotech) all have plenty of power, actually too much. Look at Kessil's new 500x with "narrow reflector" add-on. They are missing the point. It would be better to have several less powerful fixtures. Which is what SPS people tend to do, lots of fixtures and turn them down. Your Ecotech ones are better at spread than the other 2 brands I mentioned, since it's more of a panel and less of a single point source.
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I think that it's largely the fault of the LED manufacturers. There are trade-offs with each category of light. The downside to LEDs is the spread and shadowing. The big popular brands for LEDs (AI, Kessil, Ecotech) all have plenty of power, actually too much. Look at Kessil's new 500x with "narrow reflector" add-on. They are missing the point. It would be better to have several less powerful fixtures. Which is what SPS people tend to do, lots of fixtures and turn them down. Your Ecotech ones are better at spread than the other 2 brands I mentioned, since it's more of a panel and less of a single point source.
Right - The OP asked about Radions. IMHO with those lights - 2 is plenty! Second - I grow SPS, and have no problem with higher PAR values. The only reason I can see for using 30 percent (which I have seen here) - is if its an extremely shallow tank.
You always want to compare and take the advice of people who are doing what you did. People who have never had 8x SunPower over their acropora think that what they do will scale, but it does not once you get out of frags. One of our locals had 8 units of Gen 4 XR 30s over standard 2x2x6 180g to replace just a 5 foot 8 bulb SunPower - to be fair, he does have more light on the ends now. People who have never used one underestimate the coverage and power of SunPower and also how packed mature acropora systems can be... which is why you see so many add 4x, or more, T5s as their colonies grow... you just gotta have the coverage. They mean well, but just don't know. The Gen 5 does appear to cover better, which is why I said 4 instead of more.

If you do just get 2 of the units, then don't sell your SunPower for 6-8 months until you are sure that you like the cones of higher light, lower spots on the outside and the shadowing. It can work, especially if you strategically place things, but it is not anything like what you have now.
I agree with this - however, having said that - you're kind of a cheerleader for Halide lamps. And - I'm not sure you've seen the new Radion G5's. IMHO 2 Radion G5's on a 4 foot tank is MORE than enough - with no shadowing or problems. Unless you have compared them side by side with the halides and measured the PAR, of course its impossible to say with 100 percent surety. IMHO - it depends on the level the light is set at. So many people use LED's at 40 percent, etc - which I believe is a mistake. MH, of course, are always at '100%'
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Lets put it this way - Anyone suggesting that you need 4 G5 30 Radions for a 4 foot tank IMHO - is wrong. I mean the lights themselves are 11.8 inches in length.... That would be a complete waste of money IMO - and I have used both types of lights (MH and LED). I do have a question for the OP - what is the rationale for switching? If you're successful, and tank is doing well, etc?
 

nereefpat

7500 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 20, 2018
Messages
7,929
Reaction score
8,687
Location
Central Nebraska
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Right - The OP asked about Radions. IMHO with those lights - 2 is plenty! Second - I grow SPS, and have no problem with higher PAR values. The only reason I can see for using 30 percent (which I have seen here) - is if its an extremely shallow tank.
Yeah, I wasn't really contributing to the OP's discussion. Just a general comment about why people buy several LEDs and turn them down vs less LEDs turned all the way up. I especially agree that running lights at 30% sure seems like a waste of resources.
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Based on the BRS reviews I went with 4 XR15 instead of 2 XR30. Allows me to space them better


Yes - I read this as well - my reading of the review - is that for a 4 foot tank - 2 g5 30' fixtures is enough (which I think is what the OP asked) - for SPS and that 2 G5 15's is enough for a 4 foot tank with mostly LPS
 

Peanut

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 26, 2012
Messages
1,135
Reaction score
620
Location
Miami Beach, Florida
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes - I read this as well - my reading of the review - is that for a 4 foot tank - 2 g5 30' fixtures is enough (which I think is what the OP asked) - for SPS and that 2 G5 15's is enough for a 4 foot tank with mostly LPS

right, but 4-xr15 will give you more flexibility than 2-xr30.
 

MnFish1

10K Club member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 28, 2016
Messages
22,561
Reaction score
21,791
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
right, but 4-xr15 will give you more flexibility than 2-xr30.
I guess you're right - there is more flexibility, but the purpose of the test was to show that XR 15's were 'as good' as XR 30's. I agree you can move the lights around more. But - as it said in the video I'm one of those 'guys' that likes to keep all the lights spaced evenly - on the same settings. :)
 

oreo54

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 18, 2017
Messages
5,532
Reaction score
3,411
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah, I wasn't really contributing to the OP's discussion. Just a general comment about why people buy several LEDs and turn them down vs less LEDs turned all the way up. I especially agree that running lights at 30% sure seems like a waste of resources.
Less output more lights is a spread issue.
Led if designed well and run lower will last a looong time.
Power supplies and electrolytic caps excepted.

As an observer think much is due to "market perception".
Bunch of AI primes vs Radions.

And then there is real vs available
As a general rule of thumb, corals require the following PAR levels:
  • Soft Corals (zoanthids, palythoa, mushrooms and leathers): 50-150 PAR.
  • LPS Corals: 50-150 PAR.
  • Hard Corals (stony corals, small polyp stony): 200-500 PAR.
Jul 15, 2020
https://www.atinorthamerica.com/blog/what-is-par-and-how-much-do-i-need/

As a side note.. Nobody complains Taking a point light source such as a MH and using a small reflector to create multiple points..

Leds, IF one color would not be much different than that.

What is the perfect light considering infinite wants/needs?
 
Back
Top