Radion XR30Ws for LPS and softies in a Red Sea reefer 625XXL

[Firedawg1983]

I’m looking at upgrading lighting and starting to add some LPS to my tank. Question is what are your thoughts on using only two xr30w pro gen 4s? I’ve seen a 625XXL with only two but not sure on his results. Looking for opinions and options. Thank you

Brian

 

[James M]

IMO that is enough light

 

[Firedawg1983]

IMO that is enough light

Thank you James!

 

[rednation]

I only had two on my 625xxl and my tank is mostly SPS and everything was healthy and growing fine. I did have some shadowing in my tank but nothing that bad. I recently added a 48inch aquatic life t5 fixture and its a perfect setup now i feel like.

 

[fabutahoun]

For LPS 2 Radions xr30w pro gen 4 will be enough, you can also add SPS in the areas that receive strong light. I would recommended to add the diffusers to your radions, as I found that they minimize shadowing and have better color mixing and can increase the spread a bit.

 

[Firedawg1983]

For LPS 2 Radions xr30w pro gen 4 will be enough, you can also add SPS in the areas that receive strong light. I would recommended to add the diffusers to your radions, as I found that they minimize shadowing and have better color mixing and can increase the spread a bit.

I’m definitely getting the diffusers with them! Thank you!

 

[Firedawg1983]

I only had two on my 625xxl and my tank is mostly SPS and everything was healthy and growing fine. I did have some shadowing in my tank but nothing that bad. I recently added a 48inch aquatic life t5 fixture and its a perfect setup now i feel like.

I figure worst case if I have shadowing I’ll put a 15 in the middle and a 30 on each side. Thank you for the feedback!

 

[Firedawg1983]

Any thoughts on 15s? Better spread of light. If so 3 or 4

 

[Daniel Waters]

Any thoughts on 15s? Better spread of light. If so 3 or 4

If you don't mind the extra cords and mounting, I'd recommend XR15s (pros) over the XR30s. It allows you to spread the pucks out farther, which helps with spread / reducing hot spots. For an LPS and softie tank, you can get by with 3 units with no issues, as the units will give you sufficient par for those types of corals (you can always add another later if you want). Acros and other SPS and clams would require more pucks. I'd still recommend the diffusers even though I don't think you will have to worry about hot spots as much with the XR15s. They will just give you more even spread and will reduce the shimmer somewhat and the disco ball effect that the radions can have (although the radions aren't that bad about disco ball versus some other LEDs).

 

[Firedawg1983]

If you don't mind the extra cords and mounting, I'd recommend XR15s (pros) over the XR30s. It allows you to spread the pucks out farther, which helps with spread / reducing hot spots. For an LPS and softie tank, you can get by with 3 units with no issues, as the units will give you sufficient par for those types of corals (you can always add another later if you want). Acros and other SPS and clams would require more pucks. I'd still recommend the diffusers even though I don't think you will have to worry about hot spots as much with the XR15s. They will just give you more even spread and will reduce the shimmer somewhat and the disco ball effect that the radions can have (although the radions aren't that bad about disco ball versus some other LEDs).

Thanks Daniel! I was trying to look over the tank and space them out and I think 3 will do. I’m going to put diffusers on them as well so it shouldn't be too bad. Only reason I asked about the 15s is they may be the only ones going on sale for Black Friday

 

[Daniel Waters]

Thanks Daniel! I was trying to look over the tank and space them out and I think 3 will do. I’m going to put diffusers on them as well so it shouldn't be too bad. Only reason I asked about the 15s is they may be the only ones going on sale for Black Friday

You will be good with 3 of the XR15 pros. In fact, if you aren't doing acros or high light corals, I'd mount them higher also. The diffusers will really help with even spread, but I'd still mount them as high as you can (12"+ would probably be good). When I had my XR15 pros, I could get about 30" spread but that was at a mounting height of 16". You lose par, but with Lps and softies, you don't need much par anyway

 

[Firedawg1983]

You will be good with 3 of the XR15 pros. In fact, if you aren't doing acros or high light corals, The diffusers will really help with even spread, but I'd still mount them as high as you can (12" probably be good). When I had my XR15 pros, I could get about 30" spread but that was at a mounting height of 16".

Did you mount them yourself or use the rms mounts?

 

[Daniel Waters]

Did you mount them yourself or use the rms mounts?

I had mine in a canopy with my T5s. I also had kessils. I sold the radions and kept the kessils to supplement my 6 bulb ATI T5 fixture. I preferred the shimmer and blending from my kessils but the radions were more powerful. You won't have color blending issues with the diffusers on and should mute the shimmer to a more pleasing level (in my opinion).

I'm not familiar with the mounts, but I think they look nice (and I like them better than the kessil goosenecks). I think the mounts may be a fixed height. Raising the lights isn't that important, though, as the diffusers will mostly achieve the same thing

 

[Firedawg1983]

That’s what I was thinking is they do not extend so with the fixed height and diffusers it should be a decent spread for the corals and shouldn’t bleed out into the room. Thanks for all the help! Now I need to start reading up on programming and intensities

 

[Firedawg1983]

Here’s a pic of the setup. Nice spread. I like the diffusers. Just put hammers, frogspawn, torches and acans in this past weekend.

 

[Daniel Waters]

Here’s a pic of the setup. Nice spread. I like the diffusers. Just put hammers, frogspawn, torches and acans in this past weekend.

Looks good. I like the scape. Did you go with XR15s ?

 

[Firedawg1983]

Looks good. I like the scape. Did you go with XR15s ?

Thank you! Yes I went with the XR15s

 

[uhupong]

Thank you! Yes I went with the XR15s

How do you mount the middle light?

 

[Firedawg1983]

How do you mount the middle light?

The Red Sea overflow lid has a notched out area that you can cut out. It fits the mounting arm through there. Made a cut out for the screen top as well

 

[uhupong]

Can you take some pics when possible?