Radions XR15G4 visual light question

[saintsreturn]

I have tried searching different words and ideas on what this is, but I haven't found a before and after example of how to fix the attached. Essentially, I can see my light in the water. I kept telling myself I didn't care, but I do.

Is there a way to fix this? I am going to buy shorter bolts to raise my lights, but the inch gained probably won't do much. I thought they were already diffused, but is that what I need?

 

[Daniel Waters]

Raising the lights will help. Diffusers would help also.

 

[oreo54]

Add 3 more.. (just kidding)
Looks like you got those things barely an 1" off the tank top..
Diffusers will help but not enough at that height or even like an inch more..and at $45 each.. well
Think recommended height is about 9" off the water line for like an 18" cone spread....

W/ the shortness of your hood it's going to be a bit of an issue.. sorry to say.
Don't believe you can go "backwards" and get 120 degree gen3 lenses and believe they are sort of discontinued anyways..

honest opinions in no part order and no consideration of hassle/cost:
1)cut holes in hood and get em up higher. (add second "tier" to hood)
Would need to cut away a fairly sizeable chunk of top
1a)New taller top.
2)add more
3) get as high as you can and think "not horizontal".. Toe them in a bit..see if anything works..Center will be more uniform, edges will drop off faster.
4) add one more w 3 diffusers
5) Remove lens
6) remove lens and get diffusers (replace w/ matte or clear "something" as an option
7) raise as high as you can.. Get diffuser acrylic or diffusion film and put on glass top (if present)
8) Replace w/ Orphek Atlantic w/ wide lenses.

All have their plusses and minuses and some aren't "exactly" predictable..


120 degree lenses at about 4" off the water line will get you about 2 14-16" cones and then spread l/r according to taste..
Briefly checking your build didn't exactly see any dimensions of tank (didn't look long or hard)

Really nice lights (even diffusion) but too narrow for the setup..

Would add take top off hood, hang lights but pretty sure that wouldn't be considered..

 

[Thingsibuild]

Higher then defuser if needed. I have two on my 75g its 48" long and the spread is decent. I will add third but I also run t5. But without t5 on with no defuser 10" above water it's not bad.

 

[saintsreturn]

Thank you all. I know I am below the recommended hight, but I figured I cannot be the only one in a canopy.

The bolts are way to long, but it was a guess on the initial setup. My other plan is to scrap my rail design and put them higher in the canopy, but then I lose them at center on the tank.

Always something

 

[cincyfishguy]

How tall is your canopy? Could you move those center braces to keep them centered? From the pic it looks like you could gain 5 or so inches from the current position?

Could always add a aquatic life t5 fixture to fill in the shadows?

 

[Daniel Waters]

Thank you all. I know I am below the recommended hight, but I figured I cannot be the only one in a canopy.

The bolts are way to long, but it was a guess on the initial setup. My other plan is to scrap my rail design and put them higher in the canopy, but then I lose them at center on the tank.

Always something

Even moving them up a couple of inches will help. And you can always shift them slightly towards the edges if your center brace causes shadows. Adding T5s is always a great combination with LEDs. One T5 bulb on each side would be plenty to fill everything in and also helps reduce the slight disco ball effect that radions can have.

Or you could use this as an excuse to create yourself a new canopy! Better yet, turn it into a floating canopy!

 

[saintsreturn]

Love that look and that's what I wanted. I was out voted. Wife pulled her extra vote to make sure I stuck with the original canopy.

Even moving them up a couple of inches will help. And you can always shift them slightly towards the edges if your center brace causes shadows. Adding T5s is always a great combination with LEDs. One T5 bulb on each side would be plenty to fill everything in and also helps reduce the slight disco ball effect that radions can have.

Or you could use this as an excuse to create yourself a new canopy! Better yet, turn it into a floating canopy!