Reef tank looks horrible with Radions. Is it me, or the best it gets, or????

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bigfish1152

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Hybrid them. I have a aquatic life 4x t5 and two radion G5 Xr15s. No complaints. Still trying to play around with the right t5 bulb combos but very very happy.

I was really really hoping the G4's wwould be all I needed, but, hybrids is looking about the direction its gonna go. BRS rents par meters, I wonder if they would rent me some lights, lol? Would like to see the G5's and Kessils "on my" tank before buying them now that I can compare them to G4's.
 

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I have had radions /kessil/ai/ and metal halides . In my new setup I went mh just move the look and my second Fabius the kessil . I would say if not happy sell them and find somthing you really like and if money is no abject and opens up a lot of options. The only light I hate is any of the ai lights
 

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I was really really hoping the G4's wwould be all I needed, but, hybrids is looking about the direction its gonna go. BRS rents par meters, I wonder if they would rent me some lights, lol? Would like to see the G5's and Kessils "on my" tank before buying them now that I can compare them to G4's.
I started off with my G5’s. They were ok but my tank really popped when I turned on the t5s. Almost lost my frogspawns at first because I didn’t acclimate properly but now they are happy and fluffy. Only thing I don’t like is the extra heat in my office, but I adjusted
 

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I have to agree with you. A very reputable LFS in queens nyc had them on a display tank. And I hate to say it but while the tank looked good it also looked artificial. They are a great piece of equipment but something always looked off to me about radion.
To be fair you have to take seeing them in use by any LFS with a pinch of salt. Unless they let you alter them. These are customizable lights and each user is going to have a different taste in schedules. They may (likely) have been using a really poor schedule trying to make their corals glow the most to sell - Thats not a level set by the Radions, or one most people would use daily. Just guessing of course but most shops using them use them in a way to make their coral look ridiculous rather than the way we all would normally.

To the OP - What schedule are you using, have you tried setting your own levels or have you done what most do and just picked a preset template and disliked it? Most use AB+ with Radions but i am not a fan of the look myself. But a custom set shcedule and levels gives me a sweet spot that i am perfectly happy with.
 

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I started off with my G5’s. They were ok but my tank really popped when I turned on the t5s. Almost lost my frogspawns at first because I didn’t acclimate properly but now they are happy and fluffy. Only thing I don’t like is the extra heat in my office, but I adjusted
That extra heat is killer. I just installed hybrid beginning of this summer and definitely notice my ac having harder time keeping up during the day. Looks like it’s time to have 25 year old ac unit replaced.
 

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That extra heat is killer. I just installed hybrid beginning of this summer and definitely notice my ac having harder time keeping up during the day. Looks like it’s time to have 25 year old ac unit replaced.
Try pulling it off in Arizona. Anything more than leds is not even an option for me in the summer. The house already has two ACs and a $400 electric bill.
 

((FORDTECH))

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Try pulling it off in Arizona. Anything more than leds is not even an option for me in the summer. The house already has two ACs and a $400 electric bill.
Oh wow never even thought about that in the warmer climates. I’ve only got to deal with it about 2-3 month out if the year. It I do share the 400$ electric bills with you already between the ac and all my tanks and the pool :(
 

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The pool and the tanks are worth it! I just can't handle the heat pumped out by MH.
Hell yea they are will be jumping in the pool in next 2 hours it’s over 90 here today and that’s why I opted t5 over mh with my g5s but still a ton of heat comes off them
 

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The pool and the tanks are worth it! I just can't handle the heat pumped out by MH.
I will be installing new ac and furnace this next month along with a erv to assist in lowering inside co2. The erv has one fresh air inlet and 1 stale air output. Was thinking about pulling stale hot air out from under my canopy to shoot it outside. Only issue is I would like that warm air left inside for winter so would have to move or switch stale air duct every season.
 

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I will be installing new ac and furnace this next month along with a erv to assist in lowering inside co2. The erv has one fresh air inlet and 1 stale air output. Was thinking about pulling stale hot air out from under my canopy to shoot it outside. Only issue is I would like that warm air left inside for winter so would have to move or switch stale air duct every season.
You would need some of damper valve system to switch exhaust locations.
 
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bigfish1152

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To be fair you have to take seeing them in use by any LFS with a pinch of salt. Unless they let you alter them.

To the OP - What schedule are you using, have you tried setting your own levels or have you done what most do and just picked a preset template and disliked it? Most use AB+ with Radions but i am not a fan of the look myself. But a custom set shcedule and levels gives me a sweet spot that i am perfectly happy with.

Also, remember, the shops are not running with the lights off. A lot of them have other artificial lights around that will add and throw off the true look of the LED fixture.

Because they say (here we go again, lol) AB setting is the best for coral growth, I set the lighting to that. That "tank color" actually looks good from "afar", but, like I said, doesnt give the tank a warm blanket covered look alone. With one white-ish T5-ho in the back, it of course makes the tank less blue but blankets the corals like I think they should be.

Sadly, I was hoping for that blanketed look from just the G4's, and, since I didnt get it after all the raves, THAT is what has me a little bent. I mean, if I was okay with LEDs like all the others "think" their tanks look good (just kidding people, calm down!!), I could have been in the swing a long time ago and moved on to bigger things in life. As of now, I am still stuck back in 2012. ;Meh

I guess I have to admit, I am inching closer.
 
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bigfish1152

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I will be installing new ac and furnace this next month along with a erv to assist in lowering inside co2. The erv has one fresh air inlet and 1 stale air output. Was thinking about pulling stale hot air out from under my canopy to shoot it outside. Only issue is I would like that warm air left inside for winter so would have to move or switch stale air duct every season.

Make sure you install 2 dampers if you do. That way you can switch between the 2.
 

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I like halides because they look like the sun. I like T5s because everything grows. I like LEDs because colours pop and they are programmable. I think the best fixture would have all 3...
 

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In our hobby you have choices on "the look". The problem is if you want to sell corals you have to have the bluer color that makes liverock look extremely purple and greens that look ultra bright green. Sometimes I miss my MH look but I don't miss the bulky fixtures or all the heat.
sps.jpg
300 with mh on R.jpg
or this
12Crystaline 2-21-16 R.JPG
 
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bigfish1152

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When LEDs came out, I was toying with how to mount them side by side with the Halides so I could use Halides in the winter to get that look AND heat the house.

Would def have to do some kind of canopy, or blind on that fixture. However, I do need that middle frogspawn though, lol.
 
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Dolphins18

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Half the people with the negative comments probably weren't in the hobby when halides and t5s were the go to.
I agree they look better, but LEDs are awesome. Less heat, no bulb changing, etc.
I've been quite happy with aquaillumination, used them for many years now. Not sure why radion feels the need to come out with a different model every year, maybe because when the older ones break the customers are forced to get a "discount" on the new model.
 
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