How many Radions X15 Blues for my SPS tank?

[Peluche]

Hi,

I will be receiving a new tank Friday, and here are the dimensions.

Dimensions of my new tank: 48 x 15 ( and 17.5 inches from bottom to top ) ( 65.4 gallons with AIO sump )

I want this to be an SPS dominated tank, with a few Gonios and a few Torches on the sides.

Radions will be mounted 8-9 inches above the water.

How many Radions X-15 G6 Blues would you recommend?

Thank you!

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

More than you think.

I recommend going with the xr30. I wish I had. I thought 2 xr15s would work better than an xr 30 for 50 gallon cube but I ended up needing a 3rd xr15…….and I’m still not happy. I have to crank 2 of them to 100% to get >250 par.

 

[Peluche]

More than you think.

I recommend going with the xr30. I wish I had. I thought 2 xr15s would work better than an xr 30 for 50 gallon cube but I ended up needing a 3rd xr15…….and I’m still not happy. I have to crank 2 of them to 100% to get >250 par.

I thought the X30 was more appropriate for tanks deeper than 24 inches? But mine is 18 inches. So you recommend two X30s?

 

[stephj03]

4

 

[Peluche]

4

 

[Peluche]

Makes me wonder if I am not better off, considering costs, ordering two Kessils AP9.

 

[90's reefer]

With a 15" tank you could easily use 3. I run 4 on my 80g 48x24x16.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

With a 15" tank you could easily use 3. I run 4 on my 80g 48x24x16.
View attachment 3061501

G6’s or G5’s? G6s deliver significant less par than the g5s

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

I thought the X30 was more appropriate for tanks deeper than 24 inches? But mine is 18 inches. So you recommend two X30s?

Yes. If you want to do wall to sps you’ll eventually need the xr30s anyway. Start with them and reduce their output until you need to adjust them. Honestly I hate the 9” mounting heights and wish I had just went with hydras 64s so I could keep my old 16” mounts

 

[Peluche]

So I will probably go for two X30 Blues. Thanks. Anyone else thinks this too? Or not?

 

[90's reefer]

G6’s or G5’s? G6s deliver significant less par than the g5s

G5's running full ab+ with lunar.
My tanks 16". Surface to rack is 12.5". Mine have plenty of par but I do need to measure it one day.

 

[90's reefer]

So I will probably go for two X30 Blues. Thanks. Anyone else thinks this too? Or not?

2 30's will work just fine, imo.

 

[Peluche]

I will play devil's advocate here. What advantages would two Radion 30 blues give me over two Hydras 32?

More led colors available? Remember, my tank will be only 17.5 inches deep. Those two Radions will be double the price.

My current 15 gallon tank is SPS dominated, and I have only one Prime 16HD on it, with whites peaking only at 67%. And the SPS look great.

 

[stephj03]

XR30 will give the benefit of nearly double the wattage... I would consider 32hds an alternative to xr15s and 64hds an alternative to XR30

Unfortunately, there isn't really a light that vastly outperforms its wattage. And, roughly the same marketing/hype gets put into every brand. You will still need essentially the same number of watts worth of LED lighting from any brand/model.

For your footprint, if you meant SPS dominant as non-slimers/stag/pocci/stylo/digi acropora down to the sand with a few torches and gonies on the sides, I would be thinking in the 350-450 watt range

Even when labelled "SPS rating" and even when provided by BRS, and even when hyped at release by a notable hobbyist or coral vendor here or on social media, you end up needing more units than the "reccomended rating" for a home aquarium with designer acros on the sand.

 

[stephj03]

The bigger difference is what kind of SPS system you want to keep, and what you want the tank to look like when viewing.

When you say SPS dominant: Does this include birdsnest, stags, slimers, pavona, motipora digis, stylo, pocci? Or do you envision high end /designer tenuis, tables etc? When you say torches and gonis on the side, about how many inches in each side would you devote? How much SPS would be mounted in the bottom 1/3rd of the tank.

Do you prefer an even blanket of light or are you okay having parts of the tank look dimmer than others?
How big of a deal is shimmer to you? Are you ok with a little bit of disco ball? Do you prefer a flatter T5 style or more of a MH type shimmer?


If you are okay with a few dim areas, either on the edges or in between lights, and you are okay confining non-slimer/stag acropora to the middle 2/3 of the tank, then I think three xr15/32hd/360x or two xr30/64hd/ap9x will serve you well.

But if you look at Charlie's tank and see long term goals, plan to add more watts IMO.

 

[Peluche]

XR30 will give the benefit of nearly double the wattage... I would consider 32hds an alternative to xr15s and 64hds an alternative to XR30

Unfortunately, there isn't really a light that vastly outperforms its wattage. And, roughly the same marketing/hype gets put into every brand. You will still need essentially the same number of watts worth of LED lighting from any brand/model.

For your footprint, if you meant SPS dominant as non-slimers/stag/pocci/stylo/digi acropora down to the sand with a few torches and gonies on the sides, I would be thinking in the 350-450 watt range

Even when labelled "SPS rating" and even when provided by BRS, and even when hyped at release from a notable hobbyist or coral vendor here or on social media, you end up needing more units than the "reccomended rating" for a home aquarium with designer acros on the sand.

The bigger difference is what kind of SPS system you want to keep, and what you want the tank to look like when viewing.

When you say SPS dominant: Does this include birdsnest, stags, slimers, pavona, motipora digis, stylo, pocci? Or do you envision high end /designer tenuis, tables etc? When you say torches and gonis on the side, about how many inches in each side would you devote? How much SPS would be mounted in the bottom 1/3rd of the tank.

Do you prefer an even blanket of light or are you okay having parts of the tank look dimmer than others?
How big of a deal is shimmer to you? Are you ok with a little bit of disco ball? Do you prefer a flatter T5 style or more of a MH type shimmer?


If you are okay with a few dim areas, either on the edges or in between lights, and you are okay confining non-slimer/stag acropora to the middle 2/3 of the tank, then I think three xr15/32hd/360x or two xr30/64hd/ap9x will serve you well.

But if you look at Charlie's tank and see long term goals, plan to add more watts IMO.

Those are great points indeed. I was thinking about acros on top third, with other SPS in the middle, and some montis lower down there, with Torches and Gonis in the sand. I think you have pretty well nailed it down. Thank you, very appreciated.

 

[Peluche]

Would you guys recommend a diffuser, for my new tank, on those two X30 Blues?

 

[Spare time]

3 would be enough. Remember, sps don't need insane par values, and blue light requires far less "par" to be very intense. People on this forum often think sps need to be blasted with light. It's funny, given that sps tolerate high light, rather than thrive in it.

 

[Peluche]

3 would be enough. Remember, sps don't need insane par values, and blue light requires far less "par" to be very intense. People on this forum often think sps need to be blasted with light. It's funny, given that sps tolerate high light, rather than thrive in it.

I also appreciate this different view. I have a single Prime HD on my current 15 gallon tank, and it is an SPS dominated tank. Purple Bonsai, Orange Passion, Myagani Tort, Digitatas, etc. ... even one Walt Disney higher up on my rocks. The whites peak at 67% only. Mind you the Walt Disney is not crazy colored, but he is colored....and has been in my tank for about 4 months now. On the other hand, my PC Rainbow is very colorful. With a single Prime 16HD!

 

[c_healy]

So I will probably go for two X30 Blues. Thanks. Anyone else thinks this too? Or not?

I run 2 xr15s on my 80 gallon shallow tank but I also have t5s on for about 3 hrs a day.