WMAS Discussion Forum : How much light do I need?

WMAS Discussion Forum : How much light do I need? http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ Copyright (c) 2006-2013 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sun, 02 Aug 2026 04:01:06 +0000 Thu, 06 Jul 2017 11:01:14 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 12.03 360 www.utahreefs.com/forum/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=82808 <![CDATA[WMAS Discussion Forum]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/1by1.gif http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/ <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : Good clarification Jeff.You taught...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=626012&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#626012 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 06 2017 at 11:01am

Good clarification Jeff. Thumbs Up

You taught me something about Radion lights.

Kevin, I hadn't thought of it like that. If the "King of Cheap" says these new LED's are the way to go then the discussion is over. LOL

I've had tanks in the window since I started in 1993. I've always been a bit of a rebel. The books said to avoid the bright light, but then along came LeRoy Headlee with his Reef Janitors to keep algae under control. http://www.garf.org/ugly.html

I need to say that the tanks were never 100% illuminated with sunlight. They always had supplemental fluorescent and even MH light, to allow evening viewing and bring out fluorescence in the coral. I wish I had pics of all of those tanks. What few pics I do have, up to 2011, are here: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=37523

The full tank pic of the tank in the bay window (2008-09) is missing from that thread, so I'll add it below, if anyone is interested.

Aloha,

Mark

]]> Thu, 06 Jul 2017 11:01:14 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=626012&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#626012 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : Mark Peterson wrote:"Is...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=626007&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#626007 Author: Krazie4Acans
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 06 2017 at 9:36am

Mark Peterson wrote:

"Is it worth it to buy the Pro's?"

Not for a 90 gal., which is 25" tall. A tank that is than 30" would require more wattage so more light could reach the bottom.

Aloha,

Mark

Just to make sure that we are passing the full details of information please let me clarify. The Radion Pro models are not just more wattage. There is an additional channel of LED's with two additional color LED's that are not available on the non-Pro models. These additional colors help fill a specific spectrum of light needed for the proper growth and colorization of SPS corals. While you can still grow SPS under the non-pro version, most people find that the speed of growth and the colors of the corals are much less with the non-pro lights.

So while yes the Pro lights do offer additional wattage than the non-pro, it is not targeted at deeper tanks but at better spectrum. Additional depth penetration is simply a side effect of having an additional 40 watts of LED's available on the fixture.

I think your choice to go LED is a good one. The LED choices and quality have come a long way and have now proven that LED is not just a fad but a true choice in effective reef lighting.
]]> Thu, 06 Jul 2017 09:36:07 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=626007&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#626007 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : Hey thanks for the advice guys....]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=626006&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#626006 Author: speyside712
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 06 2017 at 9:10am

Hey thanks for the advice guys. If Mark recommends that I spend up and buy the LEDs then I know they must be worth it. Mark, you and are the king of the do-it-yourself, all natural, least expensive method possible. So if you think it is worth it to buy the LEDs then what more confirmation could I possibly need right? If I remember right, I once saw a post a few years ago describing a tank you had that is completely lit by the sun and sits in a bay window!

Well I better get to posting my MH fixture and ballasts for sale then....

Thanks again,

Kevin

]]> Thu, 06 Jul 2017 09:10:45 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=626006&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#626006 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : You will need 2 fixtures. The...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=626003&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#626003 Author: sabeypets
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 06 2017 at 1:43am

You will need 2 fixtures. The Radon pro is the best there is on the market.
The Kessel is my personal favorite and there is no other light that comes close to the shimmer of a kessel. They are a little behind the times as you need to buy a separate controller.
I like the AI hydra fixtures and run several on my tanks, a lot of my clients also run the AI hydra HD.]]> Thu, 06 Jul 2017 01:43:47 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=626003&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#626003 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : Sorry, I got rambling and kind...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625988&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625988 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 05 2017 at 3:47pm

Sorry, I got rambling and kind of forgot to give my best answers your specific questions.

"If I go the LED route, how much light do I need?

Considering the type and ratio of coral you want to keep, I would do two AI Hydra 26 HD fixtures/units or equivalent Radion or Kessil. Smaller wattage LED's, like the AI Prime, could be used but then they would have to be run at higher output which means that years from now as their intensity naturally decreases, you may be buying new lights sooner than you wanted. Yes, LED's lose roughly 5% intensity per year. That means in 10 years they will be less than half as bright as when brand new.

"I'm thinking of going with the ecotech radions, probably the new Gen 4's (the XR30w) since anything older is hard to find these days. Can I get away with using only 1 of these fixtures or would I need two?"

As has already been mentioned, the center brace pretty much sets the requirement to have two of those. Also note that they, as well as the Hydra 26's, should be set perpendicular to the front of the tank, rather than parallel.

"Is it worth it to buy the Pro's?"

Not for a 90 gal., which is 25" tall. A tank that is than 30" would require more wattage so more light could reach the bottom.

"What is the easiest way to mount these inside a canopy? Is it easier to use the clamps to attach them to the back of the tank, or buy a rail system, or can they hang? My canopy has cross bracing on the top which something could be hung from without too much difficulty."

You pretty much answered your own question. I typically "hang" these LED fixtures by mounting them securely to a brace using wood strips with screws and/or bolts. They are not heavy but I do not want there to be any chance of them coming loose and falling. Mounting about 8-10" above the water surface should provide good spread/coverage at the top of the aquascaping. Note that the fan intake area should be left unobstructed.

Aloha,

Mark

]]> Wed, 05 Jul 2017 15:47:40 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625988&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625988 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : We talk about using two light...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625978&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625978 Author: Mark Peterson
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 05 2017 at 9:06am

We talk about using two light fixtures over a 90 gal tank, because the center brace creates a shadow when only one MH or LED fixture is used. Fluorescent lighting does not create that shadow.

Please bear with me. I have a lot to say on this topic.

Talking about "sets" of lights is an interesting way to look at it. High Quality LED light fixtures today are produced as a "set" or rather a [hockey] "puck" in order to concentrate their output similar to the sun. These LED's do produce a shimmer in the tank that is very similar to nature. In fact, one of the tanks I maintain, an ~80 gal tank offers a good comparison for the topic of this thread.

This clients very old dual MH fixture needed a new ballast on one side. They did not want the expense of a whole new lighting system so, rather than spend another $110 on this aging dual 150W MH with t5 supplement fixture, which was also large and heavy, I fabricated a small fixture of the remaining, working MH for one side of the center brace and set up an Aqua Illumination *Hydra 26HD on the other side. I adjusted the Hydra 26 light fixture's 7 channels of different spectrum LED's (10-30% of full output) to give about the same color and intensity as the MH. To my surprise and pleasure, the LED produces a much better shimmer.

The newest high quality LED lights made by Aqua Illimination, Radion and Kessil are hands down the best artificial lighting we have ever had for our tanks. The price of these lights continues to decrease as demand and production economy increases. The old dual MH light fixture with PC/t5 supplementation originally sold for about $1200. We can get two Hydra 26HD from Boxfish here on this forum for less than $450. Retail price of the Hydra 26 HD is $299 each.

There are so many advantages to the new high quality LED fixtures and AI has made it even better with the HD light fixture's ability to connect to a computer, tablet, IPad or Smart phone as though it were a WiFi connection. It makes that connection in seconds and the complete set up takes me just 5 minutes. Rather than buy new MH bulbs or new t5 tubes, I am trashing all my old light fixtures in favor of AI LED's from Boxfish: http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82679&title=aquaillumination-led-lights-for-saleoptions

I confidently recommend the new high quality LED fixtures from those top three manufacturers. As I said over 10 years ago, "LED's will be the future of aquarium lighting". Now, the future has arrived.

Aloha,

Mark

808-345-1049

* Note: I could have used an AI Prime HD set at about 50% intensity, but I already had the Hydra 26 HD and rather than sell it to the overly thrifty client, I charge them a rental fee. Smile

P.S. The Gen1 Radion fixtures had some problems that even their programmers could not correct.

]]> Wed, 05 Jul 2017 09:06:32 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625978&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625978 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : I was planning to have a mixed...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625957&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625957 Author: speyside712
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 03 2017 at 1:27pm

I was planning to have a mixed reef with probably 50% LPS, 35% SPS, and 15% softies, an anemone or two, and I would like to have a clam on the sand bed.

So just to be clear here, when I say "will 1 Radion cut it" I am talking about the radion fixture that has 2 sets of lights. So from what i'm hearing here it sounds like I should buy two of those fixtures (for a total of 4 sets of lights).

What is the easiest way to mount these inside a canopy? Is it easier to use the clamps to attach them to the back of the tank, or buy a rail system, or can they hang?

My canopy has cross bracing on the top which something could be hung from without too much difficulty.

Edited by speyside712 - July 03 2017 at 1:28pm]]> Mon, 03 Jul 2017 13:27:37 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625957&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625957 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : I have one radion above my 28...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625953&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625953 Author: Scottyb
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 03 2017 at 11:43am

I have one radion above my 28 gallon nano and 4 AI SOLS above my150 gallon ( 6 foot tank)...]]> Mon, 03 Jul 2017 11:43:55 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625953&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625953 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : I think you will get all sorts...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625952&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625952 Author: Marcoss
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 03 2017 at 11:41am

I think you will get all sorts of opinions on lighting, however, 1 Radion will not cut it. Like the person above said, the LEDs will vary greatly on what you grow. Most can grow anything; the Radion's will grow insane corals, but so can a lot of other lights. If you are just going to do softies and LPS, you could get away with running cheap lights, what people call "Chinese Black Boxes".

Are you planning on lots of SPS?

]]> Mon, 03 Jul 2017 11:41:18 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625952&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625952 <![CDATA[How much light do I need? : I believe you will need 2 of those,...]]> http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625951&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625951 Author: Scottyb
Subject: 82808
Posted: July 03 2017 at 11:29am

I believe you will need 2 of those, but then it depends on what corals you have. Basically you need one for 2 feet of tank]]> Mon, 03 Jul 2017 11:29:41 +0000 http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=82808&PID=625951&title=how-much-light-do-i-need#625951