Lighting for 18" deep LPS tank

Jason R

Jason R

New member
I have an 18" deep 100 gallon tank and a Radion LED unit about 8 inches above the water.. Right now I only have two Zoa colonies, a small Bubble Coral, and a Goniopora frag. I've been running the Radion at around 40%. I'm not sure if this is too much or too little. The Zoa colonies only seem to exptend their polyps in the darker light cycles and the Goniopora only seems to extend polyps when the sun is hitting it through the window. The Zoas make me wonder if it is too bright but the Goniopora makes me think it is too dark.

Any suggestions? I'll do some water tests and post the parameter results tonight.
 
BADGUS

BADGUS

Active member
Correct, 1 radion will be more than enough for a section of the tank,you would need 2 or maybe 3 radions for whole tank. I suggest if you sell the radion and buy 2 generic LED lights with the same money.
 
Jason R

Jason R

New member
It's a 36" x 36"x 18" tank so I thought one Radion should be able to handle it. It's dead center in the middle of the tank.
 
BADGUS

BADGUS

Active member
It will not spread enough for the whole tank jason. Visually to our human eye there migh be enough light,but LEDs naturally have a spotlight effect even without the added optics. There is a lack of PAR in the outer perimeter of the tank. Anything outside an 18-20inch diamter out of the radion will not do too good long-term.
 
Jason R

Jason R

New member
BADGUS said:
It will not spread enough for the whole tank jason. Visually to our human eye there migh be enough light,but LEDs naturally have a spotlight effect even without the added optics. There is a lack of PAR in the outer perimeter of the tank. Anything outside an 18-20inch diamter out of the radion will not do too good long-term.
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OK. That makes sense.
 
Jason R

Jason R

New member
Lil BamBam said:
Some think Im crazy and some think other things about me... :rolleyes:

Before you decide to sell your fixture.. Try to hang it 30" or 40" of sandbed and run about 80% - 90%.. If you go 40" run at 100% or less

If you get a hold of a parr meter.. I'm sure at these heights you should be reaching 150+ on sandbed

But Gus is correct as it will not cover the whole tank.. Just a section!!
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Do you mean 30" or 40" above the sandbed?
 
Jason R

Jason R

New member
Lil BamBam said:
Since your tank is 18" of water lets just say... This means the fixture will have to be 12" above water to measure 30" from sandbed..

Hope that helps ;)

I have been doing some parr readings using my 75gal and my LED fixture.. I think most fixtures produce the same readings, but I can be wrong..
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Makes perfect sense.

I am wondering if it would help to supplement the lighting by adding a couple of A150W Kessil lights. Since they are $250 a piece I could get more over time.
 
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