Is the difference worth it? Radion XR15 G5 Blue vs. Radion XR30 Blue G5
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 30 ก.ค. 2024
- Which Radion G5 Blue is right for you? Will the XR15 Blue at half the cost of a XR30 Blue wind up saving you $$ for trying to achieve the same tank type? Today we run the full BRStv Investigates light test of the Radion XR15 Blue and find out if multiple XR15s can beat out a few XR30s for the same job!
#BRStvInvestigates #BRStv
Using multiple XR15s can actually get the job done AND save you cash!
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So after today's data, which one would you go with? XR15 Blue or XR30 Blue??
XR15 Blue to replace my XR30 g2 on my old RSM130D
XR15 blue with my aquatic life t5 on my 40 gallon AIO innovative Marine
multiple XR15s 8)
Neither
Can you ever make a video on lights that are actually affordable to the everyday reefer and that achieve great growth and coloration
You guys rock, ill never be able to afford lights like that , but thanks to you guys y'all make dreaming fun. Great video
Great video guys!
Many thanks Randy you’ve answered my questions 😀👍🏴
Would love to see a version of this for the G4 also if at all possible. Really helpful information.
How this channel doesn’t have a few million subs is beyond me
would really have loved to see the testing on 3 fixtures, especially for mixed reef as i would assume the spacing and intensity would change to achieve PAR50 bottom and PAR300+ at the top.
Hi guys, love your work as always but miss the data points in your old lighting videos. Specifically, those that showed PAR (at 100% all channels and 100% AB+) at graduated depths. This allows you to make informed decisions as to whether the light would work for your specific tank type. For example, what intensity would one have to run on a 2x2 cube mixed reef tank which you alluded to in the video
How would you scale the spacing and fixture count for larger tanks ? I have an SPS 6 foot tank
Hi Randy,
I have a 60 gallon cube tank and the Dimensions are; 19”L x 24"W x 24"H, which Radiun Gen 5 you recommend to grow successfully SPS and LPS?
I am confused on the SPS 4 fixtures spacing (time 12:06) how 2x XR15 on each side of the tank create a lower PAR par in the narrow space between them, by my calculation 9.2 inches (ie the two on the left hand side , and the two on the right hand side) than they do in the larger space in the centre of the tank, by my calculation 13.6 inch space. It doesn’t intuitively seem correct that the larger space has a higher PAR than the smaller space.
Do you have a logical explanation for this?
Would 2 XR15 blues along with T5 Aquatic Life fixture work for an SPS tank?
Nice, thanks for the comparison. Writing that script to clearly describe what you were attempting to describe must've been difficult.
Even with the much improved lenses I just don't see how the XR30 beats multiple XR15s. It's a limitation of a point source of light.
I am already very hyped about my 3 XR15 Pro. I have a 40x20inch tank. I think this is an optimal number, so you can hold any coral.
those are cool dimensions. what brand of tank is that?
For a 96x30x24 tank how many lights do you guys recommend
Love the new light video format. I have a 6 foot tank that I'm planning. What would be the best spacing? Looking for SPS dominant . Thanks!
It's really hard to guess what spacing will be like outside of what we tested on the 120gal system. The variables like reflection off the glass or intersection points from the different light sources come into play and change dynamically when you add in more light fixtures to cover a larger area. In this case for tank sizes outside of what we test, I highly recommend following a testing procedure similar to what we use and test your specific tank with PAR meter. It doesn't have to be as exact or "scientific" as the way we do it, but using our method will get you pointed in the right direction!
Can u help me what is better led kessil 360 or the ecotech xr15 g5 thanks for help me
U inspired me to keep a reef tank. I have a 120 mixed reef tank. It is about a year old. I’m 12 years old.
Heck yea dude
Fellow 12 year old here, I have a 120 mixed reef too!
@@jbtrades69 nice! Keep going!
Will one XR15 blue be enough for a innovation marine 30 gallon long?
This information is game changing! 👍 would 3 be enough for 6 foot mixed reef tank with my t5s as supplemental light?
likely, with t5''s, yes
how would you space 8 xr15 over 96x24x24 tank?
Merci pour cette vidéo !!! 👍👍👍
Thank you for such a great review, you guys are great. I would like to get your recommendation for these lights on a 125g 72 1/2" x 18 1/2" x 23"? I plan on having softs, LPS, and anemones. Thank you.
For softies, LPS, and anemones, one XR15 per 2' x 2' area will be perfect. In your case, that would mean 3 XR15's for your 6 foot long tank :)
@@BRStv perfect that is what I had in mind. Would you be able to tell me the height above the water line that I need to have them, as well as would I space them out evenly or at different spacing?
Is the "mounting height" test based off of 15% light loss compared to the initial 6" measurements? If so, why start at 6"? Also, at what depth are the measurements taken? Thanks!
The mounting height testing par is 6 inches deep in the tank. For spacing, we look at the middle of the tank or 12 inches. The reason we start the light loss at 6" off the top of the tank is that we assume that is the minimum height anyone would mount it. That makes it a good starting point :)
What depth below the water were the measurements? One clip showed the sensors at 12" is that where the numbers reported here were taken?
For the mounting height, we test at the top of the tank where it is the most difficult to distribute light with a single light. Top meaning 6 inches deep in the tank. For the multiple light spacing, we look for something that resembles an average point in the tank which is the middle or 12 inches in the tank.
Great review as always! How do you think 3 would do on a 4x2x2 SPS dominant tank?
There is some middle ground but we feed 2 for a LPS and 4 for a SPS tank is ideal.
Hi, thanks for the great informative videos👍🏻
At that video you used the ab+ template on the lps tank as well.
Is that you recommendation for LPS tank or should I use Mobius LPS/Softies tamplate?
Do you have your own LPS template you can share?
Red Sea 170 Max LOS tank, Radion G5 XR15 Blue.
We used the AB+ settings in this video for our BRS Recommended settings
Would have liked to see what 3 would have done. But thank you for the test
Somewhere between the 2 and 4 ;-)....I would bet numbers would even skew closer to the 4 fixture numbers since spread would be much better than 2 since you are adding 50% more to the equation.
My question as well, since there appears to be spare room (for the intensity).
Asked for three fixture setups during the last light test but haven’t seen any videos covering this obviously popular question... c’mon BRS the public wants to know!
can probably get a pretty close guess just by splitting the difference :) We have decided rather than showing every last configuration it's more helpful to just show what our testing determines is best. However, also show the data so you can make some close estimates of other configurations.
@@BRStv Are you saying that 3 were tested and deemed insufficient?
Do you have any data that would help me make a decision to add my glass tops for a JBJ45? I like them for reducing evaporation, and keeping jumpers in. Not sure how it effect last par?
We've not tested par loss with glass, but I think it's safe to say that glass tops will absolutely negatively impact par, especially as they get dirty and condensation builds up.
Great job Randy! Please do xr g4 pros. Most of us just recently bought these lights it would be nice to know the BRS recommended settings.
they are testing the g4's now and it will be released in future weeks.
Bulk Reef Supply
that is so awesome! Thank you!
I have a 5ft tank and just got 2 xr15 blue. Does par matter if there are no corals or can I just adjust overall intensity to my liking regardless if its 20% or 100%? I do plan to give corals a try in the distant future so would it be beneficial at all to the fish to set it up how it would be so everything stays fluid? Thanks
Lighting is much less important if you don't have corals. Just keep in mind that brighter light could equal more fuel for algae growth.
Hey bud first off love the vid very informative but I had to ask. I have a 36x36 cube tank and was wondering what you would suggest for lighting options. I have a reef aquarium with both soft and hard corals. I was thinking to maximize on the cube tank by getting 2 XR15 pro's or would the XR30's be too much or should I just lower the intensity??? Plz and thx u 🙏
The nice thing about LED's is that you can always turn them down. My suggestion would be to run 4 XR15's before considering two XR30's. Aside from mounting, it would be roughly the same cost and you could run the four XR15's in a square pattern (two in back, two in front) to best cover that tank. From there, just turn down the intensity to meet your par needs
@@BRStv wowww I actually never even thought of that great advice thx u!! 🙏🙏🙏
Hi, is one xr15 good for a 30 Gal 3ft long tank? I have softies and lps only. I currently use two t8 fixtures actinic blue 350 max par and everything seems very happy. Mainly have Acans, zoas, gps, some leathers and frogspawns
A single XR30 doesn't quite have the spread for a 3 foot long tank. If you're only trying to grow softies and LPS, you might consider two smaller lights like two of the AI Prime 16's.
When you did the test with 2 XR15s at either end of the tank 13" from the edge, what way are the lights facing...edge with more lights parallel with short side of tank or other way
This test was done with the buttons on the top of the light towards the front of the tank. Although, we wouldn't expect drastically different results if you were to rotate the light 90 degrees.
I have an xr15 g5 blue on a 24x24 x 20” tall tank. Its mounted on an rms arm.
Should i put my overall intensity at 50%? I have LPS and softies and anemones.
Following. I have the same question, except I also have some sps at the top/ central section of the tank: montis, accros but it’s mostly LPS
Do you have an exact spacing figuration for the XR15's if you have a 32 x 24 x 24h mixed reef tank? I would assume you'd need two of them.
We didn't test that particular tank size, but if I had to make an educated guess based on the ratios used in the 120 gallon test tank, I would mount each light approx 8.5" from the end of the tank to the center of the light fixture.
That 8” mounting par graph is insane for the cube. I almost want to set up my cube and buy one just cause it looks so pretty. Also, I would love to see a product spotlight on the new reef brite add-on strips
we are doing a investigates on those strips next month :)
Bulk Reef Supply awesome!! Thanks for all the work y’all are doing. It’s crazy to me that the manufacturers don’t put out videos for their own products.
Are the par values collected on the bottom of the tank or at the water line?
For the mounting height, we test at the top of the tank where it is the most difficult to distribute light with a single light. Top meaning 6 inches deep in the tank. For the multiple light spacing, we look for something that resembles an average point in the tank which is the middle or 12 inches in the tank.
I'd love to see details for nano setups
Wanted to get a water box marine x 90.3 3 footer
But since they can’t be mounted on the center do you guys think 2 XR15s will be a better choice?? Really wanted a xr30
For a 3 foot tank, two XR15s are a better choice than a single XR30
Hello I saw this video and immediately purchased the XR15. I have glass tops on my tank. Will they hinder and or affect the overall performance of the XR15?
You should expect to see some loss in par from the condensation build up on your glass top. How much of a drop will depend on how clean you keep them as well as the thickness of the glass.
@@BRStv Thank you for replying back so quickly. The lids are the typical generic tops sold at the fish store. They are clean but I was afraid that the performance would be affected because all of the tanks that are displayed with the XR15 don't have tops. I hope my fish stay inside the tank; I will remove the lids because the XR15s are expensive and I don't want to have them under-performing.
Hey man you mentioned in the video that if you’re leaning towards more SPS dominate and acrapora tank to lean towards the pro but I was already leaning towards the blues because of the Color pop I want to achieve. With that said my tank is a 3‘ x 18“ x 24” deep do you think I’d be able to do a mix coral reef tank with two xr15 gen 5 Blues being a slightly skinnier tank?
Absolutely. Two XR15's with that tank's dimensions will be perfect for a mixed reef
@@BRStv as far as if I like the acropora, montis, sps n lean heavier there, will the two xr15 BLUES suffice? I really like the blue pop and don’t know if I’llwant to use the whites as much as I’ll be wanting to use the blue since it’s my first reef tank or maybe missing out on what the pros can produce over the blues for growth
Is anything proven on coral needs for the cyan channel on blues?
Also my tank has a rim I’m worried about sagging out of the mounts, have any proof of rimmed tanks successful with it?
So you would reccomend ether 5 xr15’s or 3 xr30’s for a 6 foot mixed reef?
Actually either of those are probably going to be winning combos. You'll save a bit of $$ by going with the XR15s, but I think that each pairing will do the trick.
So 8” off the water for an 18” cube? What intensity should I set for mixed reef? Also how does the diffuser affect or and such? Should I get the diffuser?
8" off the water surface is our recommended mounting height. We didn't specifically test an 18" cube, but taking an educated guess based off the info we gathered, you're probably going to end up near 60-70% intensity. This will create some higher par locations towards the top of the tank with some medium par numbers towards the bottom. Of course, best practice would be to pick up a par meter and test your specific tank/aquascape to know the ideal spots to place your corals.
Bulk Reef Supply Thanks!!! Will do
I dont need a ton of par because I have no sps. Are you saying that 1 15 watt will cover 24 x 24 and light up the whole tank and not be dark in the front and back of tank? I am wondering if I can get away with 3 15 watts on a 48 x 18 and 20 inched deep I think. A 75 gallon rectangular tank? I love that color pop? Would the same hold true for kessil being they are so small. I just dont like a lot of disco look but want color pop like my lfs has! lol. I see hydra facing with pucks front to backand they have 2 pucks so I thought i needed 2 pucks facing the oposite way than usual. Mounted front to back to cover the front and back of tank and maybe use 3, but If I can cover a tank with 15 watts than I can afford that!I have softies and lps and my get a few sps in the future! Not a huge fan of them. I like more movement!
Keep in mind that the Radion XR15 is a 90w fixture. If you are keeping softies and LPS, most 90w fixtures will do the trick for a 24" x 24" area. If you have a standard 75 gallon, two of these fixtures is perfect for those coral types. If you wanted to go with the Kessil brand instead, the comparable fixture to the XR15 would be their A360WE or A360X.
How many light do I need for a 28*28*16 inches tank? Thanks for answering
If you're using the XR15, two fixtures will get the job done for the average mixed reef in a tank of that size. You may want to consider mounting the lights just an inch or two higher than we suggested in this video for slightly better spread from front to back. Since your tank is rather shallow, the decrease in par from doing this shouldn't be very much of a concern.
Hey my tank is 75cm x 65cm x 55cm or ~ 29,5 x 25,5 x 21,6 inches . I got 1 G5 XR15 Blue - what would you recommend for a LPS tank ? Keeping the 8inches mounting height and bumping up the point intensity a bit more then you recommend for your 60 gallon setup ? And is the new G5 diffuser spreading the light more so I get more par left to right ?
The diffuser won't necessarily give you more spread, no. I'd suggest increasing the mounting height slightly as well as the intensity to give yourself better spread. The best way to do it right would be to measure with a par meter and basically replicate the test here with your particular tank's dimensions.
Bulk Reef Supply ok great thank you for that fast answer !
What would you suggest for a 5ft x 2ft x 2ft?? Will have sticks but mainly mixed reef. Maybe 1x xr30 in the middle and a 15 either side???
For an LPS tank, we typically recommend one XR15 per 2' worth of tank. Given that your goal is a mixed reef, I think you could go with your 1 XR30 and 2 XR15 plan and achieve great results.
@@BRStv i have a 5ft tank as well. Im curious if 1 xr15 is recommended per 2ft then wouldnt the xr30 be excessive? Couldn't you just go with 3)xr15?
Any guesses on the fixture count/spacing for a 6' long tank?
I'd personally install 6 and space similar
How many xr15s for a 84x30x30 mixed Reef tank? Manly lps, 4 enough with t5 supplement ?
For LPS goals, I would guess that 4x XR15s would likely get you there, especially with T5 supplementation. If in doubt, you can always start with a lower number; test with a PAR meter; and add in one or two more until you reach your goal. :)
I am doing a DIY and I need to use x-bracket G4 for G5 XR15 light. Will it fit?
The two RMS slides for the G4 and G5 lights are not interchangeable. You'll want to make sure that you pick up the right mounting hardware for your particular fixture to ensure that it'll fit.
If I has 1 xr15 blue over a 12 or 18 inch cube it be able to have 1 or 2 sps in centre and some lps and softy around them yes?? I am looking at that size waterbox and thinking get this light over the ai16 as the ai16 didn’t sound like it would be enough for sps in centre??
An XR15 over a 18 inch cube would work really well. Maybe overkill for a 12" cube, but you can always turn the intensity on the light down to meet your par goals.
@@BRStv thank you 🥰🐶
I subscribed
my new display will be a 36"x36"x30" cube. Im looking at starting with 4 but will they put out enough par to grow sps on the sand bed. TIA
For SPS, we usually suggest 1 of these fixtures per 1 foot of tank if you're going SPS dominant. In your case, especially given the depth, you might find that you're better off with 6 fixtures total, one row of 3 in the front and another row of 3 behind it.
@@BRStv thanks for the response I was thinking thats were I would end up but ill start with that then.
Paused, getting popcorn.👍
I will go for 2 XR15 Blue for my 120 Gallon mixed reef tank.
How has that been working out? Thinking about getting two XR15 for my 75 gallon mixed
I remember seeing a video of your recommendation for 2 XR15 spacing in a 40 breeder but I can't remember which video it was. I have a 3 foot tank and wanted to know what spacing was recommended for LPS dominant tanks
You may be thinking of our AI Prime video. We have not tested the XR15's over a 40B. If you take the spacing ratios from the 120 gallon in this video and convert that to a 36" long tank, you should be pretty darn close.
@@BRStv oh maybe that was it. Thank you
@@jon0807 You bet!
Any info on mounting spacing on 6ft tank if i have 4 xr15 g5 blue. Thanks
Unfortunately, we couldn't test all tank sizes and lengths due to limited time and resources, but the good news is that this test could easily be replicated on just about any tank size by using a par meter.
Okay! Thats it I am sold! cant believe it! This is prefect. I dont have any sps. THis is more par than I wll ever need! I figured I would need 3 xr 30'even! How is this possible? I have a 75 gallon 4 ft wide by 18 and I think 20 deep! Only 1 problem is xr15 looks kind cheap and small! I know I asked you on another video and you said iI would need a minimum of 2 x r 30 so sounded like 3 would be better so I decided these were out! Now back in! haha! Its hard to believe that these would light up front and back though! Well, dont care about back but front anyway! I know paypal is offering a zero financing card so next question is can I pay with paypal credit? May even get 4 of them! haha. would look better anyway!
Hey Randy...My tank will be 16 inches high...Planning to get 2 XR15 blues. Would I still place them 8 inches off the water or raise up a little more? Tank is 47x23x16 Definitely LPS dominant
The mounting height recommendation won't change much based on tank height, so you're just fine with that 8" off the water mounting height 🙂
@@BRStv Thanks...you guys make lighting and reefing in general much easier nowadays with all your info!!! Great work!!!
Hola.tengo un tanque d 100litros y una xr15 blue. Tengo puesto el sps ab+ para sps y lps.que intensidad me recomiendas
We haven't tested that specific combo, but if we had to take an educated guess, somewhere around 60% intensity would likely get you very close for a ~25 gallon cube with a mixed reef in mind.
@@BRStv thank you!!!.
Hi Guys
Super video
Can you do a review on the G5 XR15 Pro just like this
It's on the to-do list. :)
Super
Waiting for that video soon 🙂
I miss the the par at every 6 inch increments like they usto do
it's still there in the images if you want to see it but we don't talk about every last layer :)
What would the schedule intensity be at ? So I’ll tweak the point intensity but what would the schedule intensity be ?
For the settings Randy shared in this one, the point intensity was at 100% and each channel intensity was changed to provide the spectrum mix. Best option is to copy each individual channel intensity then use a PAR meter to dial in the overall point intensity.
I realize this is an older video, hopefully you still see this question.
I have a waterbox 100.3 that is basically 36x24x24.
What would be a recommend spacing with two XR15 G5 Blues
Using the data from this video, we would estimate that each light about 9.75" from center of the fixture to the edge of the tank would be very close to ideal.
@@BRStv Thank you for that suggestion. I just rented a PAR meter from my LFS and your 9.75 from the sides is as dead on the money as it can be. Center of take is slightly higher than the edges, but overall it’s a very consistent spread.
Much appreciated. :)
I'd like to see the same test for the g4s. I just bought 6 xr15 g4s for my 220 gal build
it's coming
Looking forward to it, trying to figure out spacing with 4 x gen 4’s on a 48” tank.
Ok we got the point of Point intensity but what scheduled intensity are you guys recommend ?
For our test, the schedule intensity was set to 100%
If you have everything at 100% levels here, how does that compare to the levels recommended in Ecotech's AB+ spectrum and LPS spectrum they recommend?
All levels at 100% is essentially the same as Ecotech AB+ if you're using the blues. The Pros have a different mix of blue/white LED's, so that won't be the same for the PRO model.
@@BRStv Thanks, though I saw a PDF from Ecotech that their SPS AB+ has 24% Red, White, and Green instead of 100%. What's the difference keeping them at BRS's version at 100% vs. Ecotech's version at 24%?
Hey guys....I know the right height is 8-9 inches.....what would the spread be for 2 fixtures
on a 36" tank?
We didn't test on a 36" tank, but assuming that the ratios hold true, you'd want to mount each light 9.75" from each end of the tank to the center of the fixture (instead of 13" like in the video for the 48" long tank).
XR15 or hydra 32 for a 13gal nano cube? What would you go with?
Both are pretty big for a 13 gallon cube. I have to admit that my personal preference is with the Radion, but you could also consider smaller options like the AI Prime or Kessil A160 if you're seeing up a mixed reef.
@@BRStv cheers for the reply. The issue with the prime is shadowing. I'm leaning towards the hyrda but using ab+ on a lower intensity. I think the g5 XR15 will spill too much light and I don't think the mount is suitable. For my tank.
Thanks again!
What spacing would you use for 3 lights on a 60 inch tank?
We didn't test with that particular setup, but if you center the middle light, then move the outer two lights about 10" from their respective end of the aquarium, that should get you very close.
This video might help you out too: th-cam.com/video/yO2gTf9Y35A/w-d-xo.html
@@BRStv would that be 10 inches to the centre of the light from the side glass panel ?
what spacing would you guys think on a 36 long RSR 250?
Probably closer to the left and right edges of the tank than you naturally would feel is right, but the PAR meter won't lie. ;)
Bulk Reef Supply I did some math and figured both lights space 16in apart from each other and 10in from the side of the tank. That’s pretty much the same % spacing that was done on the 120 in the video.
Can this go on nuvo 10? I have prime now but looks like this has beautiful aesthetics.
The nice thing about the XR15's is that you can always turn the intensity down if needed. The Prime should be more than sufficient for your Nuvo 10, but if you still want to go with the XR15, you'll just need to turn the intensity down pretty substantially so that you don't provide too much light for your corals.
@@BRStv thank you
So what about an sps 3ft tank? What should the space be between two lights?
We didn't test the XR15's on a 3' tank, but if you take the spacing ratios and adjust them for that shorter length, you should get very close to what we'd consider ideal.
What's the difference between point intensity and scedual intensity? For my 3ft red sea 300xl the spacing is 10 inches instead of 13 on the tank you guys tested. So now I need to figure out intensity for a mixed reef. If I set point intensity to what you recommend for that 120 gal tank you tested what would be the scedual intensity?
What’s the schedule intensity on the lights setting besides the intensity point
Schedule intensity was set to 100%. The only adjustments were made to point intensity.
You mention recommended settings for point intensity but what about schedule percentage?
We have schedule intensity set to 100% for this test and just adjusted point intensity.
@@BRStv ok thank you, it’s been driving me crazy lol thank you for such a quick response
How about 3 XR15 Pro G5 spacing for 48” x 24” tank?
@BRStv I have 2 gen 5 xr 15 pro and am wondering what is the best channel setting and intensity for the best spectrum.
How many of the radion xr15 pro would you recommend for the 60inches 100gallon tank? I have soft coral, lps and anemones
And how far apart would you recommend to mount them apart from each other for a good par spread?
For those coral/invert types, three of the XR15's should cover your 60" tank just fine. We didn't test spacing on that tank length, but the middle one on center and the two outer XR15's out slightly further to either side is probably going to work really well. Of course, you can use a par meter to confirm.
I wish you did the same for 36 inch tanks.
Unfortunately, we couldn't test on every tank size, but the good news is that par meter rentals are relatively inexpensive if you wanted to replicate our test on your own tank 🙂
Does BRS sell the 60 Gal cube test tank?
We don't, but it's just a standard 60 gallon Marineland tank that your local fish store can probably special order for you.
Sorry guys, just realised I am watched this multiple times to decide on which light for my 625xxl red sea, only to realise today I didn't like the video. Love your work, keep it up
Which did you decide on?
What about spacing for a 6 foot tank?
I really wish we could test a lot more tank sizes with these light tests, but it's just not feasible from a budget and bandwidth standpoint. My best guess is that 3x-Radion XR15s would likely do the trick for those LPS goals on a 6ft tank, while 5x-6x XR15s would get you there for the SPS goals. Of course, testing with a PAR meter will be the key to getting this lighting thing right.
Curious to know why in all your lighting tests, across all your videos, the front of the tank is always hotter than the back. The par value of the front middle and the back middle should be the same. Note that your left and right values are always symmetrical. Maybe the light is not perfectly centre or the light is not perpendicular to the water because of a slight tilt towards the front by one or two degrees. Maybe this could transfer to people at home who should maybe use a bubble level on their lights when mounting so hot spots don't occur with slightly misaligned lights. Food for thought. Maybe you can include it on one of your tests.
they paint the backgrounds black in their test tanks which is what most of us do so that's why the par is diminished in all the backs. It's because black backgrounds dont reflect the light like clear normal panes of glass do so there is light loss.
Ahh okay. Thanks for letting me know. That's really interesting how paint on the other side of the glass can make that much of a difference. Related to that, I now wonder how different glass types and thicknesses play a roll in reflection. So much that could be tested!
Polyps and Fins hit it on the head. You're right, this is one never-ending rabbit hole! LOL
@@MattHaughn try painting in white and you'll get higher PAR value than the front.
When you are testing the light at different heights, at what depth are you taking the readings? Why not include this, unless I'm missing something?
intricate_reefer they don’t show the depth of the readings for any of the Gen 5 videos. Makes you wonder.
We always test at 6 inches deep in the tank for the mounting height. Same as ever :)
@@dannyyoder7654 it's a conspiracy :) Randy may have missed it but it is the same as ever, Six inches deep in the tank.
Bulk Reef Supply thanks, I know you guys changed the testing process and now include spacing and recommendations for different types of tanks that I like but it would be nice to get the maximum par in a useable spectrum at the different levels in the tank like you guys used to do. I find this information very valuable. At the very least label the chart you do provide with the depth. I believe it is a little misleading to just show the numbers without showing the depth especially with it only being in the top 6”
It would also be best to not show par levels at the edge of the glass. Not too many people out coral on the edge of the glass.
The lights run at 100% for the testing?
They are set to 100% during the mounting height and spacing tests, then we set them to a usable spectrum for an actual tank and adjust the intensity to meet our PAR goals.
Are these test being done from the bottom of the tank?
No, the par meters we use have sensors that can be submerged under water :)
Bulk Reef Supply thanks iv got the xr15 blues and was wondering what the par was, at the bottom of the tank at full intensity.
I just cant decide whether to go with blue or pro! Its hard to believe there is only 3 whites but the lime is supposedly like a warm white and cyan is a cool color that alot of the big names are using! I think they should have had one light and added cyan and lime take away some of the blue and add a little more white! The chart of the colors of 15 is wrong too! It has yellow and 2 reds and a bunch of whites!
I have a 71" tank that I want to turn into an LPS tank. Can I do the 4 lights setup like the SPS setup, but keep the intensity of the lights at the LPS recommendation levels?
Four XR15's will certainly be ok for a 71" long LPS tank. Like you said, the LPS settings would be a great starting point.
What do you run the schedule intensity at?
The intensity will be solely dependent on the corals you are keeping and the average PAR they require. This is why we always recommend using a PAR meter to make sure your light is set correctly.
@@BRStv in the video you ran a single xr15 over a 60 gallon with a point intensity of 60 for lps was that also with a schedule intensity of 50 or 100?
Good review
Some add overpowered lights and complain like little kids
Please teach these kids, reefing legend
@@chaturaindika got free internet ?
Would be two enough for 120cm?
Two XR15's would work out great for a 120cm long tank so long as the goal was an LPS/softie tank.
@@BRStv for sps s
/softie too?
9 hours of peak lighting? I was always told to only run 2 hours of peak lighting a day.... now I am confused.
maybe you were told that because you have great lighting but have mostly LPS and softies, and they didn't want you to burn your corals do death? Normally a longer photoperiod of 8-10 hours-ish at peak intensity with small ramp ups/ ramp downs is optimal. The key is that the par range for your corals is optimal. (75-150ish softies/LPS, 200-350ish or higher for SPS dominated). So if you have 300 par for example on the bottom of your tank where your softies and LPS are most likely at (in a typical "mixed reef" tank) you will burn the corals to death pretty quickly. Don't crank your lights from 2 hours to 8 hours right away though or you will shock them from the drastic change and burn them to death. acclimate them slowly over several weeks as long as "peak lighting" for your corals is in the acceptable PAR ranges i mentioned earlier. Also, keep in mind that those ranges are loose guidlines. some people like to run their SPS at higher par then than 350 and most softies and even some LPS can tolerate lower than 75 for example. but yeah, "peak lighting" is what will be hitting your par goals and running that for 8-10 hours-ish is optimal.
Most of us around the office use 9hrs as a starting point, all with great success over the years. There are a TON of variations that work or have worked for handfuls of reefers, but we believe that 9hrs is a good place to start.
So I have actually started using 8-9 hours of peak a day with small ramp ups and my coral have responded in a good way. They look bigger and fuller, especially my Aussie torch
What is the lifespan of a radion?
I believe we still have a few gen 2 Radions around the BRS office. Provided that you maintain them (keep the dust out to keep the lights cool), it's reasonable to expect these lights to last upwards of 8-10 years.
@@BRStv you guys should put it to the test. How much par loss do you have after these yearsvof use. 😀
I just don't get what Ecotech is doing with having a 15 and 30. It is like bringing back the MP20. It just doesn't fit. The 30 is pointless. They need to make an XR45 or XR60 to replace the 30. Give us a one fixture solution to light a 48x24 area.
With that said, I will be getting an XR15 to go with my G4 XR15 pretty soon. Just don't know if I want Pro or Blue. Leaning pro since I think the blue is just too blue. The ultra blue tanks we see these days are not my cup of tea.
For the most part I agree but right tool, right job. The 30 is nice for the 60 cube SPS tank. Also nice for those who want fewer cords or have deeper tanks.
@@BRStv I'd run the 15 and a T5 hybrid over a 60 cube SPS system. Better results IMO and you'll eliminate shadows.
Again, I think Ecotech is better served coming up with a sleek, one fixture solution that can light a 48*24 area. As is, you can have a 15 that covers a 24*24 area or a 30 that covers a 30*24 area. Add a second 15 and you easily cover 40*24 for the same cost as one 30. Sure, more cords and plugs can be a pain but I'll gladly figure out that problem if it gets me more coverage and more lights that intersect to reduce shading.
For the 30 to really make sense it needs to drop at least $100. Then it fits within a lineup where they could also add an XR60
I agree with what you are saying. What I don’t get is most are supplementing with T5’s so why didn’t they make the G5 a hybrid? They it can come in various lengths to match the T5s.
Great review guys....Still overpriced....it's damn led tech ...it's not holographic area 51 tech....this company and few others I refuse to buy from purely based on principle....cost just doesn't represent value....ask any radion owner even retailers who are honest .....most will tell you save the money and buy black boxes every few years ....
Very doubtful. To even the compare the two is ridiculous. No one who cares about the total package is even considering black box systems. The disco effect alone ruins black boxes for those of us who care
most legit bigger coral grow out operations are actually currently running gen 4 pros but as time goes on will be phasing into g5's.
Why do I feel like I've already seen this video?
Twilight Zone..... ??? :P
Are you from the future? Does 2021 start out better than 2020?
Watches unrealistic porn:....thinks to self. Ehhh 1:01
the black box is the ultimate light system, at least the aqua marine one.
black boxes = hot spots, blending issues(yes you can take the lenses off but it's not the same), inferior LEDs(not cree), bad non UL listed power supplies most of the time, non world class echo tech marine customer service and warranty.. i went with black boxes my first reef tank trying to save money like a lot of people have, and like many others who did the same, will never get one again. Lighting is too important to gamble with chineese crap
hehe reefer
Junk