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Unread 05/06/2012, 09:17 AM   #45
MedRed
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 2,035
I wouldn't even consider using an AI fixture without all 70 degree optics unless I had a deep tank. I originally mounted the hanging fixture from rails attached to my stand and couldn't get the height I needed to get a good light spread. I switched to all 70's which made everything much better. Eventually I hung the lights from the ceiling and thought great, I can go back to 40º optics. I put them back on, and my tank all of a sudden looked a lot darker and I had a LOT of areas and corals that were receiving light with 70º optics that were in complete shade using 40ºs.

And that is with 2 fixtures on a 24x24x24 tank.

Vivid's tank with the Radions seem to be growing everything just fine. The tank is deep and the Radions are mounted far higher up than the recommended distance from the surface. The aesthetic just isn't there for me. While not bad on the Radion side, the color of the tank and the color of the corals look better on the MH side.


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