Optimal height

[septicdeath]

I have a 50g cube, 24"w/24"l/20"t, but water at overflow really only allows 18.75"tall. I came from a jbj pro led, which was pretty bright, so I wasn't worried about intensity over my moved animals, but I hung the light at 5" off the water surface, I didn't have any corals on the outside edges, but finally glued some stuff an noticed that that stuff wasn't getting anywhere near the light in the rear corners at both high and low points, I'm pretty sure I put it too low, what would be the optimal recommendation from the water level (I assume when one says 10" they mean water to bottom of fixture not top of fixture). Anyways was just curious what the optimal would be with 18.75" of water under it and a 24"x24" tank.

Thanks

[chris88]

the higher you move it up the better the spread and weaker the par. I would mount it 8 inches off the water. The manufactures reccomneded height is 6 inches so 8 is not to far off of it. I have seen it mounted 16 inches off the water in pet stores and the coral underneath seemed fine.

[septicdeath]

yeah, I hear ya, but 8" is based on what depth tank? See what I am saying? Maybe its better if someone tells me, its best at 26" from sand bed, or 30" from sand bed. That way the height of my tank can be taken into consideration. I can tell you, from 4" to 8", the areas that seemed darker are not that way anymore, of course, stuff in the center is slightly less bright as well.

Thanks for the input, lets see what the others bring to the thread...

-John

[rainmkr07]

ecotech has said 8" is optimal on any height tank I believe.

though vivid aquariums has their radions over a 30" tall tank at 15" instead of 8"...

[goochesfish]

Originally Posted by chris88

the higher you move it up the better the spread and weaker the par. I would mount it 8 inches off the water. The manufactures reccomneded height is 6 inches so 8 is not to far off of it. I have seen it mounted 16 inches off the water in pet stores and the coral underneath seemed fine.

Pet/fish stores don't keep corals for very long so they have the lights much higher for better viewing.

[chercm]

Is 8 inch above the water enough for a 4x2x2 ft tank ?

[Bad LS1]

Originally Posted by chercm

Is 8 inch above the water enough for a 4x2x2 ft tank ?

Yes that is Ecotech's recommended height.

[swiseman]

I installed three Radions over my 220 on Saturday. They are mounted to the inside of the canopy and are exactly 12" from the water surface. I am still playing with the intensity and the color spectrum. I do run them at 100% for a few hours a day. I replaced 3 x 400watt MH so I don't think the intensity will be an issue. My Ritteri Anemone is the closest thing to the surface and he will tell me quickly if it does not like the new lights.

[septicdeath]

Originally Posted by swiseman

I installed three Radions over my 220 on Saturday. They are mounted to the inside of the canopy and are exactly 12" from the water surface. I am still playing with the intensity and the color spectrum. I do run them at 100% for a few hours a day. I replaced 3 x 400watt MH so I don't think the intensity will be an issue. My Ritteri Anemone is the closest thing to the surface and he will tell me quickly if it does not like the new lights.

Im sure he will tell you quickly...

going from 3- 400w MH to 3 Radions? Its no where near as bright is it? Or is it close? I was under the impression a single Radion covering 2'x2' replaced a 250w MH, but you needed 2 over a 2' x 2' to get 400w output?

Just curious.

[Captainfester]

i hung mine high enough that if one side of the wire let go it would swing down the other side without hitting the water or the tank.

[swiseman]

Originally Posted by septicdeath

Im sure he will tell you quickly...

going from 3- 400w MH to 3 Radions? Its no where near as bright is it? Or is it close? I was under the impression a single Radion covering 2'x2' replaced a 250w MH, but you needed 2 over a 2' x 2' to get 400w output?

Just curious.

I like a blue tank, to me it looks nicer so I ran 400Watt XM20K moguls on a Vertex electronic ballast and ran VHO actinics. I find the 14K setting to be similar to what I had in terms of color at 100%. My aquascaping lends itself to this design. At the 20K setting I find it too dark. I will try the 10K setting later today and see what that looks like. Anyway, still playing with settings.

Here is how it looks. It probably would not hurt to get one more. I probably will actually.

[rainmkr07]

Originally Posted by swiseman

I like a blue tank, to me it looks nicer so I ran 400Watt XM20K moguls on a Vertex electronic ballast and ran VHO actinics. I find the 14K setting to be similar to what I had in terms of color at 100%. My aquascaping lends itself to this design. At the 20K setting I find it too dark. I will try the 10K setting later today and see what that looks like. Anyway, still playing with settings.

Here is how it looks. It probably would not hurt to get one more. I probably will actually.

fyi: 12k is the 100% intensity of all 5 color channels option. I think this is the most powerful/full spectrum option with the radions.

[swiseman]

Yes I just looked and 12K is the peak intensity of all colors. At 14K I think it is hard to see the difference from the 20K XM halides. I should have done a par test before I changed them, but, I was too anxious. I did check them today and I have a par reading 730 at the water surface 12" directly below a puck and 695 directly below a fan. I am getting of 340 at the tip of my Hectoractis magnifica anemone which is 20" below the light and 8" below the water surface. Par readings at the SPS levels are between 200 and 230 and around 150 at the base of the sand bed where the LPS reside. So far so good. I am using an Apogee Quantum meter with separate sensor, Model MQ200. I borrowed the meter from the LFS that sold me the lights. I should also mention that this measurement was taken at 4pm local time so the lights are at 12K and 100% intensity.