What is the best led light?

[Jmas4]

I am having a tough time deciding between a hydra 52 and a radion. Is there a big difference with radion gen3 pro and radion gen4 pro?

 

[Joeganja]

Light distribution between them. I have 2 hydra 26s and I absolutely love them. Depending on the size of your tank and what you plan to do with it. The price budget is probably your only concern. Aqua illumintion has a comparison for multiple brands of lights. Here an example of the 52HD vs gen 4 pro.

Here's the link. http://www.aquaillumination.com/science/par.html

 

[Jmas4]

Thanks for the website! How many radion do you think I'll need for a 12feet by 4 feet by 4 feet reef tank. I was thinking 12 with 6 radion long and 2 radion deep.

 

[ndrwater]

I have 5 currently on my standard 8x2x2 240. All lights running deep. My tank is SPS dominant, and currently running at 85℅.
With a configuration similar to mine on a 12' tank, and the 4' front to back you describe, I would have 14 total units.
I am currently getting ready to upgrade to a 12' tank as well, and will be doing something very similar to what I mentioned above.
The Radions are great. With the layout I have where the lights are 8" apart, there is almost no shadowing, which is a common complaint by people not using enough lights.
If you are going to drop the serious $$$$ to do a tank of that size, don't try and save money by skimping on the amount of lights. You'd regret it in the long run.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

Have you considered the 9 Channel Sirius XTC.

Measured PAR at 24" is over 500 with a 400watt MH intensity over a 24" x 24" area...Inother words over 200 PAR on a 30" Deep Tank

On My 570 Gal 120"x 36" x 30 " I have 7 and with the Reds, Greens and Whites Dialed Back. I'm getting more PAR on my sandbed than 2 x 400 & 3 x 250 Watt MH w 8 110 watt VHO...

Bill

 

[c.poindexter]

Definitely recommended to have enough light to try to minimize shadowing. I ran 2 Gen 3 pros with and without optics on my 4x2x2 and definitely needed 3rd. The coloration on the bottom of the SPS started losing color.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

Definitely recommended to have enough light to try to minimize shadowing. I ran 2 Gen 3 pros with and without optics on my 4x2x2 and definitely needed 3rd. The coloration on the bottom of the SPS started losing color.

The Ecotech is an awesome LED but it was never designed to replace a 400 Watt MH...

Us Old School Reefers swear by the 400 watt Radium with 110 VHO...Gotta say I have to thank Sanjay Joshi as back in the day he published PAR Readings and Spectrographs of MH Lighting...We took this information a bit further and created a recipe of Binned LEDs from Cree to replace the MH and VHOs over my tank and was very pleased with the results...

Our SPS has good growth and will publish pics soon...Serious encrusting is happening... Thinking abour using Reef Grow over BRS...Any Coments welcome on PM...

Facts are Facts and All Domestic LEDs provide a decent spectrum...The question is if they are good enough to grow a light demanding Red Carpet on the sand bed of a 30" deep tank???

Or Clams & SPS on the bottom

Bill

 

[Jmas4]

Thanks for the help guys. Will a radion be able to reach 4 feet down into the sandbed and give sufficient light to grow my softies and lps that will be down there? If not I might have to go with the Sirius XTC to reach the sandbed. I don't want to use the Sirius because it's not Apex compatible but it will reach the bottom I guess I have no choice.

 

[FindNem0]

If you build it they will come. I have had radion and kessil. I don't get the shimmer out of the radion like I do the kessil. I don't get the color I get out of the kessil I do the Radion. Radion IMO. I think you get more growth out of the kessils. It's like having halides. I'm almost thinking about putting a XR30 in between my my 360we's just to get that color!!!!. mix it up. Do a little of both.