cpR Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 I had a little store credit at my LFS and one thing led to another, and I know have a 20g nuvo setup in my office. The tank will be mostly SPS, and after setting it up and seeing it with 1 AI Prime HD, I have a feeling that no matter how much I want it to work, 1 Prime just wont cut it unless I work my rock work directly under the LEDs. When the time comes, would I be a better option for me purchase one more Prime HD and run the tank with two Primes or should I just grab a used gen3 Radion and call it a day. The tank dimensions are 24*15*13 with an AIO section. Appreciate the input! Chris Link to comment
spectra Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Well if its a XR15 pretty much the same spread as the prime. I had a Fusion 20 and had a 15, AI Prime, Kessil 160 and a Kessil 360 in the end. I will say the 360 was it for me nothing else compared. I think the 15 and the prime just don't cut it over a 24" tank. Even with he 360 the edges were not covered 100% If I were to do it again I would go nanobox duo over it and call it good. Link to comment
cpR Posted October 24, 2016 Author Share Posted October 24, 2016 I had a little store credit at my LFS and one thing led to another, and I know have a 20g nuvo setup in my office. The tank will be mostly SPS, and after setting it up and seeing it with 1 AI Prime HD, I have a feeling that no matter how much I want it to work, 1 Prime just wont cut it unless I work my rock work directly under the LEDs. When the time comes, would I be a better option for me purchase one more Prime HD and run the tank with two Primes or should I just grab a used gen3 Radion and call it a day. The tank dimensions are 24*15*13 with an AIO section. Appreciate the input! Chris Sorry I should have mentioned, the radion would be a Gen 3 xr30 not xr15. Have a buddy with a few sitting around that I'm sure I could get pretty cheap. I had a nano box Tek hybrid a few years ago, nice light but all those wires and the weak storm controller turned me away. Looks like the new systems are less wires and the bluefish doesn't look that bad, ill have to give them another look. Run a nano box duo over the xr30 or 2 primes? Link to comment
Clown79 Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 I have a 24" tank and my Ai Prime covers it. I have no shadowing at all. Link to comment
spectra Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Sorry I should have mentioned, the radion would be a Gen 3 xr30 not xr15. Have a buddy with a few sitting around that I'm sure I could get pretty cheap. I had a nano box Tek hybrid a few years ago, nice light but all those wires and the weak storm controller turned me away. Looks like the new systems are less wires and the bluefish doesn't look that bad, ill have to give them another look. Run a nano box duo over the xr30 or 2 primes? Well if a 30 should work great. I had a Corona and it is almost he same as a 30 and it covers 24 no problem. I have a NB retro and still one chord out of the light. I was scared of the wires to but now they are really clean. Bluefish works for me. Link to comment
PaulMrks Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Like clown I'm running it also. I have no problems. Actually I had to turn it down to 40% because I was bleaching my LPS. And mine is the non HD version. Link to comment
Mikeymikemike Posted October 24, 2016 Share Posted October 24, 2016 Get the radion, its a far superior light. Link to comment
burtbollinger Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 I was planning an IM 20 and a single AI Prime HD...softies and LPS only. So, do you think I can get away with just using 1 AI Prime HD? Link to comment
Clown79 Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Yes. The IM 20 is 24" long. MAny use just 1 Ai prime over it. My tanks 24" long and 1 prime covers it completely. You can always get another one later if you think you need to. Or break the bank and get radion Link to comment
reefist Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Or get something that is handmade by a fellow citizen and get the Nanobox =) Link to comment
SouthFlorida_Tron Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 Night and day apples and oranges. Two VERY DIFFERENT lights........... Link to comment
Clown79 Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 None of them are comparable, thats what makes getting a light difficult. With Radion, there is no question. It is a really good light and corals look great under them. i personally wouldn't nor could spend the money on 1. Nanobox and Ai are good lights too. The question is what a persons budget is. Link to comment
lkoechle Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 I would go with nanobox. From a customer service perspective, I have had terrible experiences with AI customer service when using my SOLs. Ecotech customer service has always been with good with my pumps (I have never used the radions) but given the price of the radions as well as aesthetics, my money is going to Dave for my next light purchase. And he has a standing reputation here that I'm sure he doesn't want to screw up so even if he can't fix a problem, I'm hoping he'll at least be courteous (AI has hideously mean reps)... so yeah, that's my input on lights. Link to comment
SouthFlorida_Tron Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 question is... how many wires do you want to manage, controllability.... keep that in mind... Link to comment
lkoechle Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 question is... how many wires do you want to manage, controllability.... keep that in mind... Night and day apples and oranges. Two VERY DIFFERENT lights........... I think the question is: has tron been taken over by a fortune cookie? C'mon man, say what you mean. Link to comment
DaveFason Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 It has been a long time since your NanoBox experience and things have come a LONG ways. All are single plug, single wire from unit, wireless control and five channels of control. question is... how many wires do you want to manage, controllability.... keep that in mind... Things have come a LONG way from the multi wire and storm. Everything is now a single cable and single plug. Very simple setup and comes standard with wireless/Bluefish controller. Two Primes will be more like the Duo. XR30 has double the light than Duo & 2x primes so hard to compare with that. Hope this helps and not confuses you! Sorry I should have mentioned, the radion would be a Gen 3 xr30 not xr15. Have a buddy with a few sitting around that I'm sure I could get pretty cheap. I had a nano box Tek hybrid a few years ago, nice light but all those wires and the weak storm controller turned me away. Looks like the new systems are less wires and the bluefish doesn't look that bad, ill have to give them another look. Run a nano box duo over the xr30 or 2 primes? Link to comment
gus6464 Posted October 27, 2016 Share Posted October 27, 2016 If you buy an XR30 you might as well get a nanobox quad or wide quad. BTW the XR30 non pro is gimped compared to the Pro. The Pro has much better color. But the new nanobox pucks still have better color. Link to comment
Water Dog Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 I have a 24" tank and my Ai Prime covers it. I have no shadowing at all. Curious as to what type of coral you keep. Link to comment
Water Dog Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 Do you keep the SPS directly under the puck? Are your SPS frags or mature colonies? I ask because a single puck to cover 24" with no shadows in a mature SPS tank boggles my mind. It's the nature of a single puck or single point source LED lighting, shadows are inevitable. It's kind of why I'm such a big fan of Dave's wide quad fixture as it reduces shadows in 3 dimensions, both side to side as well as fore and aft because of the puck layout. Link to comment
Rural Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 spread the light source out to reduce shadows!!!! yes, led can be higher par than bulbs, but the output source is smaller and doesn't reflect around in a hood to coat the tank evenly. i just had to double my radions to cut the shadows. toasty. you will need 2-3 radions 15's to cover the tank perfectly, in my opinion. a 30 would be fixed puck distance, couldn't put one on one end and one on the other. also could put mirrors against the tank when not being viewed to reflect all the light! ha. i suggest if you like the prime and already have it then get some more. if not happy go with dave, i still suggest multiple pucks and spread it out! maybe 2 duo's??? Link to comment
Clown79 Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I have my birdsnest under the light and they are growing like crazy, my stylophora is a frag and is not directly under the light. Its full and happy. My frogspawn is huge, my blastos have grown, my acan hs grown. the only thing not spreading/growing are my ricordias. I have ZERO shadowing in my tank. i had shadowing with my par38 so I can see a clear and concise difference. I have an aquamaxx on my 10g with multiple birdnest and a pocillopora. My birdnests just keep growing. The pocillopora was purchased for $5 pretty much skeleton with little flesh nd no polyp extension- it now has lots of flesh and full polyp extension. Link to comment
oysterk Posted October 30, 2016 Share Posted October 30, 2016 I'm having a similar dilemma. XR30w pro gen 3 or Nanobox Quad Plus? Link to comment
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