Orphek+Radion (Overkill?)

[Teramelos]

Setting up a 48”x24”x22” Half Moon Reef 
The lighting I have is a 24” Orphek PR156 (Red) and a Radion XR30w(blue) Would this be overkill and a coral burning machine? 

The radion will be dialed back but the Orphek is not dimmable

[xmas_one]

I’d think you would be better off with two radions mounted lengthwise front to back.

[Burningbaal]

There's lots of blackbox options with the orphek's dimension and are dimmable, I'd go with that route, but what I'd really be likely to do is a pair of sbreeflight (or similar) 165w 'basic' fixtures hacked to be controllable. Kinda like xmas_one has suggested, but with more economical lights.

 

FWIW, I'm part of the group who's opinion on LEDs has shifted to the idea that the primary drawbacks of LEDs is that they are too configurable and this makes it too tempting to tinker with them. I believe if you took everyone who prefers T5 or MH and gave them LEDs of appropriate spectrum, layout, brightness and told them they aren't adjustable: they wouldn't see the benefit in T5 or MH unless it's purely a preference of looks. All this is to say that I think all you get with the high-end LEDs is more temptation to tinker (causing the coral to constantly adjust and never achieve stability), and a spotlight effect (the black boxes usually give more of the orphek/T5 idea that it's a blanket of light)

[Teramelos]

I already have the lights and can’t afford to buy new ones (got these in trade) 

 

I run AB+ on all my led units the Orphek will be my first fixed spectrum LEDs 

I plan to hang both lights about 36” from the tank bottom or 15” from the rim