# How to run my XR15fw's



## JonRon (Jun 6, 2017)

Hello mattsoccer20,

Have you checked out EcoTech´s Website? Freshwater ? EcoTech Marine|Radion

In my opinion you have some good lights for your aquariums`. I honestly did not know they made a FW XR15, Shows how much I have been paying Attention to lights. I have heard that a lot of saltwater aquarists starting out with 60-80% light due to the Radions high light intensity. Then Increase or decrease over time depending on how their corals react. I would assume or even recommend to try something like that.
The Website Shows that the XR15 has a spread of 36inX36in with the highest PAR around 101 and the lower end of 27, Im not sure of the % PAR at different Settings though, wish I did.
Tom Barr at barrreport.com did an article about light, he proved that you can grow nearly any aquatic plant in lower lighting as Long as you are dosing CO2, just some Food for thought, you can check it out on his Forum.

Kind regards,

JonRon


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## mattsoccer20 (Nov 8, 2011)

JonRon said:


> Hello mattsoccer20,
> 
> Have you checked out EcoTech´s Website? Freshwater ? EcoTech Marine|Radion
> 
> ...


Thanks for the help! Ive heard the 60-80% lighting used on reefs with this light, my question is are the fw versions just as powerful? If so I should probably use them no higher then 50% because even high light planted tanked only need like 40-50 par if my memory serves me right? Anyone with any ideas or input on this would be greatly appreciated. I really would just a rough scetch of a schedule if anyone could help me with that as I have no idea what %'s I should be running with :grin2:


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## jeffkrol (Jun 5, 2013)

For starters.. gen3 (blue and purple channels) or gen4(green ww)
There are power differences..

Gen4 are quite new and little data.. gen 3 has some..

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/863033-ecotech-radion-xr15fw-par-measurement.html
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/10-lighting/752137-radion-xr15-freshwater-2.html

Gen3 is 60W.. Gen 4 is 95-ish..

also what lenses? There are 2 for the gen3 80 and 120 degrees


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## mattsoccer20 (Nov 8, 2011)

jeffkrol said:


> For starters.. gen3 (blue and purple channels) or gen4(green ww)
> There are power differences..
> 
> Gen4 are quite new and little data.. gen 3 has some..
> ...


One has the 120 degree lense but Im not sure what the other one has. The tank is 30"x18"x25" btw


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## sohankpatel (Jul 10, 2015)

mattsoccer20 said:


> Thanks for the help! Ive heard the 60-80% lighting used on reefs with this light, my question is are the fw versions just as powerful? If so I should probably use them no higher then 50% because even high light planted tanked only need like 40-50 par if my memory serves me right? Anyone with any ideas or input on this would be greatly appreciated. I really would just a rough scetch of a schedule if anyone could help me with that as I have no idea what %'s I should be running with :grin2:


40-50 par is medium light, 60-70 is where high light begins, but you will still have issues with plants not getting enough light. I have 2x BMLs and I get 140 PAR and while it is a lot, it grows anything. I would shoot for about 100 PAR


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## skipcharlie (Dec 17, 2016)

I have two of the freshwater G4's on a clients tank and Ecotech has kinda dropped the ball as far as recommended programming goes. Instructions are non-existent. The software is extremely buggy. How do you expect to sell a light if the people buying it cant even get a good idea on how to properly program it? Outside of that issue i must say the colors are unreal. The PAR output is close to 100 at 25 inches height. Hopefully more data is released on this very special light.


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## rzn7z7 (Aug 17, 2013)

mattsoccer20 said:


> Hi everyone so I have a 34g (20"x20"x20") cube with one ecotech XR15fw and a 56g (30"x18"x26") with two XR15fw's but I am not sure how I should have these running. I would love some input on how my schedule should be like, as in how much power (%) I should have each running and at what times and maybe even individual colors? I want both these tanks to be somewhat high light (both tanks with Co2) but I dont know the lights par ratings at each power % so I would love some opinions on how I should be running these so that its enough light but not too much light either! Any help would be appreciated! Thanks


I have 3 XR15w Pro G3s coupled with an Apex Controller on a 220g planted. They're on for 9 hours with a 2.5 hour sun-rise and 1 hour sun-set, peaking at 75% of max power (85W). Color temperature is 7K

Hope that helps


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