Need opinions from the veterans
 

Ok, I have been keeping reef tanks for coming up on 12 years now, my 120 gallon has been up for 11 years already! We also have a 30 gallon shallow reef that we have been running for a 3.5 years. So here is the opinions I need. We currently have radion gen 2 with a TIR lens kit on it over the shallow reef and it has been there for 3 years now. I have had incredible luck with our zoanthids, and some sps, but no luck at all with our LPS. It lives, and the color is great, but I get literally zero growth. We are in the middle of a move for the 30 gallon, so while it's all apart, I'm wondering, should I switch the light out? I have had awesome luck with metal halide, but I wouldn't want MH over this shallow tank. Like I said, the growth and color of some of our coral is unmatched while using the radion... But I am wondering if T5 is maybe a better option for more even growth of our mixed reef?

So veterans, help me out. Stick with the Radion, or make the switch to something else?

Thanks in advance

Supplement with T5's?

My lps grows crazily fast under radion, could it be something else other than the light?

Water changes are done out of the same tank as what my crazy growing acans are in with the MH. Parameters are great, and I can see anything that would have my sps growing great, but LPS not growing at all

Are feeding the LPS? If not that may be a contributing factor.

Yep, them and all the Zoas/palys get reef roids and coral frenzy twice a week

I think the radions on a shallow reef is burning your Lps, if it were me I would use t5. Feeding reef roids to Zoas and palys and sps are fine, but Lps need larger food like mysis or brine or pellets. The best time to feed Lps is 1-2hrs after the lights are out, use a red or purple led flash light shut off flow and feed most Lps like brains, lobo, acans, scolly's have crazy feeders out.

I think a few people here will agree that Lps may grow with LEDs but I have never had success with led and certain Lps. It seems like they bleach.

But it seems like his colors are good, just not growing....I would still lean towards more larger bits of food.

At one point I did feed the acans mysis regularly... Didn't seem to make any difference

Any suggestions for what kind of T5 for a 24" tank?

24 x what and how high do you want to mount them? I love my ATI fixture, but you probably don't need something with that much punch. Probably an AquaticLife fixture would do just fine.

I've also noticed that LPS corals generally do better under T5 or halide than LEDs.

I'm glad I'm not the only one having these issues. The tank is 24"x24"x10"
So with it being so shallow, I don't imagine i would need too much. Suggestions? Are there good t5 LED mix fixtures? Or am I better with straight t5? Thanks in advance everyone

I'd try to find a 8-bulb dimmable ATI fixture if the cost doesn't scare you away. That would be my number one choice...then you could dim the bulbs but still get coverage over the 24" width. If that isn't feasible I'd go with (2) 2-bulb AquaticLife fixtures and mount them with a gap between. You'd get enough output from these for the LPS but you'd need two fixtures for the coverage. Much cheaper option.