This Lighting deal is starting to @@@@ me off.

[Rural]

 

I already have the ultimate light with my custom ATI Powermodule. If I were to go LED only I would pick up a Philips CoralCare.

 

but that philips looks neat, whats the price?

 

"After one month of balancing lighting, flow and parameters, the study found there was little difference in the growth rate, coloration and shape of the coral, however there was a 30% higher wall–plug efficiency gained from going LED."

 

at least radions show improved growth... maybe they should redo the test with different temp bulbs?

[gus6464]

 

but that philips looks neat, whats the price?

 

"After one month of balancing lighting, flow and parameters, the study found there was little difference in the growth rate, coloration and shape of the coral, however there was a 30% higher wall–plug efficiency gained from going LED."

 

at least radions show improved growth... maybe they should redo the test with different temp bulbs?

 

Radion Pro has 42 LEDs. Philips CoralCare has 104. Also the CoralCare is passively cooled with a reflector on each individual LED and a diffuser. CoralCare has superior spread and is better engineered.

 

Radion Pro - 170W - $750

CoralCare - 190W - $800

[Matteo]

personally the only Ecotech item I like are the MPs.

[jdog]

Radions are trash.

 

I just ordered 2 30 pros with Tank mounts

[Matteo]

 

I just ordered 2 30 pros with Tank mounts

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[jdog]

Yes mucho money

[R_MC]

Any info on the actual less used in the coral care? Philips is in a unique position where they may source the leds we've all been looking for. 12-20ks with a hint of red phosphor.

[Clown79]

I have to say, I loved my t5ho's. The colours and growth were amazing-i never questioned if its too much, too little. I could keep everything. The only thing I knew I needed to do was replace bulbs.

 

What I really don't understand about LED- everyone says such and such light isn't enough but yet the often recommended fixtures are so strong that no one can run them at 100%...then whats the point of spending $$$ but haveing to run them at 50%?

 

I also dislike the fact that there really is no complete standard with LED-every fixture/bulb set up is so different they are incomparable.

Then comes the coverage of LED.

 

I like the look, I like the lack of heat, and my hydro bill but so far LED is so confusing and conveluted that ppl get frustrated just trying to choose and LED fixture.

 

I myself am debating going back to t5's because of this.

[DaveFason]

From what I last heard it is ~$900. Coming to EU first then I am sure moving this way. It looks like they are sticking with the normal colors they currently use violet, blues, whites but using a diffuser over each. I think they are ~190w and passive cooled. A few trade offs that I have seen are the units being huge, two channels ( good and "bad" ) and no normal looking mounting option.

Any info on the actual less used in the coral care? Philips is in a unique position where they may source the leds we've all been looking for. 12-20ks with a hint of red phosphor.

 

There is a ton of bad info out there. However I think if you look into hobbyist tanks that have been using Ecotech, AI, NanoBox, Kessil, etc you will see proven results. LEDs get a bad name due to some of the other guys stating you can light X,Y,Z with a unit that simply is not made for it.

 

Just remember there is no standard for the others either. T5 tubes will be labeled per manufacture spec. One companies blue/white mix bulbs will look 100% different than another. However each have there place. T5s have been around for a while now and people have there go to on bulb selections.

I have to say, I loved my t5ho's. The colours and growth were amazing-i never questioned if its too much, too little. I could keep everything. The only thing I knew I needed to do was replace bulbs.

What I really don't understand about LED- everyone says such and such light isn't enough but yet the often recommended fixtures are so strong that no one can run them at 100%...then whats the point of spending $$$ but haveing to run them at 50%?

I also dislike the fact that there really is no complete standard with LED-every fixture/bulb set up is so different they are incomparable.
Then comes the coverage of LED.

I like the look, I like the lack of heat, and my hydro bill but so far LED is so confusing and conveluted that ppl get frustrated just trying to choose and LED fixture.

I myself am debating going back to t5's because of this.

[jdog]

[ajmckay]

Looks pretty sweet

[jimmyree]

Radions are trash.

Yup, that's why Radion lit tanks like this one http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2287628 and thousands of others look sooo terrible.

[gus6464]

Yup, that's why Radion lit tanks like this one http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2287628 and thousands of others look sooo terrible.

 

That's a tiny tank. The radion is basically the size of the tank. When that person upgrades to a bigger tank will he have the same radion to surface area coverage? Nope probably not and then he will know how trash radions really are.

[jimmyree]

 

That's a tiny tank. The radion is basically the size of the tank. When that person upgrades to a bigger tank will he have the same radion to surface area coverage? Nope probably not and then he will know how trash radions really are.

Your comparing apples to oranges, the light is designed to cover a certain area, within its limitations it is an excellent light probably one of the best on the market. I don't need a 7 foot long LED fixture over my 24" tank just in case I upgrade. Everyone has their favorite equipment, but calling something that an overwhelming number of people have had success with "trash" is just biased opinion spewing and disingenuous.

[gus6464]

Your comparing apples to oranges, the light is designed to cover a certain area, within its limitations it is an excellent light probably one of the best on the market. I don't need a 7 foot long LED fixture over my 24" tank just in case I upgrade. Everyone has their favorite equipment, but calling something that an overwhelming number of people have had success with "trash" is just biased opinion spewing and disingenuous.

You are combining popularity with quality which is a fallacy.

[jimmyree]

You are combining popularity with quality which is a fallacy.

We know you are proud of your 1K + light fixture, I get it. But if you are saying the thousands of reef tanks out there with Radions over them are only growing corals because it emits popularity you need to get your head checked. But that's enough of this argument, enjoy your light, I certainly will enjoy mine.

[jimmyree]

To the OP, sorry to derail your thread. As you can see lighting can be a pretty contentious issue, like salt. Best advice I can give is research, research, research. And take a look around at all the different reefing sites and see what kind of success others are having with their lighting setups. Whatever you decide with all the available options out there nowadays almost everything made specifically for reef tanks seems to be having success in someone's setup, probably because there are so many other factors involved in keeping a reef tank as well.

[gus6464]

We know you are proud of your 1K + light fixture, I get it. But if you are saying the thousands of reef tanks out there with Radions over them are only growing corals because it emits popularity you need to get your head checked. But that's enough of this argument, enjoy your light, I certainly will enjoy mine.

 

It is a known fact that radions have horrible shadowing issues with SPS. Unless you are planning on blanketing the entire area of a tank with multiple XR30's they are trash. Hell all you need to do is look at the BRS video with the spectrometer readings of the XR30 to see how crap the light is. I have had all kinds of lights and my current light isn't even the end all be all either.

 

Was there ever a good radion? Yes the gen 1 and first revision of gen 2 where they used reflectors on the pucks but then they decided to switch to optics because it was cheaper and it inflated their PAR numbers.