AquaIllumination Blade Announced

[Tuan’s Reef]

These will implement my Radions nicely. Also very interested in the Blade Refugium.

 

[Tamberav]

Not being super versed on the Orphek bar offerings, does anyone know if those offer true UV spectrum? I’m assuming that they’re still not controllable/dimmable.

They posted a video of a controller for the orphek bars... it runs 6 bars into 1 plug.

Their bars are a lot cheaper then this.

Now the question is... will orphek actually release the controller for sale in the next 10 years? lol

 

[thedraque]

Nice. Definitely thought these would have been more budget friendly

the reef tax always hurts

 

[PeterEde]

I wonder if there is a mounting method to combine 1 or 2 bars with a Prime HD16

Not overly keen on sitting them on the tank edge. Will be a PITA

 

[bushdoc]

Shiny, but somewhow I am not impressed.

 

[Tamberav]

Why only two bars to choose from if this is supposed to also work as the only led with multiple bars?

Reefbuilders literally just posted 4 days ago how blue led tanks are narrowing coral choices and everything is the same coral and boring.

I personally like seeing blue and purple corals during the day under a whiter spectrum instead of being washed out… then have a blue for the dusk pop. The best of both worlds.

Two bars seems… limiting… I guess I am supposed to use the freshwater one? Maybe? What.

 

[rtparty]

I wonder if there is a mounting method to combine 1 or 2 bars with a Prime HD16

Not overly keen on sitting them on the tank edge. Will be a PITA

Would be super easy to make one with some channel aluminum. They’ve said there are hybrid mounts coming soon as well

 

[rtparty]

Why only two bars to choose from if this is supposed to also work as the only led with multiple bars?

Reefbuilders literally just posted 4 days ago how blue led tanks are narrowing coral choices and everything is the same coral and boring.

I personally like seeing blue and purple corals during the day under a whiter spectrum instead of being washed out… then have a blue for the dusk pop. The best of both worlds.

Two bars seems… limiting… I guess I am supposed to use the freshwater one? Maybe? What.

Because you design for the masses early on and then add to the lineup later. The vast majority of people aren’t buying the super daylight look these days.

I really want to see 2 FW, 2 glow, and 2 grow together.

 

[Tamberav]

Because you design for the masses early on and then add to the lineup later. The vast majority of people aren’t buying the super daylight look these days.

I really want to see 2 FW, 2 glow, and 2 grow together.

I still would have expected one daylight bar. I think most companies launched with that as an option.

 

[rtparty]

I still would have expected one daylight bar. I think most companies launched with that as an option.

Deven from ReefDudes says the Grow looks super similar to a Radion Pro. The Glow is much closer to a Radion Blue

 

[ReefSakes]

What's the width spread on it? Like how many would be enough for 3'×3' cube? I assume 6 30" models would be good?

 

[StatelineReefer]

Just gonna leave this here...

Clearly their marketing means "Ultra" violet, like Ultra Acan or Ultra Indo Torch.

Holy Grail Ultra Violet LED's cost $200 more than regular violet leds...

 

[TangerineSpeedo]

AI is a lot more budget friendly than Ecotech lol.

That’s because their office is smaller in the same building.... Also less windows

 

[liddojunior]

I wonder if one can get the grow strip for a nano tank and it be sufficient. At 140$ this would be cheaper than the AI prime16HD

 

[enb141]

Now the question is, will 2 of this be better than 2 Radions XR15?

 

[rtparty]

What's the width spread on it? Like how many would be enough for 3'×3' cube? I assume 6 30" models would be good?

I am told that 5 will cover my 36” wide peninsula. I think 6 will be needed long term but that’s the great thing about a more modular approach. You can add on super easy especially if you plan for it when designing how to mount them

 

[92Miata]

AI is a lot more budget friendly than Ecotech lol.

No, they're really not. They're almost exactly the same dollar per watt - except the ecotech brand (same company) is much better built, and won't melt on you.

Prime16HD - 59w - $249 $4.22/w
Hydra32 - 90w $429 $4.76/w
XR15 G6 - 105w $499 $4.75/w
Hydra64 - 135w $719 $5.32/w
XR30 G6 - 215w $949 $4.41/w

And the Prime stops being cheaper once you factor in that you need twice as many mounts. (and that's not getting into the option that there are other lights that are way better choices in the Prime's price range, and it's one of the least economical 50w lights on the market)

Blade 21" Glow - 40w, $269, $6.73/w
Blade 48" Glow -100w, $569, $5.69/w
Blade 66" Glow - 140w, $769, $5.49/w

None of these look economical at all - unless they're using way more efficient technology than they are in the Radion lights and producing light at a significantly greater PAR/watt - which they're not.

Orphek OR3-60 (24") - 30w, $140, $4.66/w
Orphek OR3-120 (48") - 60w, $180, $3/w
Orphek OR3-150 (60") - 75w, $290, $3.86/w


Now, $/w is a rough measurement here - but those 4ft Orpheks sure seem like a sweet spot to me.

Also, why are they putting 95 degree optics on these and then recommending low mount kits?

 

[spsick]

No, they're really not. They're almost exactly the same dollar per watt - except the ecotech brand (same company) is much better built, and won't melt on you.

Prime16HD - 59w - $249 $4.22/w
Hydra32 - 90w $429 $4.76/w
XR15 G6 - 105w $499 $4.75/w
Hydra64 - 135w $719 $5.32/w
XR30 G6 - 215w $949 $4.41/w

And the Prime stops being cheaper once you factor in that you need twice as many mounts. (and that's not getting into the option that there are other lights that are way better choices in the Prime's price range, and it's one of the least economical 50w lights on the market)

Blade 21" Glow - 40w, $269, $6.73/w
Blade 48" Glow -100w, $569, $5.69/w
Blade 66" Glow - 140w, $769, $5.49/w

None of these look economical at all - unless they're using way more efficient technology than they are in the Radion lights and producing light at a significantly greater PAR/watt - which they're not.

Orphek OR3-60 (24") - 30w, $140, $4.66/w
Orphek OR3-120 (48") - 60w, $180, $3/w
Orphek OR3-150 (60") - 75w, $290, $3.86/w


Now, $/w is a rough measurement here - but those 4ft Orpheks sure seem like a sweet spot to me.

Also, why are they putting 95 degree optics on these and then recommending low mount kits?

My man are you living in that 92 Miata that you have time to compile this info?

Seriously though thank you this is awesome!

 

[ScottD]

Blade 21" Glow - 40w, $269, $6.73/w
Blade 48" Glow -100w, $569, $5.69/w
Blade 66" Glow - 140w, $769, $5.49/w

Those prices are for the blade coral glow. If you look at the blade grow the prices are much lower
21” (40w) is $190, $4.75/w
48” (100w) is $400, $4/w
66” (140w) is $600, $4.28/w

 

[ScottD]

sorry double post