ATI Straton vs Phillips Coral Care Gen2

[dwair]

Yep, same here. It really looks super nice. It would be cool if ATI knocked it out of the park.

@dwair , please let us know your impressions once it arrives!

Yea plan to! I'm very interested and from reading the like 50 page thread on the ATI Straton it seems like the consensus is that they knocked it out of the park. Was really what push me over the edge to commit to it and buy it. Most money I've spent on a single light before. But as I said in a different thread earlier today, you get what you pay for!

 

[areefer01]

I've read the same and brs did elude to coral care being a better light for softies and think he even made the suggestion thats what they may have been aiming for more or less. I do like the healthy spectrum blend the coral care supposedly offers. Based on what idk. 22 lbs is heavy though.

The "only" reason why BRS gave the CC Gen 2 that recommendation is because they prefer the blue/windex/AB+ Blue look. That is the only reason.

Their reasoning: In order to achieve the "brs" recommended look they needed to dial back too many LED's (white) which in turn reduced the total PAR. Therefore performance, par, and dollar it didn't make sense. Lower light level corals (soft, lps) require less par thus their recommendation.

It is very important to note this when considering using BRS data. They have a certain spectrum, look, they prefer and try to match that with the LUT (light under test). This will skew the results if the light isn't designed to meet a certain spectrum or a single package providing more options for the hobbyist.

TL; DR - If you are looking for a more natural reef light, appearance, spectrum nothing will beat the Gen 2. If you are looking for ATI blue, blue plus, or similar blue spectrum then the Gen 2 isn't for you and would be a waste of money.

 

[LRT]

The "only" reason why BRS gave the CC Gen 2 that recommendation is because they prefer the blue/windex/AB+ Blue look. That is the only reason.

Their reasoning: In order to achieve the "brs" recommended look they needed to dial back too many LED's (white) which in turn reduced the total PAR. Therefore performance, par, and dollar it didn't make sense. Lower light level corals (soft, lps) require less par thus their recommendation.

It is very important to note this when considering using BRS data. They have a certain spectrum, look, they prefer and try to match that with the LUT (light under test). This will skew the results if the light isn't designed to meet a certain spectrum or a single package providing more options for the hobbyist.

TL; DR - If you are looking for a more natural reef light, appearance, spectrum nothing will beat the Gen 2. If you are looking for ATI blue, blue plus, or similar blue spectrum then the Gen 2 isn't for you and would be a waste of money.

I've always taken the brs investigates with they are testing the lights to brs "proven to grow healthy corals spectrum" not so much as the "look"
I'm running a photon v2+ with brs exact reccomended schedule for softies and it is far from the washed out windex blue look. Ive ran my lamp at full blues and have been doing a tons of experimenting lately.
So in all honesty, at least the reccomended settings for softies is much closer to the white side of the spectrum. Im guessing thats the same spectrum brs reccomended setting are shooting for with all lights they test but idk.

 

[rtparty]

If everything I have read and seen is true, you are going to love the Straton. Hanging options for multiple units sucks right now but can be overcome.

It is the only LED on market that I am even semi-interested in trying. I have used or seen almost every major LED out there and none keep up with my halides. The Straton may be the LED that moves me back to LEDs in the future. That is at least 5 years away though so plenty of time for other companies to get it right.

 

[Oldreefer44]

I have had 3 Stratons over a 180 for about 10 months. I chose the Straton because of the look as well as not wanting all that weight over my tank. I previously had Atlantiks over a 135 and liked them but the Straton fit the new tanks configuration much better. I have had to nearly double the amount of Alk and Ca dosage since changing to Stratons and have to say that I like the simplicity of the programming much better than most any other piece of programmable reef equipment I have owned. IMO, the Straton, Coral Care and Sky are the next step in lighting and are similar enough that it is really just a matter of which one fits your needs. This is coming from someone who started with Halides, went to t5's, then hybrids. Moved on to Radions, Atlantiks and now Stratons. Consider each to have been an improvement over the former.

 

[dwair]

If everything I have read and seen is true, you are going to love the Straton. Hanging options for multiple units sucks right now but can be overcome.

It is the only LED on market that I am even semi-interested in trying. I have used or seen almost every major LED out there and none keep up with my halides. The Straton may be the LED that moves me back to LEDs in the future. That is at least 5 years away though so plenty of time for other companies to get it right.

Yea I'm lucky in the regard that I'm only hanging the 1. Yea I'm excited!

 

[dwair]

I have had 3 Stratons over a 180 for about 10 months. I chose the Straton because of the look as well as not wanting all that weight over my tank. I previously had Atlantiks over a 135 and liked them but the Straton fit the new tanks configuration much better. I have had to nearly double the amount of Alk and Ca dosage since changing to Stratons and have to say that I like the simplicity of the programming much better than most any other piece of programmable reef equipment I have owned. IMO, the Straton, Coral Care and Sky are the next step in lighting and are similar enough that it is really just a matter of which one fits your needs. This is coming from someone who started with Halides, went to t5's, then hybrids. Moved on to Radions, Atlantiks and now Stratons. Consider each to have been an improvement over the former.

Yea I look at them as being the next step in lightning as well. I like the Panel Style Alot. Always bugged me about Kessils, I LOVE the kessils, but to get coverage you had to supplement or get more fixtures. This solves all that. And its gorgeous.

 

[USCfan]

The "only" reason why BRS gave the CC Gen 2 that recommendation is because they prefer the blue/windex/AB+ Blue look. That is the only reason.

Their reasoning: In order to achieve the "brs" recommended look they needed to dial back too many LED's (white) which in turn reduced the total PAR. Therefore performance, par, and dollar it didn't make sense. Lower light level corals (soft, lps) require less par thus their recommendation.

It is very important to note this when considering using BRS data. They have a certain spectrum, look, they prefer and try to match that with the LUT (light under test). This will skew the results if the light isn't designed to meet a certain spectrum or a single package providing more options for the hobbyist.

TL; DR - If you are looking for a more natural reef light, appearance, spectrum nothing will beat the Gen 2. If you are looking for ATI blue, blue plus, or similar blue spectrum then the Gen 2 isn't for you and would be a waste of money.

Yes, the Philip is designed to give a natural look during the day.

It still gives that 20k look during sunset hours.

I was in the same boat as the OP, but my lights were broken. So I went with the Philips because it was on sale and ati was sold out. Also, It would mount in my hood way easier. Very happy with the Philip and it is so overbuilt.

That said, I think the ATI is a better design & has more features but is also more money. I wouldn't use those extra features. I'm more set & forget.

I like the defused panel designs. More companies need to copy it.

 

[Hurricane Aquatics]

You made a very wise choice. Aquacave had 2 in stock and I purchased one of them a few weeks ago. It's the best light I've ever used and I've used them all.

 

[dwair]

It’s here! Will get it hung later this week.

 

[dwair]

Well had some free time so I got it hung. I’m not happy about the fact that I didn’t see that it was supposed to be hung front to back instead of side to side until after I’d already drilled all my holes and put up the hardware. Now to get those drywall anchors back out I’d have to go into my attic and I’m going to wait until wife has free time to help. Did all this myself. Also don’t know how to fill the 2 holes I just made that are in the wrong spot.

But for now, it’s hung, power cord off to the right, oh well. Got to play with the presets. Connecting to it was 30 sec process. Currently have it set to LPS High as I only have soft coral in there right now. Mounted 13 1/2 inches off the water line. Don’t have a PAR meter though.

 

[Hydrored]

Well had some free time so I got it hung. I’m not happy about the fact that I didn’t see that it was supposed to be hung front to back instead of side to side until after I’d already drilled all my holes and put up the hardware. Now to get those drywall anchors back out I’d have to go into my attic and I’m going to wait until wife has free time to help. Did all this myself. Also don’t know how to fill the 2 holes I just made that are in the wrong spot.

But for now, it’s hung, power cord off to the right, oh well. Got to play with the presets. Connecting to it was 30 sec process. Currently have it set to LPS High as I only have soft coral in there right now. Mounted 13 1/2 inches off the water line. Don’t have a PAR meter though.

Congrats on the new Straton! Other than the hanging mishap I'm sure you will see good results from the light, really is a great LED light and I couldn't be happier with mine.

 

[dwair]

Congrats on the new Straton! Other than the hanging mishap I'm sure you will see good results from the light, really is a great LED light and I couldn't be happier with mine.

Thanks! Really not happy about the hanging mistake, totally my fault, but aggravating lol. Are you using the presets or made your own?

 

[Hydrored]

Thanks! Really not happy about the hanging mistake, totally my fault, but aggravating lol. Are you using the presets or made your own?

It's the deep sea schedule but different preset colors.

Just depends if you like blue, the deep sea preset is awesome but don't let how dim it looks deceive you, it pumps out PAR. I get 350 PAR at peak, 90%, hung 10" off the water, 8" deep when I tested it with a black screen cover on.

I've logged all the presets at max settings (I own a PAR meter)

 

[dwair]

It's the deep sea schedule but different preset colors.

Just depends if you like blue, the deep sea preset is awesome but don't let how dim it looks deceive you, it pumps out PAR. I get 350 PAR at peak, 90%, hung 10" off the water when I tested it with a black screen cover on.

I've logged all the presets at max settings (I own a PAR meter)

Not sure where you are getting that, that isn't my options for presets.

These are what shows for me

 

[Hydrored]

Not sure where you are getting that, that isn't my options for presets.

These are what shows for me

Update your firmware and you will see it

 

[dwair]

Update your firmware and you will see it

Ok, gotta figure that out lol

 

[dwair]

Got it, July 14th release right?

 

[Hydrored]

Got it, July 14th release right?

Correct

 

[dwair]

Correct

Yea I got it, yea its a super blue setting. I've got a local guy here with a PAR meter so I'll be testing out different settings for next week.