Ecotech radion g5 knock off found!

[DCR]

This is a well known issue with using China for manufacturing. I work in chemical manufacturing technology and If you really want to protect your IP, you better not have your product manufactured in China as they will take your technology and produce it themselves. The company producing these fixtures is almost certainly the same company that makes them for EcoTech (do not fall for the lie that these fixtured are manufactured in the U.S.) There are numerous possibilities. It is possible that EcoTech may have actually allowed them to manufacture them under a different name, or their contract with EcoTech may have been expired and now they are producing them on their own. We really do no know.

 

[Acros]

Since this conversation is mostly about copying products, I would love to get everyone’s opinions on the ethics of Neptune Sky.

Panel too similar to coralcare, heat sink too similar to viparspectra. This post might get this thread locked. lol

 

[Greg Gdowski]

This is a well known issue with using China for manufacturing. I work in chemical manufacturing technology and If you really want to protect your IP, you better not have your product manufactured in China as they will take your technology and produce it themselves. The company producing these fixtures is almost certainly the same company that makes them for EcoTech (do not fall for the lie that these fixtured are manufactured in the U.S.) There are numerous possibilities. It is possible that EcoTech may have actually allowed them to manufacture them under a different name, or their contract with EcoTech may have been expired and now they are producing them on their own. We really do no know.

I agree with this completely. They may have let them sell it with the limitation that it can't connect to Mobius.

 

[MartinM]

ReefBreeders, AquaMaxx, Noopsyche, ViparSpectra, and countless others are already out there. Buying knock offs from a company willing to steal designs that blatantly is ridiculous IMO. I can buy used legit Radions aroudn the cost of a knockoff. Why buy the knockoff? Why support them for theft? Because you dislike Bertram that much? PLENTY of lights available that Betram doesn't own.

Virtually all LED brands are just putting their own label on products they didn’t design and don’t manufacture. These aren’t ‘knock offs’, they’re just not sporting the label/price tag/support options and maybe not the QA that the brands you are all familiar with are selling.

 

[Arego]

Sigh, at the first sight of a discussion that doesn't go how someone intended is a waste of time.. I don't know about y'all but I like to learn from discussions like this. Sorry to waste your time on a discussion forum about reef keeping down in the lighting section.. wait, is that also a waste of time?

 

[mdb_talon]

I believe it "ends" in 2026 but Ecotech will make enough of a change to extend it another 7 years or whatever it is. They've done it before and will again.

If knock off artists could have copied it for less, they would have done so years ago.

FYI that is not at all how patents work. Utility patents are for 20 years and in only extremely rare cases can ever be granted an extension. There are points in that 20 year process that the owner of the patent must do things to keep the patent (mostly pay some fees) and that may be the "extensions" you are thinking of. If an enhancement to the product is made it can be patented and it will be for 20 years also, but it will not protect the original invention(only the improved version that has the current patented functionality).

 

[flashsmith]

Again, there are dozens of options to already choose from that aren't high priced, premium products. Not hard to understand yet so many of you can't.

What patent expired for this knock off to come about? Which Kessil patent expired? And again, patents don't mean squat in China.

I know this is too hard for some to understand.

And why isn't eco tech or kessil suing the crap out them then? People can spend their money on whatever the heck they want. You ever seen "Nikes" at a flea market? If you don't like something just move along.

 

[flashsmith]

Sigh, at the first sight of a discussion that doesn't go how someone intended is a waste of time.. I don't know about y'all but I like to learn from discussions like this. Sorry to waste your time on a discussion forum about reef keeping down in the lighting section.. wait, is that also a waste of time?

Well being an "expert" on viral infections isn't getting them the attention they need on the internet anymore so now they are all becoming patent attorneys....

 

[Acros]

Well, that took a dark turn!

 

[Rollman]

“Discussion” boards lol

 

[Saltydog69]

I don't, but I want to.

im expecting to see a collaboration with luka and you on testing this light. that would be awesome. could you do a stream focusing on the quanta light bar also plz....

 

[telegraham]

im expecting to see a collaboration with luka and you on testing this light. that would be awesome. could you do a stream focusing on the quanta light bar also plz....

I'm assuming @Lousybreed wouldn't touch this light, and I'd argue he has no reason to do so, but hit him up on IG. He's happy to share more Quanta data. I'm still working on mine.

 

[piranhaman00]

Off topic sort of,

Anyone know when the patent on ecotech mp pumps expire? Waiting patiently for Jebao to make their own and ime much better version of that type of wet/dry side pump.

 

[wattson]

These knock offs are just keeping the name brands in check pricewise a little bit ..
Nobody can EVEN begin to EVEN argue that some of the name brand products in this hobby are just straight up GOUGING............
$800.00 for a single wave maker and need 4 for your tank and $1k for a light for your tank and you need 3-4 of them,, then they nickel dime you for every accessory that mostly should be included in the initial product you bought .
I dont mind paying for quality but there are limits and some manufacturers keep pushing the gouging issue.. If some of the manufactures keep raising prices and people keep buying them ,,then blame yourself...It will go higher and higher ........

 

[Greg Gdowski]

Off topic sort of,

Anyone know when the patent on ecotech mp pumps expire? Waiting patiently for Jebao to make their own and ime much better version of that type of wet/dry side pump.

Don't bother waiting.

US9551343B2 - Magnetic pump assembly with shaft and axle arrangement - Google Patents

A fluid pump assembly is provided. The pump has a pair of units magnetically coupled to each other. The first unit contains a drive motor and a magnetic assembly. The second unit contains a magnetic assembly and a blade of a propeller/impeller for imparting movement to a fluid. As the first unit...

patents.google.com

The patent won't expire until 2030.

 

[piranhaman00]

Don't bother waiting.

US9551343B2 - Magnetic pump assembly with shaft and axle arrangement - Google Patents

A fluid pump assembly is provided. The pump has a pair of units magnetically coupled to each other. The first unit contains a drive motor and a magnetic assembly. The second unit contains a magnetic assembly and a blade of a propeller/impeller for imparting movement to a fluid. As the first unit...

patents.google.com

The patent won't expire until 2030.

That’s coming soon! Hopefully for my next build

 

[oreo54]

Speaking of knockoffs...

Chihiros Nova 1 light Coral light - chihiros aquatic studio

Chihiros Nova 1 With the help of the built-in Bluetooth controller and the My Chihiros application you can change the color and brightness - chihiros aquatic studio

www.chihirosaquaticstudio.com

 

[afrokobe]

Speaking of knockoffs...

Chihiros Nova 1 light Coral light - chihiros aquatic studio

Chihiros Nova 1 With the help of the built-in Bluetooth controller and the My Chihiros application you can change the color and brightness - chihiros aquatic studio

www.chihirosaquaticstudio.com

if Chihiros makes it, I might be tempted. I've used their planted tank lights for many years and they have been phenomenal.

 

[92Miata]

@rtparty
However, one thing I will point out that you pointed out that has an unexpected consequence. A lot of cheap knock offs come out and kill off the over priced competition but then these knock offs start upping their game and become the premium player themselves.

Yup. I've got a Reef Octopus skimmer I bought in about 2002 - it's an 8" body needlewheel skimmer that I think I paid $199 for (skimmers were way more expensive then - 8" bodied needlewheels started at about $1000). Now they're a premium brand. At that time Ecotech was viewed as a cheap Tunze knockoff.


I own a lot of Jebao return/etc pumps. There's no real innovation happening in that space - brushless dc motors are basically a commodity at this point, and the fluid dynamics behind pump head design isn't exactly new science. There's no "knockoff" anymore. LED lighting, frankly, isn't far from that. There's not really any novel technology in a Radion that isn't present in a $20 set of christmas lights at this point - just better quality components.




Hey China, can we get some dang lights that don't have blutooth chips in them? Just give me a cheaper light with 0-10v.

 

[dedragon]

Speaking of knockoffs...

Chihiros Nova 1 light Coral light - chihiros aquatic studio

Chihiros Nova 1 With the help of the built-in Bluetooth controller and the My Chihiros application you can change the color and brightness - chihiros aquatic studio

www.chihirosaquaticstudio.com

the problem is the prices on these are still kind of high, it is closer to a xr15 at $465. Is chihiros a pretty good foreign producer like jebao? never heard of em is all