Ecotech radion g5 knock off found!

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Harold999 said:
I have a Kessil knockoff of that brand (they call themselves A+), the app/programming is horrible unless you understand Chinese.
On the pictures the app looks like it is English, but it works with a lot of popup messages and all these are Chinese.
The seller promised better English app-updates but never happened.
The light is in a drawer somewhere, can't use it because of the app.

Safe yourself a lot of trouble/money and go for the real deal.
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Well I have the real Radion XR-15s and Mobius SUCKS and it is in English.
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
This models are also interessting:

 
Deltec
Superlightman said:
This models are also interessting:

Click to expand...
My tip before you purchase the light: try the app first and look if it is fully English.
 
Harold999 said:
What exactly is your problem with Mobius? I hear many people complaining but me personally have zero issue's with it. (I have the XR15 G5 + Mobius also)
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Most commonly I would say connections problems, trouble controlling groups of lights, weird time sync and DST issues. Sometimes "tanks" in app have disappeared or reset for me.

How many lights do you run? I find most people with just a couple don't have as many issues.
 
Deltec
Poochaku said:
Most commonly I would say connections problems, trouble controlling groups of lights, weird time sync and DST issues. Sometimes "tanks" in app have disappeared or reset for me.

How many lights do you run? I find most people with just a couple don't have as many issues.
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That must be it then, i just have one on a nano tank.
 
Harold999 said:
I can imagine why. Warranty: zero. App: not English.
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I do have two "black box" light bars from China. Customized to the spectrum I want. Having taken measurements with a competent spectometer, and use them for a couple of months here's my take comparing it to a popular brand (which I have used prior to changing to black box).

1. Significant cost saving
2. Accurate spectrum
3. Comes with built in controller and app (English but not very user-friendly)
4. Diodes and lens don't burn out easily (UV diodes)
5. Direct support from the maker of the light

Now granted this is not the light in the link. What I wanted to express is that it is possible to produce quality product for much less, even without the economy of scale.
 
Deltec
J1a said:
I do have two "black box" light bars from China. Customized to the spectrum I want. Having taken measurements with a competent spectometer, and use them for a couple of months here's my take comparing it to a popular brand (which I have used prior to changing to black box).

1. Significant cost saving
2. Accurate spectrum
3. Comes with built in controller and app (English but not very user-friendly)
4. Diodes and lens don't burn out easily (UV diodes)
5. Direct support from the maker of the light

Now granted this is not the light in the link. What I wanted to express is that it is possible to produce quality product for much less, even without the economy of scale.
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Those are 100 dollar lights, warranty wise i would take the risk.
I won't buy +500 dollar lights from Ali though.
 
Harold999 said:
Those are 100 dollar lights, warranty wise i would take the risk.
I won't buy +500 dollar lights from Ali though.
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The point I am trying to make is not that one light is better than the other. Nor is it about which price range of black box lights are "good" to buy.

The point is that LED system can be made much cheaper than the price of a smart phone. If the hobbyist have more access to economical options, it's probably a good thing for the hobby.
 
J1a said:
The point I am trying to make is not that one light is better than the other. Nor is it about which price range of black box lights are "good" to buy.

The point is that LED system can be made much cheaper than the price of a smart phone. If the hobbyist have more access to economical options, it's probably a good thing for the hobby.
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I'm glad to see those Chinese budget light like A7, A8, Jebao, popbloom, noopsyche, smatfarm & citilight came out. That give abit more options for quality light for 20% of mainstream light prices. Give some chance for average hobbyists to do reef with planted tank price range.
 
Orphek OR3 reef aquarium LED bar
J1a said:
The point I am trying to make is not that one light is better than the other. Nor is it about which price range of black box lights are "good" to buy.

The point is that LED system can be made much cheaper than the price of a smart phone. If the hobbyist have more access to economical options, it's probably a good thing for the hobby.
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If i compare cheap and expensive lights (i own both), the one thing that i immediately notice is the difference in true (natural) color reproduction. The cheap ones can't reproduce true colors (they do but to a lesser extend).
Led's that can produce close to 100% true color are simply more expensive then led's that are let's say 85% true color.
Cheaper lights, cheaper leds.
 
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Harold999 said:
The cheap ones can't reproduce true colors
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Some cheap ones can't. Some others produce color even better.

You are right it boils down to the LED choice. But LED diodes are not that expensive.

Perhaps one can consider if the lower prices is the result of less marketing, less sponsorships and corporate overhead.
 
Iccis Linn said:
I'm glad to see those Chinese budget light like A7, A8, Jebao, popbloom, noopsyche, smatfarm & citilight came out. That give abit more options for quality light for 20% of mainstream light prices. Give some chance for average hobbyists to do reef with planted tank price range.
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Funny you say that. I had 1 gen 5 xr15. I sold it and bought the noopsyche k7 V3 with wifi light and mount for $209 when they had a sale. Way more light for the money.I needed a second light for my tank, so I either had to shell out a bunch of money for a mount and another gen 5 xr15, or sell it and get the noop. That’s exactly what I did. I couldn’t be happier either. Ecotech does make a nice light, but the price should be about half in my opinion. Like someone else said a light shouldn’t be the price of a smart phone. I agree with that. My corals are doing awesome under the noopsyche. And if you buy them on sale you can put 3 or 4 of them on a large tank for about the same price as 1 XR30. I’d rather spend the money on other gear or fish and corals. Plus if you look at pics of some of these coral farms, they all use black boxes and Chinese leds. Maybe some Of the more expensive farms can afford to run ecotech and other expensive lights, but it’s not super necessary. That’s just my opinion though.
 
I'm not aware that any light manufacturers acctualy produces le diodes.

So, it's all philips, bridgelux, osram, cree, etc.....

Also, not aware of 10,50,100 chinese guys manufacturing diodes at home garages or basement. So again, its philips, bridgelux, or any manufacturer that acctualy manufacture diodes.

Only difference is quality and consistency. Ecotech or kessil gets highest quality diodes, from same BIN, with identical output, spectrum, spread, etc....

The rest gets the rest.

So one, if lucky, can get same bin with random purchase off ebay, like ones in any high end unit. Not big chance, but, still it is.....

Second is quality of drivers, cooling, etc.... Again, big manufacturers use high end components, high end thermal solution, rest use the... Well, rest ;)

Third is software (if any). Big names spends great amount of money for peogramming app, features, cuatomization, etc.... Small ones have basic limited app, which is ok, because light itself is limited in features and possibilities, either because thermal issues, driver quality, or, diode quality....

Fourth, and most important is marketing. How many units does "insert big name here" sends to various people - reefers, youtubers, influencers, companies, sellers... Not really matter does "insert random internet dude" have any relevance,knowledge, reputation in world of reef tanks.... He have gazillion followers, and his name associated with "insert big name product" is great marketing, object of desire and wet dreams all over the world.

Small(er) manufacturers dont do that, or at least, dont do that on any scale that can have impact on things.

I see that noopsyche lights are very good, people have high opinion on them, sadly i live on wrong planet to ever have chance of getting one, but...

How many giveaways they had so far, that is marketing. Talking about product is marketing.

Imagine that this company who sells these knockoffs decide to take 50,100 or 500 units, and choose random people from r2r, and send them lights.... How many times will they improve selling rate, if people here read how some of us are happy, fascinated, and have great reef tanks, great coral growth and color - using these....

But, they dont do that, they really dont care.... They have low production cost, relatively low selling cost, so... If someone buys great, if not.... No problem.

So.... Quality difference, yes, for sure, but there is much more. And quality difference then is not that big or important.....
 
Gardnaaa said:
Funny you say that. I had 1 gen 5 xr15. I sold it and bought the noopsyche k7 V3 with wifi light and mount for $209 when they had a sale. Way more light for the money.I needed a second light for my tank, so I either had to shell out a bunch of money for a mount and another gen 5 xr15, or sell it and get the noop. That’s exactly what I did. I couldn’t be happier either. Ecotech does make a nice light, but the price should be about half in my opinion. Like someone else said a light shouldn’t be the price of a smart phone. I agree with that. My corals are doing awesome under the noopsyche. And if you buy them on sale you can put 3 or 4 of them on a large tank for about the same price as 1 XR30. I’d rather spend the money on other gear or fish and corals. Plus if you look at pics of some of these coral farms, they all use black boxes and Chinese leds. Maybe some Of the more expensive farms can afford to run ecotech and other expensive lights, but it’s not super necessary. That’s just my opinion though.
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Meme Reaction GIF by Robert E Blackmon


I had G5 XR15 pros and sold them when i got my NooPsyches. I think the NP light is actually better as far as price, color and coral reaction. The only thing I think the Radions had was a better app and better color blending. For me who is a simpleton...i dont need a better app and I really cant tell the difference between color blending enough to care.
 
Koh23 said:
I'm not aware that any light manufacturers acctualy produces le diodes.

So, it's all philips, bridgelux, osram, cree, etc.....



Only difference is quality and consistency. Ecotech or kessil gets highest quality diodes, from same BIN, with identical output, spectrum, spread, etc....

The rest gets the rest.
Click to expand...
A LED manufacturer like Cree sells the same white led but with different CRI values (CRI = color rendering index, the ability of a led to show true natural colors).
Low CRI leds are much cheaper. Cheap reef lights have low cri leds.
 
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Harold999 said:
A LED manufacturer like Cree sells the same white led but with different CRI values (CRI = color rendering index, the ability of a led to show true natural colors).
Low CRI leds are much cheaper. Cheap reef lights have low cri leds.
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Not always the case. We need to stop assuming a light is more expensive because they use better bin of leds, or better drivers, etc.

For instance, one can get a very competent light with aluminum unibody, ip67 meanwell drivers, respectable spectrum and PAR for 2/3 the cost of a radion.

wyattlightworks.com

SeaDevil Ref.240 'Monster II'

The latest and baddest offering from WyattLightworks in terms of power, coverage and sleekness
wyattlightworks.com wyattlightworks.com
 
J1a said:
Not always the case. We need to stop assuming a light is more expensive because they use better bin of leds, or better drivers, etc.

For instance, one can get a very competent light with aluminum unibody, ip67 meanwell drivers, respectable spectrum and PAR for 2/3 the cost of a radion.

wyattlightworks.com

SeaDevil Ref.240 'Monster II'

The latest and baddest offering from WyattLightworks in terms of power, coverage and sleekness
wyattlightworks.com wyattlightworks.com
Click to expand...


One thing is sure, if 10 high cri leds do cost more than a Blackbox, that Blackbox doesn't have them on board.
There are 3 cent leds and 10 dollar leds. Both as powerfull and the same color, but the latter has a higher cri and more precision dimming (more steps from off to full on)

I'm pretty sure that high end fixtures use more expensive leds than the budget options. Well, at least they should.

The Kessil A360X has the best spectrum of all LED's out there, even surpasses T5 (according BRStv), i'm 100% sure the A7 knockoff doesn't even come close (i had both, the Kessil produces more natural colors).
 
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IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

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  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%

  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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