Ecotech radion vs DIY LED

[reefjunky24]

Just curious i am upgrading to a 45 cube, i currently have a DIY led fixtrues, combo of RB, B, Cyan, NW, WW, CW but not controller, i know an apex will run it but that is 500 for a few hundered more i can get the ecotech and use there software, just curious if anyone has experience with the Radion for color and growth, wondering if the move is worth it or if i should just upgrade my current LED to add some other colors and maybe a few more leds.

thanks
Rich

 

[Knight_Fall]

i personally love my radions. i have a total of 5 right now. my tank has had some ups and downs lately so i am not sure i could give an accurate insight to the growth but the colors of the coral seem to pop more. if you do get these lights make sure you watch how much red spectrum you have your lights set to put out. the cyano in my tank went nuts because i wasn't paying attention to that. just fyi.

 

[reefjunky24]

Did you run any Leds before you started running the Radions?

 

[ReefLEDLights]

The Radion is an excellent light but it only has only 34 high end 3 watt LEDs. If your running NW and WW the Radion will improve you tank colour and coral look.

The APEX JR with VDM is around $250 and can control analog 1-10vdc drivers.

If it were me I would replace the WW and NW with UV and a hint of Red and Green. This with a 2:1 Royal Blue Cool White ratio will look great.

Its been noted that too much warm light may promote nuisance algae.

Bil

 

[Knight_Fall]

i originally had T5's over my 75 when i replaced them. my 125 had Par38's over it when i replaced them. i looked at the DIY kits. i have some ability with stuff like that, but i didn't think i would be able to get it perfect. i am kind of a perfectionist when it comes to things like that that i can see so i spent the money.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

Other than the smile on the Mona Lisa things are rarely close to perfect.

Some Fixtures have done it well. Acan, AI, Apollo, Radion, and a few others have done it quite well with no assembly required...

DIY is not for everyone but the available kits are progressing and several vendors offer solderless solutions.

There are also factory housings available. This saves $ but at the cost of choosing the right parts and then putting them together which can take an afternoon.

Bill

 

[pumarjr]

I have had different DIY fixtures, I've built my own with a 4 color setup, cw,nw,rb,b. I also have had fixtures from several different manufactures and as of now, the Radions take the cake hands down. I have 2 over my 40 Artisan and absolutely love them. I was going to build another DIY from Reefledlights, but by the time I would have bought the APEX controller, the chips, heat sinks, cooling, power supplies, and the inevitable odds and ends, it would have been just a little less than the Radions. Reefledlights has exceptional quality of bins and parts, so if that the way you are leaning, you will not be disappointed.

 

[reefjunky24]

I have just heard so much about corals loosing color under LED's, whether it be diy, radion, etc. So i am trying to find the best fit, i mainly have chalices, acans, zoas and palys and some other LPS, i know everything has come from T5 lighting and just don't want to lose the great colors that they currently have, so that is where my debat is, i was tempted to do some t5's and some LEDS together. Just not sure yet, i am upgrading to a 45g cube and just want to do it right from the start or as right as i can....lol

Reef Leds has some great stuff it is where i got some of my LEd's a few months back and i have seen some nice stuff, so that you for the advice on the led types as i have heard so many things about so many different colors sometimes its about just doing it yourself and seeing the results first hand.

The hobby isn't cheap which we all know and lighting is one of the largest costs so i just don't want to keep spending money left and right.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Paul C.]

I have 2 Radions over my 75 rimless. Running both at about 55%. Gives me great light up high, and softer down low for things that need it. Looked at DIY kits, and just can't justify the risk of messing something up to save 300 bux. Plug and play..Have had no issues (other than no software for my MAC). Ordering my third for my 30 gallon frag tank.Have a HO T5 quad light on that, just no comparison when the two are side by side.

 

[zoalord]

Recently ordered 60 (B, RB, and CW 2:1 as mentioned) LEDs from ReefLEDLights as they were the cheapest price compared to ledgroupbuy and rapidled. Then ordered 16 less (4UV, 4DeedRed, 4Turq) from ledgroupbuy. 76BJB Connectors from ReefLEDLights, 6 40W Drivers. The BJB Connectors need a slight modification with a knife to widen the opening for the exotic less from ledgroupbuy. I also ordered 2 makersled heatsinks which should come in early June. This makes DIY led about as easy as it can get. I will be doing 0 soldering. This should be as close to a radion as possible. I will eventually be getting an APEX to do programming with the lights, but that is on down the road.

 

[Reef Breeders Verified Sponsor]

Just curious i am upgrading to a 45 cube, i currently have a DIY led fixtrues, combo of RB, B, Cyan, NW, WW, CW but not controller, i know an apex will run it but that is 500 for a few hundered more i can get the ecotech and use there software, just curious if anyone has experience with the Radion for color and growth, wondering if the move is worth it or if i should just upgrade my current LED to add some other colors and maybe a few more leds.

thanks
Rich

If you buy the radion, you can control lights, and maybe the vortech if you have those. If you get an apex, you can control the pumps, lights, and everything else in you tank, it reads ph, connects to the internet, and can do ato. I would stick with diy if I were you, especially since you already built your fixture.

 

[hddtran]

why you need 6 drivers? it will be a lot messy with that many drivers.

I would suggest you setup and run your led in parallel as oppose to series, this way you would only need about 2 drivers the most. With 2 drivers and wire in parallel, you can have it up to at least 50 LED (Cree).

 

[reefjunky24]

As much as the DIY has saved me, i do have to agree that it is a risk you techinically aren't putting proven equipment about your rank and i do realize that, now don't get me wrong the LEDS are still a work in progress but some companies have done there homework, as we are still trying to figure out our fixtrues and if it is what we really need, after all the time and money i spent on it, i probably would have done the ecotech but i realize that who knows if in a year they will have the same units or if it will be a new model, that is the frustrating part, after about 2 months over my tank still not happy with it, i have upgraded to a 45g cube that i am currently putting up and believe that i am going to go to a 4 bulb t5 retro kit and add in some leds that i currently have to do a combo to meet the colors i want and also to make sure that i am on point with my par and maybe wait another year or so before i go full blown LED or see where vortec is going with there's since i can't get an answer if i am going to be able to upgrade the pucks with different colors than what they currently have, i may try another DIY in the future and add the UV but i see so many things every month coming out that it is frustrating when you think you got it right and new info or things come out. but i did do the 3 drivers which worked out and manually adjust the lighting, i do like the color but just not 100% happy with it yet.

 

[ReefLEDLights]

reefjunky24

When you "agree that it is a risk you techinically aren't putting proven equipment about your r(t)ank and i do realize that".

I would like to note that hobbiest first started adding reds and greens to the mix before the Radion

The Radion is simply the following:

• ​

8x

Cree XP-G Cool White LEDs run at 5W each
• ​

8x

Cree XP-E Blue LEDs run at 3W each
• ​

10x

Cree XP-E Royal Blue LEDs run at 3W each
• ​

4x

Cree XP-E Green LEDs run at 3W each
• ​

4x

[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, Verdana] Osram Oslon SSL Hyper Red LEDs run at 3W each[/FONT]

[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, Verdana]With DIY you have better... Industry is slow to adapt and is burdened with numerous regulations. The Cree XT-E Royal Blue is more Efficient than the XP-E. It can also be driven up to 1.5 mA. Most DIY Vendors now have the XT-E standard. [/FONT]

[FONT=Helvetica, Arial, Verdana]DIY gives you ultimate flexibility. XP-E or XT-E, Choice of Specific Cool White Bins, Colour Mix and how hard you want to drive your LEDs.

You can also choose optics that optimize your light based on tank size and how high you hang it over your tank.

DIY Works for my tanks.

Bill[/FONT]​

 

[zoalord]

Hddtran: I am using 6 drivers because I am having two heatsinks. Also I read that I couldnt power the LEDs in parallel with the driver I ordered. I also wanted to be able to dim the colors, the blue, and the white. While also being able to turn off those different strands at different times.

 

[wrasseluver]

I started off with a DIY led fixture over my 40 breeder and it was great but I got a radion and I love it way more. The DIY was RB, B, WW with 3 dimmable mean well. It was controlled by an apex on 3 variable speed ports. I had a few problem with some of the leds burning out after about a year. I sold the DIY fixture at half the cost and bought a radion and it's way better. I would have spent another $300 to have similar to the radion which I would have spent $1200 with LEDs and apex.

 

[Tony73]

It's interesting...
I Would like to replicate RADION with DIY.
I take suggestion by REEFLEDLIGHTS

@REEFLEDLIGHTS: Is there a kit to make DIY sonething like RADION?
Can you write me a MP?

Thanks

 

[redtop03]

reefjunky24

When you "agree that it is a risk you techinically aren't putting proven equipment about your r(t)ank and i do realize that".

I would like to note that hobbiest first started adding reds and greens to the mix before the Radion

The Radion is simply the following:

• ​

8x

Cree XP-G Cool White LEDs run at 5W each
• ​

8x

Cree XP-E Blue LEDs run at 3W each
• ​

10x

Cree XP-E Royal Blue LEDs run at 3W each
• ​

4x

Cree XP-E Green LEDs run at 3W each
• ​

4x

Osram Oslon SSL Hyper Red LEDs run at 3W each

With DIY you have better... Industry is slow to adapt and is burdened with numerous regulations. The Cree XT-E Royal Blue is more Efficient than the XP-E. It can also be driven up to 1.5 mA. Most DIY Vendors now have the XT-E standard.

DIY gives you ultimate flexibility. XP-E or XT-E, Choice of Specific Cool White Bins, Colour Mix and how hard you want to drive your LEDs.

You can also choose optics that optimize your light based on tank size and how high you hang it over your tank.

DIY Works for my tanks.

Bill​

unless someone comes up with something I like the looks of better,this is the factory made light I plan to try to DIY replicate,but I would most likely use the higher efficiency LEDs,that decisions not set in stone just yet though,I'm still studying LEDs

Bill,with that in mind,what is it about Radions if anything,that you would do differently,if you were gonna replicate them,and how many of those would I need above my tank (360g--96"x36"x24") it's 24" from water surface to the tank bottom,but with about 2" sand bed,that is only about 22" depth ? PM me if you'd rather not answer that in public

or better yet,what are your recommendations for my tank ?

 

[Surfage_Breakage]

I have been in the same boat. I need lig hits for my 225g. I was thinking Radeon or diy. I have decided to diy because I will be able to change any leds I want to get the exact color I want.. I decided to go with 3 pheonix 45with 8uv, 2-4 red, 2-4 green. Similar to the Radeon but hopefully better. Hopefully I will be happy with it. I don't know how much money I will really be saving when said and done compared to the Radeon, I hope it is worth it!

 

[ReefLEDLights]

I have been in the same boat. I need lig hits for my 225g. I was thinking Radeon or diy. I have decided to diy because I will be able to change any leds I want to get the exact color I want.. I decided to go with 3 pheonix 45with 8uv, 2-4 red, 2-4 green. Similar to the Radeon but hopefully better. Hopefully I will be happy with it. I don't know how much money I will really be saving when said and done compared to the Radeon, I hope it is worth it!

Having specifically binned Cree LEDs will give you consistently better looks. The Radion is a very good light except EcoTech cannot pick and choose specific Bins for optimal looks. DIY will save you about 1/2 the price as for the same price DIY gives you twice as many of the same type of LEDs.

I really would not do anything to the Radion other than lowering its price and specifically binning the LEDs. Having a 7.5 K vs 5.5K Cool White and a 450nm Royal Blue v a 465nm Royal Blue really make a big difference. Also the Cree XT-E is the latest and better LED. Its more porweful than the XP-E and when run a 700mA or 3 watts its about 10% more efficient depending on the bin.

The only thing I do thats slightly different is our Red is 630nm v 660nm. The looks are about the same, which one looks better is like asking who's hotter Ginger or Mary Ann. With DIY you can easily add either or both. Also I would update the LEDs to the latest generation XT-E

Bill