Im done with ecotech who makes a reliable led?

[Sarah24!]

Thanks for the clarification, and that is awesome that current USA replaced it for you! I do think there is a difference between a premium fixture vs a fixture like the current USA, and the fact that they were trying to liquidate some stock like mentioned before but to the bigger picture, if true I agree.

I have not had to deal with ecotech's customer service, but if it is as bad as described that is definitely a problem for them. People with negative experiences are often far more vocal then those with positive experiences though as well. There could be 10+ great reviews for every negative but we just dont hear about them. Regardless customer service is a huge part of any companies success!

Actually my current usa fixture was the same price as the radion, each were 799. The par rating on them is actually higher on my model than the radions, 60 degree lens. My tank is 34 inches tall (240 gallon) 72 long 24 wide and 34 tall. My maximus clam was past 24 inches down and had almost too much light. The nice thing is they are not a puck design, and the lights are 72 in long. So shadow effect isn’t and issue, specially since my rank is 24 wide, if one finds the critical angel you can have much less shadow affect. Granted it will change as the reef matures but using my ly-cor 1500 par meter, the par was consistent from left to right. My sps and lps and everything grows amazing under these lights. As always debatable, what one finds pretty will never align. But they are not cheaply made lights. Does current usa make a cheaper light yes. Do they make an affordable light yes. Do they make a high end, it ended with marine pro version model 6113. However this year they are releasing a new one to replace it. It will be even more powerful and definitely rank up with radions hydra kessil. The only light that I still think is way beyond others is the mitas ghl x7. I have four that never used because they are going on my new 425.

 

[Sarah24!]

Because it is spectrum and water quality that effects coral growth and color (not brightness). Comparing the growth and colors under a hydra 26hd over my 45 gallon cube to the colors I got under two current orbit fixtures over my 24 gallon nano cube, colors in the nano cube are drab. Same water conditions. The nano cube has more leds. The nano cube has more par at the top. But the hydra 26 with a better spectrum made my corals much more happy. Supplements also effect colors but we won’t get into that

Having one of my degrees in biology, and micro biology there is sooo much more to it than what your saying. If that was true, everyone would have these amazing reefs. The great reefs would be just massive. By the way corals are not plants lol, they are actually animals.

not to sound well (mague), but color is upon the person. But it’s okay, but my marine pros have more spectrum than the radions and the color to me is actually better. No of color is so opinionated it’s pointless to debate. However spectrum, mine have actually a broader range than the radions. Each light led are a tad different the one with the highest so far is the mitas ghlx7.

 

[Zach W]

Actually my current usa fixture was the same price as the radion, each were 799. The par rating on them is actually higher on my model than the radions, 60 degree lens. My tank is 34 inches tall (240 gallon) 72 long 24 wide and 34 tall. My maximus clam was past 24 inches down and had almost too much light. The nice thing is they are not a puck design, and the lights are 72 in long. So shadow effect isn’t and issue, specially since my rank is 24 wide, if one finds the critical angel you can have much less shadow affect. Granted it will change as the reef matures but using my ly-cor 1500 par meter, the par was consistent from left to right. My sps and lps and everything grows amazing under these lights. As always debatable, what one finds pretty will never align. But they are not cheaply made lights. Does current usa make a cheaper light yes. Do they make an affordable light yes. Do they make a high end, it ended with marine pro version model 6113. However this year they are releasing a new one to replace it. It will be even more powerful and definitely rank up with radions hydra kessil. The only light that I still think is way beyond others is the mitas ghl x7. I have four that never used because they are going on my new 425.

That is interesting, what is their power output? I have not seen any Current USA lights that come close to the 190W that the radions can put out. And was it a 72” fixture? If I had to guess the overall size of the light was why it’s was the price was comparable.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Having one of my degrees in biology, and micro biology there is sooo much more to it than what your saying. If that was true, everyone would have these amazing reefs. The great reefs would be just massive. By the way corals are not plants lol, they are actually animals.

not to sound well (mague), but color is upon the person. But it’s okay, but my marine pros have more spectrum than the radions and the color to me is actually better. No of color is so opinionated it’s pointless to debate. However spectrum, mine have actually a broader range than the radions. Each light led are a tad different the one with the highest so far is the mitas ghlx7.

First off, biology and microbiology has nothing to do with marine biology. Which I had to take to become a naval architect certified in Florida (you must be “eco friendly” blah. Anyway a broader spectrum is not good. You want a specific spectrum with higher wavelengths in certain areas. If you think the $200 current orbit lights have a better spectrum than the $800 radion which was engineered to grow coral, you are mistaken

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Since we are having a “scientific” conversation. Let’s see results. First pic is purple monsters grown under a hydra 26hd with the radions “ab+” spectrum. Second pic is purple monsters grown under the current orbit marine. Same tank just different sides. First pic is under the 26 second pic is under the current. You tell me what ones look better

 

[Sarah24!]

That is interesting, what is their power output? I have not seen any Current USA lights that come close to the 190W that the radions can put out. And was it a 72” fixture? If I had to guess the overall size of the light was why it’s was the price was comparable.

The power supplies on mine are 150 watts and I’ll be honest, I was gifted to beta test them. From the looks I can’t see any changes but my power supplies are a brick. Also another aspect is leds power per say don’t really determine by power supply. What really matters is the lens used with the led. Other lights may have a larger power supply, but they also power fans and other items to do WiFi etc. the currents have a huge heat sink so the only things needing power is the leds themselves. The ramp timer is basically a large diode since it’s ran on the positive feed.

 

[robbyg]

First off, biology and microbiology has nothing to do with marine biology. Which I had to take to become a naval architect certified in Florida (you must be “eco friendly” blah. Anyway a broader spectrum is not good. You want a specific spectrum with higher wavelengths in certain areas. If you think the $200 current orbit lights have a better spectrum than the $800 radion which was engineered to grow coral, you are mistaken

Pretty Harsh and unnecessary.

 

[JoshH]

I had/have a total of 18 radions. One fell in the water (these things can’t handle ANY water) in warranty, one got a bad wire over time, and one just stopped working. I had to pay to get them fixed. I have mixed feelings. I’m not sure I would buy them again but I’d also be very upset if I had to make that decision within the next 8-10 years. We moved to LED for cost savings but if the light doesn’t even last long enough to recoup that difference in cost we’re better off using older tech.

This is why I'm going MH with my new build...

Pretty Harsh and unnecessary.

I agree 100%

 

[Goomba_BC]

I agree about the harsh comment part as well.

 

[Sarah24!]

Okay I’m game and ahh my tank is 34 inches tall . If you think basic biology had nothing to do with marine biology, well that’s silly. Because I can’t list all the times we studied marine animals. Having a biology class compared to a marine biology class is different. But a degree in biology does overlap with marine biology. Marine biology is the speciality, but biology is the awww blanket of them all.

Oh and how old is your tank because mine is just barely over two years if you count my move, if not then it’s 3 months old. Also lol my lights are 800 not 200. You may want to look at what your trying to compare to. I do not have the marine pro ic lights. There are maybe 4 versions of orbit marine pros. The ic pro version has I think a 50-75 watt power supply but I wouldn’t even use those for sps and I love current usa. Their wave makers and dc return pumps are so amazing. Not to mention my tank has grown a lot for aka junk lights and crappy spectrum compared to your radions. I find it comical, that you think a light makes a reef. Maybe that’s why my tank does so well, it’s takes more than a light to make a reef. my tank has done this well even after my nephews decided to use my sump tank as a toilet. (That’s all detailed in my main thread).

 

[Phil D.]

This is the second time I have lost a radion to moisture. Sure it's a good light but ecotech fails to do anything about making their light moisture resistant. I have my lights 8 inches off the water in a canopy and after the first failure I added glass tops. 2 years is still all I get before the moisture renders it useless. Ecotech only solution is to repair for $275 or replace for over $400. It doesn't seem to matter your issue, no matter how many thousands you spent on their products, this is their only solution. Instead of me lining their pockets again I'm considering a switch. Is there any lights that are durable and moisture resistant. So far everything is pointing to kessels. Any information or input will be appreciated.

I recommend the Red Sea Reef LED 90s, my daughter has it on her E-170 and it's really great light. I had som corals bleaching in my tank, put them in hers and they came back better than before!

 

[MnFish1]

First off, biology and microbiology has nothing to do with marine biology. Which I had to take to become a naval architect certified in Florida (you must be “eco friendly” blah. Anyway a broader spectrum is not good. You want a specific spectrum with higher wavelengths in certain areas. If you think the $200 current orbit lights have a better spectrum than the $800 radion which was engineered to grow coral, you are mistaken

This is an interesting comment. First off - As a microbiologist - I disagree. There is a lot of overlap. Second. As to the spectrum - I disagree - Does the sun only 'broadcast' 1 spectrum? No - its broad spectrum. If you compared your tank to a coral in the ocean - My guess is that the coral would be growing much bigger, faster and better in the ocean than under a single spectrum bulb. So - All the 'degree' thing aside - I think the other poster was correct - that there is much more to coral growth/health than 'spectrum'.

Having said that - im sure that there are certain 'spectra' that favor coral growth - which might be what you learned in your class. But - that doesnt mean that other spectra are 'necessarily' harmful. The coral (and many use different) - grows under the spectrum it prefers. The coral next to it may prefer a different spectrum, etc etc

 

[mikeintoronto]

First off, biology and microbiology has nothing to do with marine biology.

Having one of my degrees in biology, and micro biology there is sooo much more to it than what your saying.

Just to add to these points: the issue of how light affects animals is well beyond just biology, microbiology (which I don’t see relating), or marine biology (an even broader study than just biology). To understand you need to study invertebrate zoology, biochemistry, biophysics, ..., just to name a few.

Unless you do a thesis on the exact mechanism of light impact on aquarium coral, your college studies on these subjects are much too broad. Heck I’m a biologist and a chemist who studied marine biology (all true, btw) and I still don’t pretend to know what’s going on.

For now we can only rely on experts and some personal experimentation.

 

[MyTankSux]

Do we all need a chill pill? Oh yeah well my uncle can beat your dad up lol jk

 

[Phil D.]

They have moisture reactive pads on the pcb that change color when exposed to moisture. I dont know what the threshold is to trigger a color change, but i imagine it doesnt take much. Opening it up, its probably the first thing they see as they pull the outer shell off. Pretty common to see these in electronics now.

It seems like a lazy design if water or moisture damage is the cause of so many lights going out. I recognize you cant produce an affordable consumer good by preparing a hardened product that can endure multiple hazards or modes of failure... But some conformal coating and ip67 rated internal connectors cant be that expensive ...

Working in the Avionics field. I see a lot of failures from too much conformal on PCBs. The QA would have to be tight to make sure there isn't too much conformal otherwise heat would cause the conformal to contract and make components fail.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Corals use certain “spectra”. For instance, they use uv, red, violet, and blue more than green. The sun has a pretty consistent spectrum across the board. These leds decrease the less useful wavelengths and increase the useful ones. Corals would be growing faster in the ocean because the ocean is more consistent. I said water quality also plays a big role. However when it comes to lighting, a narrower spectrum towards what corals use is better than a broad spectrum full of useless spectra. Florida’s reef conservation group actually uses radions above their tanks. They just got a coral which is extinct in the wild to reproduce in their tanks, an occurrence which stopped happening in the ocean. Reproduction under a narrow spectrum opposed to reproduction under a broad spectrum would lead you to think that the particular coral loves the narrow spectrum. As for comparing the “reefs love for the sun” I would disagree. There’s quite a few reefs in the oceans dying. Sure there are other factors but the sun is one of them. Lowering the less useful spectra and increasing the useful ones is the better way to go. Corals cannot survive without the ultraviolet spectra. They could survive without green. Look at the peaks in ecotech’s ab spectrum. It is flawlessly designed for coral health. It has peaks in useful areas while the orbit has more of “hills” in those areas. The current spectrum is more rounded because it is “broader”. Sure, halides work but they aren’t as rich in the blue spectra. Most coral farms either grow under halides or all blues. The Florida conservatory grows under blues. Wwc grows under blues. I’m not saying that blues are better because I think corals do need some of bright white like the sun provides. That’s why a lot of tanks usually have a daylight spectrum mimicking halides and a night time blue spectrum which promotes the growth of zooxanthellae

This is an interesting comment. First off - As a microbiologist - I disagree. There is a lot of overlap. Second. As to the spectrum - I disagree - Does the sun only 'broadcast' 1 spectrum? No - its broad spectrum. If you compared your tank to a coral in the ocean - My guess is that the coral would be growing much bigger, faster and better in the ocean than under a single spectrum bulb. So - All the 'degree' thing aside - I think the other poster was correct - that there is much more to coral growth/health than 'spectrum'.

Having said that - im sure that there are certain 'spectra' that favor coral growth - which might be what you learned in your class. But - that doesnt mean that other spectra are 'necessarily' harmful. The coral (and many use different) - grows under the spectrum it prefers. The coral next to it may prefer a different spectrum, etc etc

 

[Heathd]

Corals use certain “spectra”. For instance, they use uv, red, violet, and blue more than green. The sun has a pretty consistent spectrum across the board. These leds decrease the less useful wavelengths and increase the useful ones. Corals would be growing faster in the ocean because the ocean is more consistent. I said water quality also plays a big role. However when it comes to lighting, a narrower spectrum towards what corals use is better than a broad spectrum full of useless spectra. Florida’s reef conservation group actually uses radions above their tanks. They just got a coral which is extinct in the wild to reproduce in their tanks, an occurrence which stopped happening in the ocean. Reproduction under a narrow spectrum opposed to reproduction under a broad spectrum would lead you to think that the particular coral loves the narrow spectrum. As for comparing the “reefs love for the sun” I would disagree. There’s quite a few reefs in the oceans dying. Sure there are other factors but the sun is one of them. Lowering the less useful spectra and increasing the useful ones is the better way to go. Corals cannot survive without the ultraviolet spectra. They could survive without green. Look at the peaks in ecotech’s ab spectrum. It is flawlessly designed for coral health. It has peaks in useful areas while the orbit has more of “hills” in those areas. The current spectrum is more rounded because it is “broader”. Sure, halides work but they aren’t as rich in the blue spectra. Most coral farms either grow under halides or all blues. The Florida conservatory grows under blues. Wwc grows under blues. I’m not saying that blues are better because I think corals do need some of bright white like the sun provides. That’s why a lot of tanks usually have a daylight spectrum mimicking halides and a night time blue spectrum which promotes the growth of zooxanthellae

lots of anecdotal and speculation for someone who is "degreed" and so well versed in what corals want

 

[MyTankSux]

Ok I'm going to say it. Pretty much what everyone is saying in here is pure fluff. All corals have unique and different requirements. There will never be a "perfect light". There is no "flawless" spectrum. All we can do is try to develop technologies that best suit the largest number of organisms. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail because its not worth my time.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Oh fts comparing the lights? Ok lol. First tank is a 8 foot long 350 gallon tank. 15 years old. Second tank is a 12 foot long 1,000 gallon tank that is also 15 years old. Both lit by ecotech radion xr30’s. No current lights have EVER been $800 LOL

Okay I’m game and ahh my tank is 34 inches tall . If you think basic biology had nothing to do with marine biology, well that’s silly. Because I can’t list all the times we studied marine animals. Having a biology class compared to a marine biology class is different. But a degree in biology does overlap with marine biology. Marine biology is the speciality, but biology is the awww blanket of them all.

Oh and how old is your tank because mine is just barely over two years if you count my move, if not then it’s 3 months old. Also lol my lights are 800 not 200. You may want to look at what your trying to compare to. I do not have the marine pro ic lights. There are maybe 4 versions of orbit marine pros. The ic pro version has I think a 50-75 watt power supply but I wouldn’t even use those for sps and I love current usa. Their wave makers and dc return pumps are so amazing. Not to mention my tank has grown a lot for aka junk lights and crappy spectrum compared to your radions. I find it comical, that you think a light makes a reef. Maybe that’s why my tank does so well, it’s takes more than a light to make a reef. my tank has done this well even after my nephews decided to use my sump tank as a toilet. (That’s all detailed in my main thread).

 

[MnFish1]

Ok I'm going to say it. Pretty much what everyone is saying in here is pure fluff. All corals have unique and different requirements. There will never be a "perfect light". There is no "flawless" spectrum. All we can do is try to develop technologies that best suit the largest number of organisms. I'm not going to go into a ton of detail because its not worth my time.

Thats what I said ;lol. Just kidding.

Corals use certain “spectra”. For instance, they use uv, red, violet, and blue more than green. The sun has a pretty consistent spectrum across the board. These leds decrease the less useful wavelengths and increase the useful ones. Corals would be growing faster in the ocean because the ocean is more consistent. I said water quality also plays a big role. However when it comes to lighting, a narrower spectrum towards what corals use is better than a broad spectrum full of useless spectra. Florida’s reef conservation group actually uses radions above their tanks. They just got a coral which is extinct in the wild to reproduce in their tanks, an occurrence which stopped happening in the ocean. Reproduction under a narrow spectrum opposed to reproduction under a broad spectrum would lead you to think that the particular coral loves the narrow spectrum. As for comparing the “reefs love for the sun” I would disagree. There’s quite a few reefs in the oceans dying. Sure there are other factors but the sun is one of them. Lowering the less useful spectra and increasing the useful ones is the better way to go. Corals cannot survive without the ultraviolet spectra. They could survive without green. Look at the peaks in ecotech’s ab spectrum. It is flawlessly designed for coral health. It has peaks in useful areas while the orbit has more of “hills” in those areas. The current spectrum is more rounded because it is “broader”. Sure, halides work but they aren’t as rich in the blue spectra. Most coral farms either grow under halides or all blues. The Florida conservatory grows under blues. Wwc grows under blues. I’m not saying that blues are better because I think corals do need some of bright white like the sun provides. That’s why a lot of tanks usually have a daylight spectrum mimicking halides and a night time blue spectrum which promotes the growth of zooxanthellae

There are lots of incidental (i.e. one off) things people could insert in this thread - i.e. My GSP loves high light, GSP likes low light, SPS need high light, SPS need 250 par, etc etc. I am not sure many people are talking about spectra - as compared to light manufacturer - which was the thread - as it started. I personally have had good luck - with minimal problems with Echotech Radions. This does not mean that I think that the spectrum they provide is best - or average or bad - It means - I have not experienced the poor quality that the OP has - which is the topic here.

As to spectrum - we will agree on somethings (you posted that I quoted) and disagree with others - but whether I have a degree or I'm a carpenter in Florida that has snorkeled/scuba dived every day for 20 years - it doesn't matter