Im done with ecotech who makes a reliable led?

[mikeintoronto]

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

I think your statement sums up pretty much all the “science” in this hobby, haha. Then again, anecdotes and speculation are all we really have without studies.

 

[MnFish1]

microbiology (which I don’t see relating), or marine biology

What are zooxanthellae? Of course microbiology relates to marine biology

To another poster - Marine biology is not a broader spectrum of biology - but a specialty. Everything one learns as a biologist - applies to marine biology.

To everyone - You can have a pHD in coral biology - and have gotten a barely passing grade - Degrees don't mean much (except with @Thales) - experience does. and exoerience with @Paul B

 

[Sarah24!]

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

Hello,

So ahh yeah. But when do we see your tank pics? Knowledge is gained by all? In my terms I used my degrees to advance to medical school which I have graduated. As other have mentioned, there are for example aka family doctors, but then you have surgeons, or cardiologists, neurologists, etc, obgyn, and the list goes forever. It’s the same for biology and zoology etc. but one thing to strongly look at is, how would you solve the op problem? I mean depending on heat and internal heat, why not use nylon taffeta? Make a square or circle. And secure it with the fan screws. It’s usually 190t aka thread count, then use like a rubber cement on the edges. It’s not permanent, won’t ruin anything. Have an updraft or moisture will always be bad. Using a temp gun would show us if the fabric restricts too much air flow or not.

edit saw your post and radions have not been out for 15 years. No current led was 800. You may wanna actually research that. not that I care about price, but well your wrong. Even now where they are discontinued and three years old they are almost 600 for one light.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

Hello,

So ahh yeah. But when do we see your tank pics? Knowledge is gained by all? In my terms I used my degrees to advance to medical school which I have graduated. As other have mentioned, there are for example aka family doctors, but then you have surgeons, or cardiologists, neurologists, etc, obgyn, and the list goes forever. It’s the same for biology and zoology etc. but one thing to strongly look at is, how would you solve the op problem? I mean depending on heat and internal heat, why not use nylon taffeta? Make a square or circle. And secure it with the fan screws. It’s usually 190t aka thread count, then use like a rubber cement on the edges. It’s not permanent, won’t ruin anything. Have an updraft or moisture will always be bad. Using a temp gun would show us if the fabric restricts too much air flow or not.

I have already made suggestions and offered him alternative lighting options. Here’s a pic of my 45 gallon mixed reef cube which was started last May.

Everything is pretty mad because the lights just came on and it’s on day 13 of a fluconzanole treatment for byropsis.

 

[mikeintoronto]

What are zooxanthellae? Of course microbiology relates to marine biology

Microbiology is for chumps! j/k

I was thinking in the realm of college studies when I wrote that. Sorry. Micro in college was mostly pathology when I took it. We didn’t learn about marine organisms.

 

[45ZoaGarden]

What are zooxanthellae? Of course microbiology relates to marine biology

To another poster - Marine biology is not a broader spectrum of biology - but a specialty. Everything one learns as a biologist - applies to marine biology.

To everyone - You can have a pHD in coral biology - and have gotten a barely passing grade - Degrees don't mean much (except with @Thales) - experience does. and exoerience with @Paul B

They are microscopic dinoflagellates in coral tissue. They give the corals fluorescence and help with photosynthesis.

 

[LIreefguy]

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. You make a lot of good points but be nice. Sarah who happens to be totally wrong about the lights was nothing but respectful in her comments
We all have the right to disagree but let’s be better during the most festive time of the year

I agree the user above.Who has a lot more degree than me. I think taking a few classes in college doesn’t make an expert on coral spectrum. I think our understanding of corals is just too limited. Now I will admit 45zoa you might have a better understanding than me. Just a degree in finance . I personally love radions and their ab program. But I have 3 frag tanks all run radions except one. It runs an xr15 on one side and a ai prime on the other. If I try to take a picture the ai prime picturea suck but the radion I am able to adjust to take a better picture. Honestly they both grow zoas beautifully. Believe it or not some actually grow better under the ai prime side. any new high end one always goes on that side of the tank. They tend to melt on the radion side. And I only run that light at 15% ab softie program.
But I will put this debate to rest

I have seen nice tanks with t5,kessils,radions, black boxes

some many things go into growing corals. Lighting witch is important is only a little part of the equation. It buying a great light and doing water changes to keep water good is all we had to do to have a great tank. I would spend 4000 on the light

 

[LIreefguy]

What are zooxanthellae? Of course microbiology relates to marine biology

To another poster - Marine biology is not a broader spectrum of biology - but a specialty. Everything one learns as a biologist - applies to marine biology.

To everyone - You can have a pHD in coral biology - and have gotten a barely passing grade - Degrees don't mean much (except with @Thales) - experience does. and exoerience with @Paul B

@MnFish1 experience just means your old
joking

 

[DSC reef]

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

While spectrum is important brightness/intensity levels absolutely matter in growth especially in high demanding corals or tridacna.

 

[MnFish1]

They are microscopic dinoflagellates in coral tissue. They give the corals fluorescence and help with photosynthesis.

Right. It was rhetorical question lol. Microbiology....

 

[MnFish1]

@MnFish1 experience just means your old
joking

Dont Tell @Paul B that

 

[Thales]

What are zooxanthellae? Of course microbiology relates to marine biology

To another poster - Marine biology is not a broader spectrum of biology - but a specialty. Everything one learns as a biologist - applies to marine biology.

To everyone - You can have a pHD in coral biology - and have gotten a barely passing grade - Degrees don't mean much (except with @Thales) - experience does. and exoerience with @Paul B

Thanks. I have a degree in Philosophy!
I think experience is great, but wide experience is much more useful, and is one of the reasons I did my decade as an public aquarist.
I am now in the process of getting an advanced degree.
Degrees often have nothing at all to do with keeping animals alive.

Edit - light intensity matters for corals, and changing intensity seems pretty important, and really important for spawning. I actually think there may be a better way to use our lights, but I have to find time to pull the data.

2nd edit - sorry the OP had an issue with Radions. Currently I have 20 radions in use of various models, have had only one go 'bad' (won't go all way off, but some creative Apex programming). YMMV

 

[MnFish1]

Thanks. I have a degree in Philosophy!
I think experience is great, but wide experience is much more useful, and is one of the reasons I did my decade as an public aquarist.
I am not in the process of getting an advanced degree.
Degrees often have nothing at all to do with keeping animals alive.

I didnt know there were degrees in fish philosophy

 

[Silver14SS]

Thanks. I have a degree in Philosophy!
I think experience is great, but wide experience is much more useful, and is one of the reasons I did my decade as an public aquarist.
I am not in the process of getting an advanced degree.
Degrees often have nothing at all to do with keeping animals alive.

And experience does not equal expertise. There's plenty of people who have vast experience doing things incorrectly.

 

[Robert Ranciato]

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 have experienced horrible customer service with Aqua illumination products and they are now merged with Ecotec

 

[Frey]

Don't go with AI who is part of ecotech. I just lost my second of 3 hydra 52 hd's in two months today. Same deal you got. 400 for a new light told me i got it wet. It is suspended about 14-15" off the water in their hanging bracket no canopy over them to hold moisture. It has never fallen in the tank! Which when they contacted me and told me got it wet i said no i did not. I just took the discounted price and moved on. Now the 2nd has gone and originally i had thought the first was just a fan so i took it apart. Easy enough. I noticed they have 0 gaskets in them so i am guessing over time the humidity gets in and ruins the board. Have to admit i was a little upset over the first one now i am furious.

 

[Sisterlimonpot]

Interesting, I never seen a hydra in person let alone know how it's designed to deal with humidity. Nor do I know how they determine water damage when they diagnose the problem.

I do hope that when they report back to the customer that the fixture got wet, they have pretty conclusive evidence to warrant the accusation.

This next part is pure speculation: I can't imagine that a light designed to go over a tank isn't engineered to deal with high humidity. Of course there are a lot of limiting factors that can't make lights waterproof, but to think that the designers aren't taking into consideration the environment the light is designed for is far fetched to me.

If it's extended exposure to the humid environment then that's a design flaw. But if there was evidence that the electronics was submerged in water than that's another story.

 

[Frey]

No idea how they "determined" it. All the rep kept saying when i said they never hit water is we know it happens.... seems like a generalized response they have for such instances. Here is the bottom half of the email i just sent them

 

[oreo54]

first off.. not an apologist for AI..
Normally the units need not be sealed if the ciircuit boards are coated for waterproofness.
Second is that area cooler at night when the lights are off?
Reason is you might be getting condensation over and above what may be considered "normal"..

 

[Frey]

No. In fact its the warmest part of the house. Wood stove is down there.