Neptune SKY LED

[ScottB]

I believe the point here is to compare LED fixtures and I am good with Dana leading that discussion.

I personally am happily committed to the ATI Stratons on the DT for now but am always looking at what is next for my T5 Hybrid frag systems.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Hello everyone, I've cleaned up some of the recent posts which took this discussion off-topic and in a negative direction. Please remember that disagreements are ok, but need to be handled without personal attacks (at R2R we take our "Be nice!" rule seriously). Thanks to everyone who is contributing to this conversation in helpful ways and keeping the thread on-topic. Happy reefing!

 

[Hydrored]

I would like to see these compared to Stratons, I have been more than happy with mine and would take a game changer to make me think otherwise. Yeah I understand Stratons are more money, but I’m not sure you will get the same coverage with the Sky causing you to need more.

@Bulk Reef Supply must not sell enough of them to care or make enough margin to make a video on the Stratons.

In the last year I have purchased 4 G5 XR15’s, 5 G5 XR30’s, 5 Reefi Duo Extremes, Orphek bars, Reefbrites, and nothing compares to the coverage and silence

Point is I will be happy to try these lights if they are better than the Stratons

Edit: Since this thread has been so hostile to be clear I own and love my Neptune products, I just wish manufacturers would spend less time on claims and more time on comparison

 

[Jeffcb]

I'm still diggin my Red Sea LEDs. Plenty of light! Plenty!

 

[Ryan Avery]

I'm still diggin my Red Sea LEDs. Plenty of light! Plenty!

Those a great lights, really under rated in my opinion. Plug them in, set the amount of blue you like and go!

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I am waiting for unsolicited comparisons and reviews of the Sky from regular reefers at this point...

When is the release date?
What LEDs and spectrums does it contain?

 

[rtparty]

I would like to see these compared to Stratons, I have been more than happy with mine and would take a game changer to make me think otherwise. Yeah I understand Stratons are more money, but I’m not sure you will get the same coverage with the Sky causing you to need more.

@Bulk Reef Supply must not sell enough of them to care or make enough margin to make a video on the Stratons.

In the last year I have purchased 4 G5 XR15’s, 5 G5 XR30’s, 5 Reefi Duo Extremes, Orphek bars, Reefbrites, and nothing compares to the coverage and silence

Point is I will be happy to try these lights if theyà are better than the Stratons

Edit: Since this thread has been so hostile to be clear I own and love my Neptune products, I just wish manufacturers would spend less time on claims and more time on comparison

Ryan has said the Straton is being tested over the new test setup and format.

With that said, BRS can't sell the Straton. No one can when there is zero stock coming to the US

ATI has made an amazing light for sure. They almost always do. They just forget some very basic things with them. The software looks identical to what I used back in 2012 when testing and reviewing the LED Powermodule. I even wrote the unofficial manual over on RC since none of us had any clue how to run it.

This next statement goes for all LED companies: STOP MAKING THE SOFTWARE SO COMPLEX. None of us need or should even have the control they put into these lights.

If Neptune has made the software quick and simple to use, they will immediately be ahead of 95% of the market.

 

[Ryan Avery]

This next statement goes for all LED companies: STOP MAKING THE SOFTWARE SO COMPLEX. None of us need or should even have the control they put into these lights.

I think they are going in that direction. G5 blue just set all channels 100% and your good to go

 

[OceanDiver]

I am waiting for unsolicited comparisons and reviews of the Sky from regular reefers at this point...

When is the release date?
What LEDs and spectrums does it contain?

Ask me anything

 

[OceanDiver]

Ryan has said the Straton is being tested over the new test setup and format.

With that said, BRS can't sell the Straton. No one can when there is zero stock coming to the US

ATI has made an amazing light for sure. They almost always do. They just forget some very basic things with them. The software looks identical to what I used back in 2012 when testing and reviewing the LED Powermodule. I even wrote the unofficial manual over on RC since none of us had any clue how to run it.

This next statement goes for all LED companies: STOP MAKING THE SOFTWARE SO COMPLEX. None of us need or should even have the control they put into these lights.

If Neptune has made the software quick and simple to use, they will immediately be ahead of 95% of the market.

They did

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Ask me anything

1. When is the release date?
2. What LEDs and spectrums does it contain?
3. What do you dislike about the product?
4. Can you put up your own detailed review of the Sky without running it by Neptune first?
5. Feel free to put a detailed review (without running it by Neptune first).

And please don't take this the wrong way, but the light has not even been released yet, many important details are not released, and Neptune is just soliciting so many opinions from those affiliated with the company (with non-disclosure agreements and the like), and running YouTube infomercials--that I I really want to hear from people totally unaffiliated from Neptune that just buy and use it...

It's not that I don't value people's opinions affiliated with Neptune. I do. It's just that I don't value them more than the average or new reefer that buys it without any connection to Neptune. I want to hear from the latter because so far it's a one voice choir from those affiliated with Neptune.... I am skeptical, that's all, when groups of people under this affiliated circumstance have nothing bad to say about an unreleased product.

 

[Cabinetman]

Been reading through and I sure wish I had them to try over my 10’ 560 gallon. Right now I’m running a 60” 8 bulb ati and a 48” 8 bulb ati and 5 Chinese leds across the front for the blue look. Takes an insane amount of power. By the sounds of things I’d only need 5 of the sky to cover it. Tank is 120x38x28 tall. Here’s a reef to test on Terrance

 

[102ttran]

Ask me anything

I'm planning to set up a new tank in a few months and this will be sps dominate tank. I need to know if 2 sky will be fine with 5ft tank 30" wide and 24" height is enough or not because was going to do 3 xr30 and I try to minimize as many power brick as i can. I see some preview on the lights but is there anyway you can test out the par for the sky and when will it available for order?

 

[rtparty]

Been reading through and I sure wish I had them to try over my 10’ 560 gallon. Right now I’m running a 60” 8 bulb ati and a 48” 8 bulb ati and 5 Chinese leds across the front for the blue look. Takes an insane amount of power. By the sounds of things I’d only need 5 of the sky to cover it. Tank is 120x38x28 tall. Here’s a reef to test on Terrance

Your tank is basically 2 of Ryan's 360 over at BRS. He needed 4 for his tank. You will likely need 8.

 

[ScottB]

I'm planning to set up a new tank in a few months and this will be sps dominate tank. I need to know if 2 sky will be fine with 5ft tank 30" wide and 24" height is enough or not because was going to do 3 xr30 and I try to minimize as many power brick as i can. I see some preview on the lights but is there anyway you can test out the par for the sky and when will it available for order?

For SPS minimum 3. I have three Stratons over my 5ft (RSR 525) and these fixtures are considerably larger at 18.5" X 18.5"

 

[Hydrored]

I'm planning to set up a new tank in a few months and this will be sps dominate tank. I need to know if 2 sky will be fine with 5ft tank 30" wide and 24" height is enough or not because was going to do 3 xr30 and I try to minimize as many power brick as i can. I see some preview on the lights but is there anyway you can test out the par for the sky and when will it available for order?

If you stick to XR30’s I would plan for 4 of them as I had 5 over my 8’ tank to give complete coverage. I run 4 Stratons over my 8’

Like others, I have no experience with Sky but my guess is a minimum of 3

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

The BRS video today I would not say was a glowing review of the Sky. Ryan seemed to definitely like the look of his old Kessils and Reefbrites (significantly?) better, but thought the Sky was easier to use for photos and sharing online. He thought he got good enough coverage for LPS with four lights on a 5 1/2 by 4 four foot tank. He said if SPS would need six. Notably he has kessil 360's in the mix with the Skys. Randy thought the Sky was easier to install (less cords than hybrid options).

So there's that. If you're photo happy, youtuber type, and internet sharing all of the time, the Sky may be easier for that purpose. But if you're mostly looking at the tank at home and in person, then the sacrifice with Skys might be that it is not be as good to look at as other LED combos.

 

[Cabinetman]

Your tank is basically 2 of Ryan's 360 over at BRS. He needed 4 for his tank. You will likely need 8.

Why, that’s only 10k plus Canadian lol. I think I’ll have to stick with my t5. I’d love to see what they would look like over my tank though.

 

[stephj03]

Why, that’s only 10k plus Canadian lol. I think I’ll have to stick with my t5. I’d love to see what they would look like over my tank though.

This may seem controversial to some and I hope this doesn't get "cleaned up" bc I think it's very relevant for anyone considering Sky to replace whatever is on an existing tank.

After you take into account all the different factors, you will need to replace 1 watt of your current lighting with 1 watt of Sky lighting.

So if you have a tank that is chugging along, however many watts of whatever brand/model you have is right around the number of watts worth of Sky's you will need.

On a large footprint non-slimer/stagg acropora dominant SPS tank, a $10k budget for LEDs is about what I would expect.

 

[OceanDiver]

I'm planning to set up a new tank in a few months and this will be sps dominate tank. I need to know if 2 sky will be fine with 5ft tank 30" wide and 24" height is enough or not because was going to do 3 xr30 and I try to minimize as many power brick as i can. I see some preview on the lights but is there anyway you can test out the par for the sky and when will it available for order?

I would say yes. I have a reefer 525XL 60x23x23. My SPS love it. Worst case when your tank is mature and growing SPS like crazy you could add a third.

Personally after having two for months and talking to Terrance, I see no need for three.