Radions or Orphek Atlantik's?

[hart24601]

My tank is only 12” deep. I will measure it again but I am thinking it’s around 20” off the bottom of the tank. I run it 70% blue 2 channels and 40 white(ish) channel and get a pretty even 300-400 par around 1” of the bottom glass.

For shadowing imo it’s better than a small MH reflector and comparable to a t5 fixture of the same dimensions, so like a 24x9 which is similar to a 4 bulb setup. I originally thought about adding orphek bars if needed, but light reflected off the glass and bottom of my 18” wide tank lights everything up.

 

[hart24601]

One thing I always found handy for looking at shadowing is the surface area of the reflectors. I have found this to hold true across lighting types. Now this isn’t the same as coverage which can vary quite a bit.

Look at the total area of the reflectors or optics on a fixture. Corals under this area will have the best protection from shading possible in our tanks. That is. 20” by 20” MH reflector (count the reflector, not metal past it, if any) will have minimal shading under 400 square inch area. The coverage is greater, but unless light reflects off the glass (or there is another fixture) anything outside that 20x20 will have some degree of shading. T5 is such a beast because the total reflector area of a 8 bulb is huge. Many are the length of the tank and reflectors can be 17” wide. Some less as I don’t count the metal around it. But anything under that footprint will have minimal shading but anything outside will have some - again unless close enough to glass for reflection. A 20x8 MH pendent same story and so on.

Now look at many leds. The kessil reflector area is around a 2” circle. Radion has two larger circles around 3” I think with a bit of space between them so you get 9x3 area. Not much compared to the other tech. Plenty of power and coverage, but that surface area is tough for shading. So then you start using multiple fixtures to increase that area and that can work well, particularly if up high for larger coverage and overlap. This is more similar to expanding the surface area of a single fixture although the areas between fixture can still shadow a bit. The new diffusers appear to increase the surface area of the light and are great.

So the orphek is 24x9. The leds don’t go to the edge, but the acrylic and optics do and emit light so the entire fixture surface area footprint is solid - which fits as I find it similar to 4bulb t5 with similar reflector surface area (or an MH reflector if it was 24x9 and some are larger or smaller).

Just some observations I have seen over the years. Not of course a hard rule, but I think it’s pretty solid and appears to hold up.

 

[Karl M]

Have you noticed any shadowing at all w/ these lights? How far above the water line for you have them mounted?

The light distribution from the Orphek is much more even (multiple point source of light) vs Radions (single point source of light) so all the shadowing I had with the Radion has now been eliminated with the Atlantic. I now have a solid blanket of light. EcoTech does make diffuser for both of their lights and from what i have read it’s seems to help with better light distribution.

I currently have the light mounted at 13” from the water line. When I move it to the 93 cube I may go a little higher.

 

[scuzy]

Considering the mount orphek sells is glass supported only any support on the stand is solid. Ideally I would have extended it to the floor and put another clamp, but those four bolts total are more than strong enough going through the stand. Putting another clamp with the wood available in that spot would only weaken the integrity by drilling more holes imo and I put a considerable about of stress on the fixture before putting the light on to test, well over 50lb on each one and saw no indication of failure so I’m not concerned with the 12lb each mount supports.

I was referring to the bolts holding the light not the ones holding to the stand. The light itself weights quit a bit. Anyways just my observation as my orphek felt quit heavy. I was just thinking of you can extend it to the front two bolts to even out the stress on the joint area.

 

[hart24601]

I was referring to the bolts holding the light not the ones holding to the stand. The light itself weights quit a bit. Anyways just my observation as my orphek felt quit heavy. I was just thinking of you can extend it to the front two bolts to even out the stress on the joint area.

Ah yea. I would be ideal if they were longer. But it feels solid with no play or bending whatsoever so it doesn’t worry me but it would be better all the way across the top for sure!

 

[gatorbait01]

One thing I always found handy for looking at shadowing is the surface area of the reflectors. I have found this to hold true across lighting types. Now this isn’t the same as coverage which can vary quite a bit.

Look at the total area of the reflectors or optics on a fixture. Corals under this area will have the best protection from shading possible in our tanks. That is. 20” by 20” MH reflector (count the reflector, not metal past it, if any) will have minimal shading under 400 square inch area. The coverage is greater, but unless light reflects off the glass (or there is another fixture) anything outside that 20x20 will have some degree of shading. T5 is such a beast because the total reflector area of a 8 bulb is huge. Many are the length of the tank and reflectors can be 17” wide. Some less as I don’t count the metal around it. But anything under that footprint will have minimal shading but anything outside will have some - again unless close enough to glass for reflection. A 20x8 MH pendent same story and so on.

Now look at many leds. The kessil reflector area is around a 2” circle. Radion has two larger circles around 3” I think with a bit of space between them so you get 9x3 area. Not much compared to the other tech. Plenty of power and coverage, but that surface area is tough for shading. So then you start using multiple fixtures to increase that area and that can work well, particularly if up high for larger coverage and overlap. This is more similar to expanding the surface area of a single fixture although the areas between fixture can still shadow a bit. The new diffusers appear to increase the surface area of the light and are great.

So the orphek is 24x9. The leds don’t go to the edge, but the acrylic and optics do and emit light so the entire fixture surface area footprint is solid - which fits as I find it similar to 4bulb t5 with similar reflector surface area (or an MH reflector if it was 24x9 and some are larger or smaller).

Just some observations I have seen over the years. Not of course a hard rule, but I think it’s pretty solid and appears to hold up.

Interesting observations and it does make sense. Although your thoughts on it being comparable to a 4 bulb t5 fixture is worrisome. As I currently have the 8 bulb t5 fixture on which I was thinking of of ditching.

 

[hart24601]

Interesting observations and it does make sense. Although your thoughts on it being comparable to a 4 bulb t5 fixture is worrisome. As I currently have the 8 bulb t5 fixture on which I was thinking of of ditching.

There is generally a decent amount of reflection off the glass, but if absolute shading protection is what you are after I would put orphek bars on each side - but can see if it’s needed down the road as it might not be with glass reflection and many people don’t have large sps colonies against the glass so it isn’t needed to the full edges in most situations.

 

[sawdonkey]

The weight of that orphek I would work a bit on the stress on just two bolts.

That was my immediate thought.

 

[sawdonkey]

My tank is 36x20 and would much prefer just 1 full Sized array vs 2 compacts for both astetics and more importantly cost. What height do you runs yours at and have you noticed any shadowing on any colonies of sps?

I think you’d be fine with one V4.

 

[hart24601]

That was my immediate thought.

It really is solid, however I will report back as the years go by!

 

[lbacha]

I mounted my orphek v4 from the ceiling. The hanging kit it comes with makes it really easy.

Close up shot

From a distance showing it hanging from the ceiling

 

[OnPointCorals Verified Sponsor]

wow is that the actual hanging height you leave it at? Don't you get tons of light spill at that height?

 

[Scorpius]

^ My T5's are 15in above my waterline. Gives the room a nice blue hue.... :lol:

 

[gatorbait01]

I think you’d be fine with one V4.

Ok... I went ahead and ordered mine today along with the mount. Looking forward to seeing how well it performs.

 

[lbacha]

wow is that the actual hanging height you leave it at? Don't you get tons of light spill at that height?

It’s a huge room, the light spill actually provides some good ambient lighting to the room. Orphek recommends a height of 16”’s and I agree as it really evens out the spread and the light has a ton of power.

 

[mandarin417]

Planet Aquarium made a tank for me a year ago that I intended to use as a remote refugia = 30.5" long, 18.5" side to side, and 21" deep, made out of 1/2 thick glass they had on hand. Overflow is on the short side. It looks too pretty for a refugia so I am setting it up as a little peninsula tank in our study. The tank has a high rock structure with a lot of overhangs that will be nice for fish in the tank. I want to focus on zoas and acans. There is a bit of open area at the front of the peninsula that I would I like to place a clam someday if decide to go that route.

The full-sized V4 would broadly cover the 30" long tank. Would you recommend just the V4 compact for this setup? I was planning on suspending the fixture 8-12 inches above the tank with the tank at a height that is low enough to look down into it. I figure the zoas and acans on the higher rock structure would need a lot less light than a future clam on the floor of the tank. If I add a clam, I was thinking about adding more puck based LED at the front of the tank for higher lighting needs focused on just than one area.

 

[lbacha]

I would get the full size v4 as it’s not much more than the compact and it would fit that footprint perfectly. I actually bought the light in anticipation of a nuvo 50 which is almost the same footprint

 

[hatfielj]

Great thread! I just found this because I am trying to decide how I want to light the new frag tank I'm setting up
It will be 48 x 24 x 12, rimless no divider
I am leaning strongly towards the Orpheks because I am very curious to see how they compare to the common Radions that everyone is running these days
I am thinking I'll run 2 of the compacts with 4 T5s. The tank will be strictly acros on tiles as bubba likes to do.

Does anyone know if I need the gateway to run the lights? I don't necessarily care about controlling them remotely, but just wondering if that is an absolute necessary accessory?

 

[JonJ]

Great thread! I just found this because I am trying to decide how I want to light the new frag tank I'm setting up
It will be 48 x 24 x 12, rimless no divider
I am leaning strongly towards the Orpheks because I am very curious to see how they compare to the common Radions that everyone is running these days
I am thinking I'll run 2 of the compacts with 4 T5s. The tank will be strictly acros on tiles as bubba likes to do.

Does anyone know if I need the gateway to run the lights? I don't necessarily care about controlling them remotely, but just wondering if that is an absolute necessary accessory?

The gateway is the only way to adjust the settings, so you have to buy it.

 

[Oldreefer44]

You would want the gateway anyway because there are limitless ways to program the lights and I'm sure, like the rest of us Orphek owners, you will want to experiment with the color options. I am on my 4th custom program myself.