Wade Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 So many options. So many options. It's a bit overwhelming to say the least. I've tried Google searches to try and find some unbiased reviews of what's new out there, but am just not coming up with what I'm looking for. There are ton of fixtures out there and the price range to match. I guess the obvious question is what really makes an $400 or $700 fixture better than a $200 fixture? Is it construction? Reliability? The components? Upgradability? The usability, controls and features? It appears that just about all of the manufacturers out there have customizable light spectrum configurations to match whatever you need. So what is that really sets one quality fixture apart from another? Maxspect, Radion, Kessil, AI, Giesemann, Zetlight, and EcoTech Marine are the high priced fixtures. Then you have BuildMyLED, Reefbreeders, Current, and Fluval to name a few of your midrange and then Chinese black box as low end. I've been using a Reefbreeders Photon for the past few years and have great success with it, as far as I know. Would my coral have colored up differently or more with a higher prices fixture? Is there something about these higher prices fixtures that make them worth the extra cost? I really have no clue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 depends on how much you want to spend really. if you look at the secondary market (ebay, CL, clubs, etc), there are some pretty good options out there from people who upgraded to the newest things. I'm running on some used AI Sol/AI SOL Blues... All i had to do was replace the fan, and a puck or two. Granted, i promised myself i would be saving up for new lights because of the savings, but i end up buying more corals and equip *lol* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlexMorsePremium Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I think it just comes down to power and coverage. There are hugely diminishing returns on the top end units. You get more bells and whistles (very refined control and programmability) but that's not important. I have HydraHD 26's, and I don't think anyone really needs the level of control AI gives you on the hydras. Maybe there are some very specific cases where it makes sense, but it seems more like a toy for tweakers. That said, they're really powerful and well built lights. I can't run them at even half power or I'd bleach everything in my tank, but it's nice knowing that I can move them to a deeper tank, or hang them higher for wider coverage when I eventually upgrade. When choosing I would look for power and coverage fit to your needs, and read up on reliability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 The biggest problem I've seen that plagues both high and low end brands are fan failures. Replacing them is not always a straight forward process but the one thing I've seen is the black box units use generic sized and readily available muffin/box fans. I personally think way to much hype has been placed on the amount of control needed. Corals adjust their chromo/fluorescing proteins to the light available and constantly fiddling with the light output doesn't really help them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gig 'em @ NDstructible Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 I have two LED fixtures on opposite ends of the spectrum over my tank. One is a $1k Orphek Atlantik with all the programmable bells and whistles and the other is an ocean revive. They both do their job, they both grow colorful coral. Is the extra control worth 5x the price? Not in my opinion. I'm happy with my ocean revives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted January 25, 2017 Share Posted January 25, 2017 The newer fixtures typically have better spectrum LED's and more control over channels. I would caution about making any generalizations about reliability or ease of changing components. Some are easier than others, but I've seen problem fixtures from just about every brand. The one thing buying a new fixture will get you is a warranty, but it's obviously going to come at a premium. Many of these use the same or very similar LED's and power supplies, so with the exception of a fixture with much better cooling, the actual LED reliability may be similar across many fixtures. The biggest difference may come down to the controller or interface to connect to a 3rd party reef controller or a web based control system. I've been using AI SOL blue's, which I got used on ARC, and they have been working great. Fixtures are silent, and 3 over a 90 gallon tank is complete overkill. I have done a ton of comparisons as well as built my own LED fixtures, and these were the best bang for the buck for a lightly used fixture. Don Duncan was using them over one of his tanks and he had some of the best SPS I've ever seen. That was the real deciding point. I've seen great results from many other fixtures, but I feel that paying an ultra premium for something like radions, just isn't worth is considering the results I've seen with these and other much cheaper fixtures. To me, having granular control over the intensity, on 2 or 3 channels minimum is a baseline requirement. For budget fixtures, I still want good cree or equivalent LED's, a quiet fan, hopefully lens options to vary the actual light spread, and at least blue and white channel controls. These are all deal-breakers, almost any current decent fixture will have these options or better. Anything beyond these is a bonus to me. So that being said, if possible see what the look like and what they can do first hand, or at least get enough examples of good growth with them and figure out what features you want and set a budget for it. I've seen great tanks running radions, kessils, and just about everything else under the sun. Don's tank and what these cost used is what sold me on the ones I ended up getting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted January 26, 2017 Author Share Posted January 26, 2017 Thanks all. Opinions based on personal experience is exactly what I was looking for. So is there someplace on line that I can look at pictures of Don's tank? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarleyGuy Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 I was going to start a similar thread, but saw this one, thanks! I picked up an AI Prime with my 36 gal rimless and really liked it, so I bought one more to get the proper coverage on that tank. Personally I love the wireless controllability, and multi channel intensity control. The corals (soft and LPS) are growing very well so far. Actually I like the AI's so much I'm thinking of buying 2 x AI Hydras for my 120 gal build (48" x 18"). I initially picked up two Chinese black box fixtures for that build but after having the Primes I know I won't be happy with the lack of flexibility with channel control and no wireless front end. Its all a matter of preference and budget, but I like the performance and quality of AI and really like the wireless control. Also, the pricing isn't horrible - $349 for a Hydra with free shipping on Amazon Prime. :-) Good luck and post pics when you're done. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 On 1/25/2017 at 9:24 PM, Wade said: Thanks all. Opinions based on personal experience is exactly what I was looking for. So is there someplace on line that I can look at pictures of Don's tank? Sorry, missed your response earlier. I do not have a picture of his tank, but I think most on ARC who have purchased coral from him could attest he's a pro SPS keeper. I'll see if I can find any pictures of his tank on ARC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jestep Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 Just digging up a few from some older threads. If this isn't proof enough, I don't know what is... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isaac Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 old (2nd hand- repaired) AI sol's and cheapo chinese actinic/blues... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted February 13, 2017 Author Share Posted February 13, 2017 Wow, that's a beautiful tank. Dang. Thank you for sharing:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted February 13, 2017 Share Posted February 13, 2017 Comparing LED fixtures is challenging. IMO price is largely reflective of the company's reputation and the warranty. I'm sure there are quality differences in the components, but it would require research deeper than the average consumer. I certainly wouldn't know the difference between two fans even if you gave me the names and specs for each one. For example, the Current Orbit 24-36" fixture has a total of 20 watts, while the OceanRevive T247 fixture has 120 watts, will cover the same tank area, and has a similar cost. If you took the names away and gave everyone a choice between the two, then I think everyone would choose the same one. I believe the main difference between the two is consumer base and name recognition. Companies like Current, ZooMed, Marineland, Fluval and Aquaticlife aren't trying to sell to people like us. I've been led astray too many times by someone talking a big game, but had a tank full of GHA. My brief lagoon period did not go well! I would find someone with a nice tank of corals that you're interested it and check out what they're using. Lighting may be only a small piece of the puzzle, but at least you'll know what works for what you're trying to keep! I've had my LED's since 2013 and you can see some of my progression pictures here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timfish Posted February 18, 2017 Share Posted February 18, 2017 Another issue I'm encountering is burnt lenses. The attached photo of a lens from an Ecotech Radion is a good example. The top lens a new one and the bottom lens is one after about 18 months use. You can see where the polycarbonate has been burned by the UV, RB and B leds on the bottom lens. I've seen this happen in about the same amount of time with AI's and with the cheap chinese stuff. The Kessils's I've looked at are using a glass lens which won't have that problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted July 18, 2017 Author Share Posted July 18, 2017 On 2/13/2017 at 10:43 AM, Sascha D. said: Comparing LED fixtures is challenging. IMO price is largely reflective of the company's reputation and the warranty. I'm sure there are quality differences in the components, but it would require research deeper than the average consumer. I certainly wouldn't know the difference between two fans even if you gave me the names and specs for each one. For example, the Current Orbit 24-36" fixture has a total of 20 watts, while the OceanRevive T247 fixture has 120 watts, will cover the same tank area, and has a similar cost. If you took the names away and gave everyone a choice between the two, then I think everyone would choose the same one. I believe the main difference between the two is consumer base and name recognition. Companies like Current, ZooMed, Marineland, Fluval and Aquaticlife aren't trying to sell to people like us. I've been led astray too many times by someone talking a big game, but had a tank full of GHA. My brief lagoon period did not go well! I would find someone with a nice tank of corals that you're interested it and check out what they're using. Lighting may be only a small piece of the puzzle, but at least you'll know what works for what you're trying to keep! I've had my LED's since 2013 and you can see some of my progression pictures here. That's a great point Sascha. I'm looking for a programmable light to put over the frag tank I set up to get me through until I get my new system in the new house (several months away) and are running into the same things. The AI Prime HD+ looks like a nice little fixture that would do the job, just not sure if there's something just as good that's less expensive. I definitely want something that will do a sunrise to sunset program so I don't have to worry about turning it on and off each day and then worry about how long it's on at the same %. A Kessil a160we would work nicely as well I think and wouldn't have the issues that Tim mentioned with burning of the lenses. The problem with the Kessil's is that I'd have to spend another $100 for the controller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted July 19, 2017 Share Posted July 19, 2017 I also run ocean revives they do the job and I dont think you beat them for the price just my 2centsSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wade Posted July 19, 2017 Author Share Posted July 19, 2017 The OR's look exactly like the Reefbreeder fixture I've had for several years. Same front panel, same casing, same remote, same everything. Interesting. I've had great service out of my RB's so no reservations about the OR's. They're cheap enough that you could replace the whole fixture every three years to get new technology of you wanted to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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