Going from Radion G4s to Radion G5 Blue: initial impression and two week update

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Nubbie

Nubbie

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My step dad is on day number 18 on a ventilator and is just now showing signs of improvement.

Hey sorry about your step dad. I'm actually an ICU nurse currently working all my shifts on an absolutely swamped ICU covid floor. I haven't seen anything like this virus in my career... If I can give you any good news, the fact that he's still alive 18 days on the ventilator is a good thing and should give you hope. Most people I see pass within days if not hours after being intubated. Hang in there bud and you're right, at least we're fortunate enough to complain about lights that cost $800+.
 

AJsReef

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Chiming in here...

Whole heartedly agree with just about every negative/positive already listed. I’m quite happy with the “new” spectrum of AB+ if you will as my wife isn’t a fan of “blue lights” in her living room :) However, corals definitely don’t seem to color up the way they did under the Gen4s. They look great on the ramp however. This obviously user editable and ill get around to playing with it once I’ve really tested the AB for a few months.

My main reasons for buying these lights were; better par spread to avoid moving up to 4 units and decreased noise. As far as spread it is fantastic, edge to edge 250+ par even on the sand bed of a 72x24x24 tank running at 70%. The noise is frankly ridiculous. Ecotech should be embarrassed as they can be quoted claiming that the benchmark was to be quieter than Gen4s and they accomplished this. Which is a flat out lie. Unless they are claiming the off state as the “quiet” state which would be clear smoke and mirrors. To make matters worse, there has been no feedback or response from ETM.

Mobius is a complete other story. Lets be honest here for the lights it’s JUNK. I’m hard pressed to believe anyone did any real world testing of this app. Connectivity is garbage and the bugs are plentiful. It’s weeks post release and they haven’t been addressed. These things should be ironed out within the first few days of release. Any respectable app developer would have a team standing by to resolve. My lights regularly stay on past schedule, turn themselves on randomly, etc. You have to also remember for most users these lights are being used for livestock risking losses due to failures in scheduling, unacceptable IMO. ETM’s response, “a fix is coming” and “turn off moonlight”. A) where is this fix? B) Its acceptable time tell a customer to cease using a feature that was used as a selling point? And then not offer a timeline for resolve? Add to this, 2/3 of my units came broken and ETM basically treated me as a being in the wrong forcing me to go through Marine Depot for appropriate replacement.

ETM needs to get their act together and quickly as far as I’m concerned. You charge a premium price customers should expect premium support.
 

eddius_maximus

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So any official word on fan noise? THEY'RE SO LOUD.

I went from running 5 G4 Pros at 100% (ab+ schedule) and it was dead silent. Now my office sounds like we're preparing for takeoff. The noise pollution is absolutely insane.

Is it a percentage thing? Because I haven't been able to hear any differentiation in fan intensity. It's either dead silent or at 100%. WSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. For 10 hours straight. Every. Single. Day.

My post may read like hyperbole but guys, it truly is that loud. Five G5s running at max fans, non stop. My entire family breathes a little better when the lights start ramping down and the nonstop WSHHHH finally stops. I've gone to great lengths making my system dead silent, and it absolutely is -- until these lights kick on.
 

dadnjesse

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So any official word on fan noise? THEY'RE SO LOUD.

I went from running 5 G4 Pros at 100% (ab+ schedule) and it was dead silent. Now my office sounds like we're preparing for takeoff. The noise pollution is absolutely insane.

Is it a percentage thing? Because I haven't been able to hear any differentiation in fan intensity. It's either dead silent or at 100%. WSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. For 10 hours straight. Every. Single. Day.

My post may read like hyperbole but guys, it truly is that loud. Five G5s running at max fans, non stop. My entire family breathes a little better when the lights start ramping down and the nonstop WSHHHH finally stops. I've gone to great lengths making my system dead silent, and it absolutely is -- until these lights kick on.
Are your lights in a hood or hanging in the open. Mine are not loud, and are hanging in the open.
 

atoll

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Not sure hearing of a the issues people are having with the G5s why they are sticking up for the company. I can't think of any other premium product with so ma y issues people would be so quick to defend. Well, I guess you pays your money and are entitled to how you feel about them but I can't help feeling once again the buyer is the real tester of yet another expensive reefing product.
Makes the saying never buy anything new untill it's been out at least 6 months more than just sound advice. I don't think I need to have bought the product to justify my opinion. If your happy with your G5 warts an all then fine after all it's your money.
 

HuneyBear

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you literally spew ignorance and repeating what you have "heard"; when did you use one of these lights?
Have you read the thread you are posting in? Did I make anything up? Literally 100% everything I said has been said previously. All I did was ask a question “ Do you feel that for the price you paid should the product work flawlessly?” I threw some more in there about a non existent property and that I’m happy with the lights I purchased. But, I purchased what I did because they are the lights that light where I get many corals from.
@Jstn how are your Gen5’s? Are you happy with them? Do you feel like everything operates flawlessly for the price you paid? I believe the Gen4’s as well as the Gen3’s are absolutely great products and perform great and easier to program, do you agree with that? Obviously, with the quality issues stated by others (not me) it seems this product was rushed before it was ready. Do you agree with that? Or, is everyone on here just making things up? I am totally ok if you want to hate on me for pointing out that paying for the “best” should mean they operate like the best. Issues stated (by others) shouldn’t even be heard of at all. Or am I wrong it’s all about the name attached to it?
 

eddius_maximus

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He's hating on you because you're weirdly hostile and aggro and literally contributing absolutely nothing

Why are you in this thread, get out, go outside, go for a walk, relax, go away
 

HuneyBear

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I want them to be great lights. I think if they get these I guess you would call them “launch issues” taken care of they will be absolutely awesome. It’s a hard market with all the brands launching lights this year. Then add in the Economic and health issues right now you don’t want to turn potential sales away. @Nubbie thanks for the honest review and I hope that the issues you have are resolved.
 

Jstn

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I have owned G1, G2 Pro, G3 Pro, G4 Pro and G5 Blues, my last setup was a DIY T5 / radion hybrid using a modified Tek 8 bulb fixture. In this setup I ran a G3 Pro and G4 Pro and could never really tell the difference between the fixtures I also ran the diffusor on both . I upgraded my G3 Pro to a G5 blue, tossed the T5 and used my G4 pro mounted on the rail, so I was only running the G4 Pro and the G5 blue. The only complaint would be the colors of the G5 Blue did not match the G4 Pro, even after tuning the spectrum by eye. The coverage of the G5 Blue vs the G4 Pro was night and day to me so i went out the next week and picked up a second G5 blue (yes i dropped closed to 1900 with tax and rails). so far i am very happy and would do it again, the coral look great and some are responding positively to the change but its too early to tell (1 month in). I haven't seen as big of a leap in Radion since they introduced the UV LEDS in the G2 Pro back in ~2014, the spread is where it needs to be, T5 like. Now not having T5, the tank looks less cluttered above and much cleaner- I am big on aesthetics outside and inside the tank; i know this isn't everyones cup of tea.

Yes mobius isn't perfect and have connectivity issues, but its my lights not a toy I tend to set them and forget them, any issue i had was easily fixed by powering my radion off and on. Im sure Ecotech is looking at this and with the current situation you can't hold them accountable for a lag in a fix. The fans were a bit loud, then i set them to 60% max speed and no issues, i have no cracking issue with mine i bought mine from the LFS not dropped shipped.

The piece you missed in your rant is unlike your LEDs, Radion hold value; I sold my G3 pro for $350 shipped and my G4 pro for $500 shipping both in under a day on here in the last month, so the upgrade for both was only $1000, or $500 each.

Ecotech has great customer service, when my 2 year old L1 died, they didn't not hesitate to replace it next day shipped, new Versa has leaks in the tubing they next day me a replacement tube. I have had great experiences with their customer service people, show a little respect and they are very helpful, If you get off on ranting on the internet they might not be for you...
 

SeeFu

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I've had my lights for about a month now. so far so good. i haven't experienced the Bluetooth issues, but i agree with the fan. its LOUD. i upgraded from some kessils, and i NEVER heard the kessils. I also just noticed that all 3 of my lights have cracks in the plastic housing, hopefully this gets fixed from ecotech.
 
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WOW...so a short update. Just a few minutes ago, I was inspecting the bottom of the lights after they had gone off. With all the popping sounds, I wanted to check to make sure the clear LED cover wasn't cracked.

Well the good news is the clear LED cover hasn't cracked yet. The bad news is all 4 screws on the 4 corners of each light is cracked. Yes, 8 cracks per light. Every single light has the same 8 cracks in the same spots.

This is VERY bad news for everybody who has these lights because I inspected the lights very carefully when I received them and they did not have any cracks. So you can have non-cracked housing that cracks in a few weeks of use. These brand new lights are literally falling apart in less than a month. What is going on Ecotech....
 
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