Lighting UR 2 cents

[SumpinFishy]

Love reading all the content and I am trying to pick a path. I am new and have a haphazard tank I have put together running 1.5yrs now. I'm in my first full build (IM100EXT) and I'm moving up from cheap lights to get something really good. So I was looking at maybe 2 Hydra 32s, but i continued to read on. I get the impression Orphek seems to be sort of top of line. So I was looking at the ICon Compacts.. a little more that Hydra but nothing is cheap if your gonna spend 1k why not 2k.. ugh. The icon compact seams good or do I have to go full Icon ? So I guess I'm at a cross road and trying to decide Hydra or icon compact and I am leaning Icon Compact. What would you do?

 

[MrWellington]

The Hydra32's are great lights - no doubt. I wouldn't buy them new since they come up for sale used all the time. dang near everyday it seems. That alone makes me wonder.

My 2 cents: Personally i use ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro's, which are directly comparable to Hydra32's, have a much stronger light capacity, deeper range, and a longer warrantee.

 

[rtparty]

I would take AI over Orphek every time. Just search around for Orphek customer service and how they treat people in their groups who ask questions. The recent reports are not one offs either.

I have run and tested most big name LEDs over the last 10+ years.

The G6 Radion is what I ran on my own tank and the results were amazing IMO. Mobius can be odd at times but that is the only knock I had on them. Most apps aren't great in this hobby to begin with.

 

[cilyjr]

The Hydra32's are great lights - no doubt. I wouldn't buy them new since they come up for sale used all the time. dang near everyday it seems. That alone makes me wonder.

My 2 cents: Personally i use ReeFi Uno 2.0 Pro's, which are directly comparable to Hydra32's, have a much stronger light capacity, deeper range, and a longer warrantee.

The hydras are ok.

Comparing reefi Uno to a hydra 32 is like comparing my Ford super duty to a Toyota Tacoma. Though both are good vehicles, They are simply not in the same class.

I'm using six reefi 2.1 after switching from eight hydra 32s. The tank is 30 in deep. I gained 200 par the sand bed with 2 less lights and I'm only running the refi's at 154 watts max.
Hydra 32s are fine if you have a shallow tank. They do not have the punch for anything deeper than 24 in.

 

[SumpinFishy]

Ok Uno 2.1 is now in the mix. So many decisions.

 

[cilyjr]

Ok Uno 2.1 is now in the mix. So many decisions.

I like these lights overall.
The biggest complaint I've seen is that the interface is not very polished. Though I agree, it does everything any other light on the market does, maybe more.
It's far easier to set up using a computer over a mobile device.

 

[braaap]

ATI Sunpower. Best growth, color, PAR etc. You just don’t have the fine control you do with LEDs. But I LOVE my ATI. I’ll likely keep it running until I can’t get parts for it.

 

[MrWellington]

The hydras are ok.

Comparing reefi Uno to a hydra 32 is like comparing my Ford super duty to a Toyota Tacoma. Though both are good vehicles, They are simply not in the same class.

I'm using six reefi 2.1 after switching from eight hydra 32s. The tank is 30 in deep. I gained 200 par the sand bed with 2 less lights and I'm only running the refi's at 154 watts max.
Hydra 32s are fine if you have a shallow tank. They do not have the punch for anything deeper than 24 in.

Exactly - This is were the reefi's really shine... deep tanks, or SPS near the bottom of a standard 24" depth. Plus Daniel (owner/designer) is awesome as far as service goes. I'm working on a plan integrating the Home Theater lighting remote control with room lights - and Reefi. When the room darkens -- so does the tank. because... why not? Ask for the same support with any other vendor, they'll likely ignore the request.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

I recently contacted orphek regarding the atlantiks & had two reps get back to me with two very different prices & lots of high pressure tactics.
"Pay now via PayPal for special price!"
It felt like haggling in a Marrakech marketplace.
Not very polished nor appealing.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Exactly - This is were the reefi's really shine... deep tanks, or SPS near the bottom of a standard 24" depth. Plus Daniel (owner/designer) is awesome as far as service goes. I'm working on a plan integrating the Home Theater lighting remote control with room lights - and Reefi. When the room darkens -- so does the tank. because... why not? Ask for the same support with any other vendor, they'll likely ignore the request.

Do reefi ship worldwide?prices look great.
I've only heard good things

 

[Dread Pirate Dave]

Do these lights open up the disco dance floor in the tank?

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Do these lights open up the disco dance floor in the tank?

 

[twentyleagues]

I use a reefi 2.0 on my tank currently and love it. The problem with orphek is the distance you need to mount the lights to not have spot lighting and poor color blending, pretty much 18" or more. My reefi is a little under 12" inside the canopy with the included 120 reflector its covering a 28x28 inside dimension and the tank is 24" tall I have 150 par over most of the sand bed at about 140w. I will be ordering 3 more when I set up my 180. There is what I would call shimmer on the sand and rocks but it is muted not crazy and the colors are all blended not individual color splotches on the sand.

 

[twentyleagues]

Do reefi ship worldwide?prices look great.
I've only heard good things

Yes I believe they can and will ship where ever.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Yes I believe they can and will ship where ever.

Hmmm.
I love my kessils but they get expensive for amount needed to avoid spotlighting.
Bigger tank next year I don't think I can justify the cost of a few more

 

[SumpinFishy]

Thanks for all the input. I like all I see on the Reefi. The Hydra are probably fine but I think I will probably go with the reefi. It seems as I look around there is just a lot of positive comment.
Or maybe you are all on commission.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

Thanks for all the input. I like all I see on the Reefi. The Hydra are probably fine but I think I will probably go with the reefi. It seems as I look around there is just a lot of positive comment.
Or maybe you are all on commission.

If only.
A very well known fish food manufacturer regularly reposts my videos of me using their product to feed my freshwater fish & I havnt had as much as a free packet.
I'm just not down with the kids enough to get commission nor sponsorship.
Maybe I should get on that toktik thingy like all those "expert" coral influencers

 

[jcmjoe]

I have 2 Hydra 32’s over a 75 gallon mixed reef (mainly LPS) and I have had great luck with them!

 

[twentyleagues]

Thanks for all the input. I like all I see on the Reefi. The Hydra are probably fine but I think I will probably go with the reefi. It seems as I look around there is just a lot of positive comment.
Or maybe you are all on commission.

If that were true I dont think the lights would be as "cost effective". I purchased mine just from word of mouth really only seeing them in pics and videos. I almost went with orpheks but got to see them in person on a tank. The guy lived out your way and I was getting corals from another guy in the area. Orphek guy let me come see his setup, he was in the process of building a floating mechanized canopy. The lights were in a canopy about the height of mine and there were different color splotches from the lights all over the place, corals looked great but that lack of blending was awful. I got to go back after the floating canopy was done and sitting at about 20" off the tank the light was well blended. He said about a 20% power increase to get the same par numbers he was getting with the previous set up. So if you have no restrictions on how high you mount the lights they are nice. They also would have cost me at least 2x as much as the Reefi, I was told by Orphek I would need 4-5 bars and an 0-six for enough light and controllability.

If I decided to completely flip the switch and go all sps I still have about 120w of power left to absolutely cook everything in the tank. Just from playing around with the light before I had corals I could go up to 250w and have 400+ par on the sand bed and still not be running them it at full power.