NEW Mitras Lightbar 3: Next Generation of Aquarium LED Illumination!

[areefer01]

As to your arguments, I know all of this. I've had a reef tank with stony corals continuously since 1994 and am a voracious reader. I've ran every light source ever made for the hobby and understood how it worked and what were its benefits and limitations. I now run radions, quanta strips and AI blades.

Based on your statement above having run "every light source ever made for the hobby" (which to me sounds like a fishing tale) it sounds like you have all of the information. Why are you here asking for more?

Edit: I will say that I do agree with your point about how we communicate. Here it is a bit tongue and cheek but other threads it is a bit agro. Hope your day is well.

 

[BeanAnimal]

As to your arguments, I know all of this. I've had a reef tank with stony corals continuously since 1994 and am a voracious reader. I've ran every light source ever made for the hobby and understood how it worked and what were its benefits and limitations. I now run radions, quanta strips and AI blades. I'm sure at some point I will change it up even though my corals are doing fantastic. Why? Because I enjoy the tech side of the hobby, love to try to find that extra 1% or 2% more color or growth and change lights every few years to see if the latest and greatest is better than the last generation. That is why I am interested in the new GHL lights.

Hi - while all that may be valid experience, none of it equates to to the validity of PAR measurements for the purpose you wish to use them for.

You indicate that you want to eek out 1% or 2% more growth. The very point is that attempting to use non standardized "PAR" measurement (if at all) to ascertain which fixture will provide that growth is to not fully understand what PAR is measuring and/or the error rate in the methodology when trying to compare "PAR" for different spectra, let alone measured to different standards with different instruments. Again, even if a standard were followed and the same instrument used for everything, what does the reading mean when the different sources are of different spectral makeup? You wish to derive conclusions based on data not capable of informing those conclusions.

How is "GHL" to provide you with a "PAR MAP"? Would the replicate the BRS setup exactly or whatever setup was used to derive your other "PAR" numbers for comparison? If not, then what use are they? Likewise, what does comparing PAR of 3 different fixtures with different spectra, all running at 100% actually mean? What does that PAR reading tell you about its ability to "grow coral" in general. let alone any specific coral?

This hobby is obsessed with assigning a value to a rather useless metric, "PAR".

I want a PAR map when I decide what LED fixture I want to buy. Sure, I want to know how the map was created and with what instrument. I will use this information -- and any other information I can get -- to make an informed decision. I understand you don't. That's fine. But please don't tell me the information is not and cannot be useful to my decision making.

You can use whatever information that you want to make decisions. The conversation here is regarding the value of the data for the purpose.

I am sorry that you have taken offense to my remarks, but I have not been purposefully insulting and have simply attempted to speak to the facts in context to your remarks.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Hi - let's take a step back and try a very simple example:

The two MH lamps (red and blue graph) below (Dr. Sanjay Joshi) have very different spectral output. They not only look different but will grow coral differently. Both are 125 PAR measured in the same rig and the same distance with the same (very outdated) PAR meter. So without even considering the difference in measurement setups, meters, methods, error, etc. measuring PAR really doesn't tell us much.

 

[areefer01]

Hi - let's take a step back and try a very simple example:

The two MH lamps (red and blue graph) below (Dr. Sanjay Joshi) have very different spectral output. They not only look different but will grow coral differently. Both are 125 PAR measured in the same rig and the same distance with the same (very outdated) PAR meter. So without even considering the difference in measurement setups, meters, methods, error, etc. measuring PAR really doesn't tell us much.

The legend is cut off or what the colored lines represent. More than likely irrelevant though.

FYI - I agree with you but I am also of the opinion that there is a thing called too much light. Thus these numbers being demanded is a moot point. Hope your day is well.

 

[BeanAnimal]

Red was XM 20K
Blue Ushio 10K
Both 400W on M59 Magnatec ballasts.

Vastly different lights that grow coral very differently and look very different.

Yellow is the sun at 1200 or whatever crazy "PAR".

The amount of stock put into "par" readings and their relevance is ridiculous. To that end, it is nice that companies publish SPD plots, but even then a tiny fraction of hobbyists can glean anything useful from them with regard to "coral growth" let alone color rendering. Sure "that has a lot more blue than the other one" may be valid, but beyond that??

 

[BeanAnimal]

I am going to kindly ask you again, if you can't respond without being insulting or inflammatory and do so on-topic, then please refrain from responding. If find yourself unable to do that, then please utilize the ignore feature of this forum.

If you feel that my posts are in violation of the site's TOS, please do report them using the report post button.

Thanks!

 

[Herbster]

I am going to kindly ask you again, if you can't respond without being insulting or inflammatory and do so on-topic, then please refrain from responding. If find yourself unable to do that, then please utilize the ignore feature of this forum.

If you feel that my posts are in violation of the site's TOS, please do report them using the report post button.

Thanks!

My post wasn't specifically aimed at you. If you find my posts insulting or inflammatory, please utilise the ignore feature of this forum.

 

[noodle_reefer]

Are these meant for just spplementing or do they push enough par for standalone lighting in a shallow tank ?

Do you have any par readings on the Deep Ocean 50 and the Coral Pop 50 ?

As I believe I am the very first tank who gone full in with the GHL Mitras light bar 3s. I can confirm these lights are indeed designed to provide substantial lighting and can serve as a standalone solution for your tank.

My tank is a waterbox 175.6 a shallow tank to an extent, I have recorded an impressive results with these lights, noting excellent PAR and vibrant colors.

While I don't have specific PAR readings for the Deep Ocean 50 and Coral Pop 50 models, but with my setup running at a average 66% peak with the light mounted at around 10” off the water using parwise with my low aquascape I was hitting high 400 ( 450-460) at the top of my aquascape( around half way of the total tank height) with flow pumps running. The mid to low mid of the aquascape are all hitting mid to high 300 (360-385), my zoa garden on the left side of the sand bed are getting 250-260 par. We all know parwise also reads around 20% lower than Apogee.

These lights deliver strong performance, more than sufficient to use as standalone, I will report back on coral growth with longer term review but so far my Kh consumption has increase by around 20% and also making my tank a lot more a visually appealing compared with my previous T5 plus Radion G6 blue combination.

My personal experience so far. I find the GHL Mitras light bar to be amazing as a standalone light with great PAR and colour.

 

[Steven Garland]

As I believe I am the very first tank who gone full in with the GHL Mitras light bar 3s. I can confirm these lights are indeed designed to provide substantial lighting and can serve as a standalone solution for your tank.

My tank is a waterbox 175.6 a shallow tank to an extent, I have recorded an impressive results with these lights, noting excellent PAR and vibrant colors.

While I don't have specific PAR readings for the Deep Ocean 50 and Coral Pop 50 models, but with my setup running at a average 66% peak with the light mounted at around 10” off the water using parwise with my low aquascape I was hitting high 400 ( 450-460) at the top of my aquascape( around half way of the total tank height) with flow pumps running. The mid to low mid of the aquascape are all hitting mid to high 300 (360-385), my zoa garden on the left side of the sand bed are getting 250-260 par. We all know parwise also reads around 20% lower than Apogee.

These lights deliver strong performance, more than sufficient to use as standalone, I will report back on coral growth with longer term review but so far my Kh consumption has increase by around 20% and also making my tank a lot more a visually appealing compared with my previous T5 plus Radion G6 blue combination.

My personal experience so far. I find the GHL Mitras light bar to be amazing as a standalone light with great PAR and colour.

I actually saw your tank on IG (and follow ya),and pretty much fell in love with the look of the new lights.

That being said,I may have to pull the trigger on one of each. I appreciate the response,its much appreciated !!!

Alao,how is the shimmer ? It looks like there virtually none,which is what I am looking for.

 

[noodle_reefer]

I actually saw your tank on IG (and follow ya),and pretty much fell in love with the look of the new lights.

That being said,I may have to pull the trigger on one of each. I appreciate the response,its much appreciated !!!

Alao,how is the shimmer ? It looks like there virtually none,which is what I am looking for.

Thanks for the follow. Really appreciate it.

I definitely love the colour combination of coral pop, deep ocean and ocean blue. With this combination I can honestly say there’s enough white even without the ocean blue for my acro dominated tank.

If I were going to do this again I would have 4 fixtures (take away the ocean blue) instead of 5 as there’s definitely enough white&par with just 4 , or I would have another deep ocean, bare in mind the ocean blue does provide daylight white where deep ocean and coral pop doesn’t if that’s what you prefer.

Shimmer wise is very similar as my previous t5 and Radion g6 combination, it’s has some shimmer but quite minimal and very soft, that’s what I prefer but If you like shimmers there is plenty of room for a pair of kessils, but I suggest you setup this up first and see how you like the shimmer, one thing I am pretty certain, you will love colouration, par and slick look of the fixtures. I prefer this over the LX7.

 

[stephanjupillat]

Thanks for the follow. Really appreciate it.

I definitely love the colour combination of coral pop, deep ocean and ocean blue. With this combination I can honestly say there’s enough white even without the ocean blue for my acro dominated tank.

If I were going to do this again I would have 4 fixtures (take away the ocean blue) instead of 5 as there’s definitely enough white&par with just 4 , or I would have another deep ocean, bare in mind the ocean blue does provide daylight white where deep ocean and coral pop doesn’t if that’s what you prefer.

Shimmer wise is very similar as my previous t5 and Radion g6 combination, it’s has some shimmer but quite minimal and very soft, that’s what I prefer but If you like shimmers there is plenty of room for a pair of kessils, but I suggest you setup this up first and see how you like the shimmer, one thing I am pretty certain, you will love colouration, par and slick look of the fixtures. I prefer this over the LX7.

How’s the true UV color pop? I run g6’s with blade glows and used parwise to create a very wide blue spectrum, but there’s no real UV light.

Also heard you need to lower the par with these wide blue spectrums, and especially for true UV. Any thoughts on that? Your par is much higher than what I thought was possible with that much blue spectrum from LED’s.

 

[ReeferZ1227]

My thoughts are similar to the prior post. Im currently running a reefbrite, 3 uno 2.0s and 2 g4 pros over a 125.

Im debating a 2nd tank or grow out trough, and while I have moved towards more fuller spectrum with my current LED setup, the idea of a complete panel of lights across the top of my tank sounds most ideal.

That said, these high-end bars appears to lack the flexibility of a wide spectrum that you get with traditional point source (how white you can make the tank via a slider on a 1 size fits all fixture.).

I guess my question is, while its nice to see the available spectrums, i feel like the real missing data point as a potential consumer is, which combination of lights do i need to consider and whats it look like. The UV of coral pop is most appealing and separation from most competition.

Perhaps id want a whiter middle bar for peak as I do enjoy blues in the AM and windex in the PM. Being able to have the white look during peak serves me well for observing the health of everything, and i subscribe to the hypothesis that it may contribute towards coral health/growth.

One last note, whether or not im using PAR as a data point accurately or not, when i switched from radions to reefis, measuring par before and after the switch led to a successful transition with no adverse effects. So yeah, id like that basic data point too, especially with how small of an effort it is relative to designing a fixture or reflector.

 

[stephanjupillat]

My thoughts are similar to the prior post. Im currently running a reefbrite, 3 uno 2.0s and 2 g4 pros over a 125.

Im debating a 2nd tank or grow out trough, and while I have moved towards more fuller spectrum with my current LED setup, the idea of a complete panel of lights across the top of my tank sounds most ideal.

That said, these high-end bars appears to lack the flexibility of a wide spectrum that you get with traditional point source (how white you can make the tank via a slider on a 1 size fits all fixture.).

I guess my question is, while its nice to see the available spectrums, i feel like the real missing data point as a potential consumer is, which combination of lights do i need to consider and whats it look like. The UV of coral pop is most appealing and separation from most competition.

Perhaps id want a whiter middle bar for peak as I do enjoy blues in the AM and windex in the PM. Being able to have the white look during peak serves me well for observing the health of everything, and i subscribe to the hypothesis that it may contribute towards coral health/growth.

One last note, whether or not im using PAR as a data point accurately or not, when i switched from radions to reefis, measuring par before and after the switch led to a successful transition with no adverse effects. So yeah, id like that basic data point too, especially with how small of an effort it is relative to designing a fixture or reflector.

Having used a parwise to looks at spectrums, and running my tank with all colors for 4 hours a day and the rest blues, I personally would get 3 deep blues and 2 coral pop. 27,000 and 17,300. Pretty sure I could just add that up and divide by 5 to get average k if all 100%. Those deep blues have a lot of colors there as shown the spectrum. If you want even more whites when maybe 2 coral pop and 3 ocean blues.

Not sure if you saw the spectrums. They are here

Mitras Lightbar 3

www.aquariumcomputer.com

For a 125gal probably only 3 lights total though

 

[ReeferZ1227]

Having used a parwise to looks at spectrums, and running my tank with all colors for 4 hours a day and the rest blues, I personally would get 3 deep blues and 2 coral pop. 27,000 and 17,300. Pretty sure I could just add that up and divide by 5 to get average k if all 100%. Those deep blues have a lot of colors there as shown the spectrum. If you want even more whites when maybe 2 coral pop and 3 ocean blues.

Not sure if you saw the spectrums. They are here

Mitras Lightbar 3

www.aquariumcomputer.com

For a 125gal probably only 3 lights total though

Agree with your thoughts on combination, and i did see the spectrum. What made me most curious was @noodle_reefer pic above. That is the kind of look i like in the AM for ramp up, but like the AB+ or a bit whiter during peak, and then windex for 3 or so hours before ramp down.

Im just completely unfamiliar with GHL light bars and how much white can be pumped out of a combination of coral pop/deep blue from a spectrum graph alone.

@Matthias Gross is there any plans for an aquaculture spectrum for the bar 3 similar to the lx74?

 

[badpit]

Agree with your thoughts on combination, and i did see the spectrum. What made me most curious was @noodle_reefer pic above. That is the kind of look i like in the AM for ramp up, but like the AB+ or a bit whiter during peak, and then windex for 3 or so hours before ramp down.

Im just completely unfamiliar with GHL light bars and how much white can be pumped out of a combination of coral pop/deep blue from a spectrum graph alone.

@Matthias Gross is there any plans for an aquaculture spectrum for the bar 3 similar to the lx74?

From the specs, I can see that the Deep Blue model is missing Daylight white LED and instead, it has 2 RGB. I have never seen RGB LED before in the popular aquarium light fixtures. It is a strange decision for me since there is enough blue spectrum so the Blue in RGB is redundant. The GHL Mitras and all the other popular vendors put separate Red, Green, warm white, or yellow LEDs instead.

I would love to know the vendor's take on that @Matthias Gross

 

[noodle_reefer]

How’s the true UV color pop? I run g6’s with blade glows and used parwise to create a very wide blue spectrum, but there’s no real UV light.

Also heard you need to lower the par with these wide blue spectrums, and especially for true UV. Any thoughts on that? Your par is much higher than what I thought was possible with that much blue spectrum from LED’s.

Sorry for the late reply. As I have not been keeping up this post, but you can always reach out via instagram for quicker response. Regarding their UVs, this is honestly the first time I see coral glow like that under them. I will take some pictures tonight with only UV running to show you what they like.

Regarding par I understand what you mean by blue and par measure as I struggled so much with registering par for my Radion g6 blue, but the Mitras 3 has truly opened my mind regarding par and Spectrum.

 

[stephanjupillat]

Sorry for the late reply. As I have not been keeping up this post, but you can always reach out via instagram for quicker response. Regarding their UVs, this is honestly the first time I see coral glow like that under them. I will take some pictures tonight with only UV running to show you what they like.

Regarding par I understand what you mean by blue and par measure as I struggled so much with registering par for my Radion g6 blue, but the Mitras 3 has truly opened my mind regarding par and Spectrum.

Looking forward to the pics.

“but the Mitras 3 has truly opened my mind regarding par and Spectrum.” How so??

 

[ReeferZ1227]

From the specs, I can see that the Deep Blue model is missing Daylight white LED and instead, it has 2 RGB. I have never seen RGB LED before in the popular aquarium light fixtures. It is a strange decision for me since there is enough blue spectrum so the Blue in RGB is redundant. The GHL Mitras and all the other popular vendors put separate Red, Green, warm white, or yellow LEDs instead.

I would love to know the vendor's take on that @Matthias Gross

The RGB LED is intended to be the true white LED no? Cool white and warm white have more yellow or more blue in the RGB makeup. Radion used to pack alot of punch in their white LEDs (g4 white can put out material PAR with the white), whereas with reefi white is insignificant, and can go white but its mostly for visual preference/tuning and not really related to intensity of the light.

Perhaps their RGB LED is more aligned with how reefi approaches white - supplemental for tuning the visual preference.

 

[noodle_reefer]

let me to explain a little bit more in detail what I meant was that when I have my radion G6 XR15 blues it did not register the par well at all even with all channels up hundred percent with intensity running at 100, even tho the Giesemann T5 and radion combination was growing corals really well but I was barely hitting 220 with radions running alone and even during the peak with T5s i was only getting low 300s

however when running blue spectrums with no white under the Mitras with overall intensity at 57% using the same parwise meter i was hitting high 300s (360-410) at the top of my scape. When i run it with 50% white and 30% red and green during the peak i was hitting over 500 par at some places and the par readings are alot more even acoss the most part of the tank. I guess thats due to their reflectors and how lights are more directed into the tank with very little light spill.

Anyway pic attached under UVC only with 2 coral pops with no filter or saturation

 

[BeanAnimal]

I have pointed out a few times recently that 'PAR' readings are pretty much useless in the context and for the purpose that this hobby uses them. They really mean very little without spectrum data, and even then most people have no means of interpreting the data in a meaningful way.