Radions - worst light fixtures in its class

[DanyL]

It’s poor research and purchasing, not marketing. A simple search on here will pull up dozens of threads saying you better love super blue if you buy the Blue version. It does NOT match the old AB+ of G4 Radions.

This has been well documented and discussed since the G5 release years ago.

The customer should never be wrong, but it seems like too many are blamed to be with the Radion.

Is it one of Ecotech’s goals to lead the customer into this corner? Because I really don’t think any company wants to do so unless there’s something to gain from (and I’m not implying there is, I don’t see one at least).

You also assume every new reefer knows exactly what he likes the best, which often isn’t the case and the proof for this is also easily searchable online.

My bottom line is that it’s just a very poor business decision in my opinion, because as one of the more premium options in the market they could easily cover both spectrums and provide the same high intensity in a single model, just as well as others do for less.

Then the hobbyist needs to find a kit that fits their requirement(s). It is as simple as that really.

You’re right, that’s what many end up doing lately when they are made aware of it and realize the competition can actually cover it all. But a brand is a brand, and some will blindly purchase what seem to be the most popular due to the heavy marketing and than find out and get upset.

I left this info out of my comment as I didn’t think it was necessary but I actually do exactly that. I run 4 Pros and 3 blues. Modified AB+ with more white as I don’t like my tank super blue. Thinking was I’d get higher par from the Blues and the whites would give me more of the white I needed and offset the blue.

That’s a fair point, and indeed is doable for those that know what they want, plan ahead, have multiple fixtures and are aware of the limitations beforehand.

But again.. that’s not the case for everyone, and IMHO a fixture that is regarded as the top of the line product in the industry should be able to cover all scenarios within reason, and when you find out after the fact that it doesn’t, it’ll justifiably be very frustrating for that customer.

 

[Cichlid Dad]

You got it. Thank you for taking the time to explain.

Sam

I owned the G6 pro. If you turn all lights to 100% I could not imagine being able to get much more white. Including worm white. Have you actually run a spectrum test on G6 vs G4?

The spectrum they use is too blue, which is not healthy for corals. I discovered this because I used other fixtures in my frag tanks, which are connected to the same system. The health and colors, particularly on my Goniopora, were much more vivid when using ATI T5 lights on one frag tank and Reef Breeders lights on the other.

^ This is what I have a problem with. This is your opinion not fact. You go and give a negative feedback on BRS, then come on here and State
"Radions - worst light fixtures in its class".

Again your opinion stated as fact. Bad taste.

 

[Northern Flicker]

My opinion is that they are poor value for the $$$, but they will grow anything. I just really get nervous about hardware that requires app support. Imagine the hedge fund sold Aperature after milking it for as much return as possible, and suddenly the app was discontinued? Bricking all of our lights...

I have some AI lights but I wouldn't buy them again tbh. I prefer my T5 and want to try the RB Photons.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

ill stick with KESSIL

 

[Solo McReefer]

14 foot reef just installed 3 of the atlas over his new frag tank and should be posting his thoughts for anyone interested.

Quanta Atlas and Helix

What about pricing? He says about $500, can this be confirmed?

www.reef2reef.com

I wondered how long before Chinese UFO lights would be turned into reef lights

That was the first thing I thought when I opened up and turned on my first UFO

"With blues and royal blues, this would be an awesome and cheap reef light"

UFOs are 40 bucks, how much do the reef lights cost, I can't find that yet?

 

[Solo McReefer]

My opinion is that they are poor value for the $$$, but they will grow anything. I just really get nervous about hardware that requires app support. Imagine the hedge fund sold Aperature after milking it for as much return as possible, and suddenly the app was discontinued? Bricking all of our lights...

I have some AI lights but I wouldn't buy them again tbh. I prefer my T5 and want to try the RB Photons.

Sounds like what CoralVue did with my gyres

 

[oreo54]

I wondered how long before Chinese UFO lights would be turned into reef lights

That was the first thing I thought when I opened up and turned on my first UFO

"With blues and royal blues, this would be an awesome and cheap reef light"

UFOs are 40 bucks, how much do the reef lights cost, I can't find that yet?

$500....Unlike the UFO's they don't make 100000's of them using the cheapest white LEDs they can find .
Approx $2/ watt is under "my" personal retail threshold of $3/w for small batch specialty lights. Premium lights easiy exceed that.
Not that that means anything to anyone else
Black box Chinese lights are about $1.36/watt.
Considering most severely dim the white channel $2/watt isn't unusual.

 

[Naturalreef]

I have owned radions from gen 4 up, AI all versions, Reefi uno 2.0 pro, reefled 90, Kessil ap9x. They all have been great lights and as far as value for money spent, Reefi owns it.

That being said, I’m starting up a nano drop off and purchased a xr15 gen 6 blue and I have to say, I love it! The stock color templates are beautiful!

Whatever they did with the led balancing is gorgeous. I do have the high intensity lense if I need it in the future, but stock lense seems perfect for this tank and being shallow.

But the colors, wow

 

[Solo McReefer]

Reefi owns it.

 

[AquaForge]

My hybrid seems to make up for the deficit of the nasty, horrible xR15s Gen 6’s I am stuck with

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

I occasionally enjoy watching the fragbox YouTube channel purely to see how defensive/borderline irritated the host gets when he tours other shops & finds some purveyors that run lights other than radions.

"Why aren't you running radions?"
"Why not radions?"
"Where's the radions?"

 

[Solo McReefer]

irritated the host gets

He is way too hyperactive, and has too much logorhhea, for my sensibilities

To which, in all fairness, he admits he has

 

[landlubber]

I have owned radions from gen 4 up, AI all versions, Reefi uno 2.0 pro, reefled 90, Kessil ap9x. They all have been great lights and as far as value for money spent, Reefi owns it.

That being said, I’m starting up a nano drop off and purchased a xr15 gen 6 blue and I have to say, I love it! The stock color templates are beautiful!

Whatever they did with the led balancing is gorgeous. I do have the high intensity lense if I need it in the future, but stock lense seems perfect for this tank and being shallow.

But the colors, wow

my experience with Gen 5 XR30's has been nothing short of ideal as well.
I had major concerns going from an 8-bulb ATI Sunpower with an additional LED strip that i would lose corals to shadowing or PAR issues... neither was an issue.
I'd gladly recommend them to a person looking to light a display.

 

[Aquariumaddictuk]

He is way too hyperactive, and has too much logorhhea, for my sensibilities

To which, in all fairness, he admits he has

Yep.
Too hyper for me.
It's like watching a toddler group after too many sweets but as you say, he admits it.

 

[AKReefing]

I've been using Gen3 Pros with only blues and violets turned on for the past 8 years on a 110G with great success. I'm upsizing my tank to a 275 and have installed six XR30 G3 Pros and 3 Xr15 G6 Pros. I'll still run blue-violet only.

I recently convinced EM to sell me ten Mobius chips and upgreaded my Gen 3 pros to Mobius-compatibles.

 

[AKReefing]

Agree the new gen aren’t worth their price tag. Hopefully more people will stop buying them and bring the price down. Doubtful though.

Love my G4s and can get those for about $300

Every generation of new Radions have always sold for around $900-$1000 for the XR30s. Too expensive? Yes, but people are willing to pay it unless they choose DIY, which I did and they worked great for SPS.

 

[lakai]

Every generation of new Radions have always sold for around $900-$1000 for the XR30s. Too expensive? Yes, but people are willing to pay it unless they choose DIY, which I did and they worked great for SPS.

This is not true. G4 XR30's were $699. They have raised prices 10% every year since.

 

[rtparty]

This is not true. G4 XR30's were $699. They have raised prices 10% every year since.

In today's dollars that is more than $1000 if you count for inflation

 

[lakai]

In today's dollars that is more than $1000 if you count for inflation

Its not but I get your point you are trying to make.

 

[rtparty]

Its not but I get your point you are trying to make.

The G4 released in 2016. Accounting for inflation, that is $920 in today's dollars. You are right. Not $1000. That $80 makes a HUGE deal