Want to supplement my Radion Blues with white light

[Serpentman2024]

I actualy am not too worried about niche bulbs for now... But it will be a lot/lot type supply.
The batches will get smaller as to not have overstock and as such will go "missing" in cycles.
Radium said and I quote "....production for now"..
Those tea leaves are worth reading.
My take is that they found enough commercial demand like aquariums and will batch according to perceived demand. with a bone thrown to "hobbyists".
All the old big players are out afaict.. Osram, GE ect..

Besides China doesn't care about a little mercury.. the issue will be not getting bulbs but lot/lot variability and quality..

Of course all of this is sort of like little knives poking the market.. until its gone.

300W of Nicrews is $450...The $1300 is really more of a choice.

Currently IF one did a new fixture, new ballast, and new bulb your 250w mh would cost about $600.
Add $50-$100 every 2 years. And electronic ballasts.. Don't count on those lasting 5 years.. well not all of them.
Heck even in the old days recapping mh's ballasts had their own market. if I remeber correctly. Rebuolding icecap ballasts.
Oh and you will probably add either t5's or leds anyways..
Upping the cost of course. A reefbrite w/ leds is $50 for the fixture.. add ballast a nd bulb of course.
Point is it isn't all puppies and roses.

One 195W GHL Mitras 7206 is 195 watts but costs $900 plus mount..
Replaceable LED panels.. Reflectors so no spotlighting tir lenses..

Soo 2x the cost of a mh setup but with more "stuff"..

Now to be fair one would need to decide if 1 Mitras = 1 250w mh in regards to par..
I cant swear by this but the 2 look pretty equal.
Each thread has a par map.Sure ther are the other arguable points

MH Par Assessment

I’ve attached a Par map using an SQ-520 meter showing the par registered in many different parts of my tank. I’m using the ReefBrite MH/XHO fixture, 250watt RB ballast, and 20k RB twin arc bulbs. The tank is 5 feet long 24 inches wide and 25 inches tall. There are two fixtures on the tank...

www.reef2reef.com

**The GHL Mitras LX7 LED**

I started running the brand new GHL Mitras LX7 over my nano! We don't see too many Mitras users around here so I thought I'd post my initial impressions. Please feel free to ask questions or chime in with your own experience! I've only had mine a few weeks so I'm sure I could benefit from others...

www.reef2reef.com

I had even considered the lot variability. That alone would prohibit me from considering.

Also, thanks for the links!

 

[Serpentman2024]

I've decided to try the high intensity narrower lenses for the XR-15's and add a 3rd light. My goal is to bump the PAR a bit in prime locations for acros but hopefully will be able to run them at lower intensity.

Picked up a used Kessil A360x TB as well as the A7 Gen 2 knock off and will play around with that. Although light bars would make more sense, I'm trying to keep things less cluttered up top because of where the tank is located. I also am a huge fan of shimmer which is why I chose the Kessil style light. Once everything comes in, I will take some measurements and report results.

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/xr15-high-intensity-radion-lens-kit-ecotech-marine/

 

[telegraham]

Coral Labs Initiative (Partnership with EcoTech Marine)

aka marketing

 

[Reef Puncher]

Not sure on your definition of inexpensive but maybe look at the Quanta Pro Tropic Sun light bar?

I haven’t used them but heard they give good light with good par so that may allow you tune back your lights for a few hours while maintaining the same par?

I have and do use Aliexpress PopBloom light bars but only the blue version and a custom blue set up and I like them as well. Not sure of their white versions though.

yes i use quantas as my full coverage backups with my radeons. its a great combo. and the par on all the quantas are amazing. i had to buy a freaking dimmer to turn them down to 25% they are so strong.

 

[AKReefing]

aka marketing

Or maybe an attempt to work with people actually farming corals in order to provide the spectrum that seems to provide the best compromize between growth/health and pigmentation? Of course, the company providing the best of both worlds can also market based on that. It's always about getting the edge. For years it was left to the hobbyists to figure it out, while the manufacturers marketed products that reflected fads.

 

[telegraham]

i had to buy a freaking dimmer

Mind DMing that dimmer? I have a solution, but I'd like to see what you're using. Thanks!

 

[telegraham]

reflected fads

Or BRS tests.

 

[AKReefing]

Or BRS tests.

AB+ was the result of Ecotech Marine Coral Lab working with Reef Wholesale using Gen 3 Radion XR30W Pros back in 2016. BRS wasn't involved with it back then.

 

[telegraham]

AB+ was the result of Ecotech Marine Coral Lab working with Reef Wholesale using Gen 3 Radion XR30W Pros back in 2016. BRS wasn't involved with it back then.

Obviously. I'm not talking about back then.

 

[Charlie’s Frags]

XR30 Gen 6 Blue with the high intensity lens kit
2-20” Blade grows with the hybrid kit bracket

All mounted at 18” with the orphek universal tank mount.

Radion is running at 55%, blades are at 100% and I’m getting 550 par at the top. I could get 1200 par if I maxed everything out

 

[oreo54]

aka marketing

I prefer to not always throw the baby out with the bath water...nor do I believe in shooting the messenger ..

Enough cliches?

Anyways I've waited years for an opposing ,semi valid scientifically, rebuttal.

I've actually read worse " 3rd party papers.

Coral growth under Light Emitting Diode and Light Emitting Plasma: a cross-family comparison

With the advent of new technology, aquarists are able to customize light spectra with great flexibility. However, our knowledge of how light spectrum affects aquarium life, including corals, is still limited. Here, we show the effects of two light spectra, emitted by Light Emitting Diode (LED)...

reefs.com

Another issue which should be mentioned is the fact that two different systems for the LEP and LED treatments were used. Therefore, we cannot exclude a possible “tank effect”. Unknown chemical and/or biological processes may have contributed to the growth differences between the LEP and LED treatments

Too many " buts,maybes"

Now no "one of" is TRUELY an answer .

 

[AKReefing]

Obviously. I'm not talking about back then.

Since BRS, Ecotech Marine, Aqua Illumination, Neptune, etc., are under the same mother colony now, who knows what's going on. It may come down to hobbyists doing their own research. It's hard to know who to trust, given the history of the hobby.

 

[Serpentman2024]

For what its worth, on the original topic, I just received the Kessil and aesthetically speaking, it nails the look I'm after. Waiting for the mount and Radion lenses to come in and will take pics and PAR measurements to see how things are performing.

 

[Reef Puncher]

Mind DMing that dimmer? I have a solution, but I'd like to see what you're using. Thanks!

Sure. Its funny because I emailed LUCA the guy who makes the lights and he was like "DONT USE THOSE USE MINE IM RELEASING IT FOR SALE THIS MONTH". But i dont know if he ever actually released his line up of dimmers. the one i bought works fine. See here for mine. (its cool cause i linked it to the app and not only can control it on the app, but the app links to alexa, where i control my skimmer too! and refugium light too! )

 

[oreo54]

Sure. Its funny because I emailed LUCA the guy who makes the lights and he was like "DONT USE THOSE USE MINE IM RELEASING IT FOR SALE THIS MONTH". But i dont know if he ever actually released his line up of dimmers. the one i bought works fine. See here for mine. (its cool cause i linked it to the app and not only can control it on the app, but the app links to alexa, where i control my skimmer too! and refugium light too! )

Those aren't supposed to work with dimming a constant current driver.
I'm confused on why it does..

What is plugged into it? The Quanta driver right?
And what are the specs for the output of said driver.

They will dim led bulbs that run off line voltage and designed to be capable of triac dimming and the like.

My my perspective it's just wrong with unknown consequences.

I've seen people use dimmer AFTER the constant current driver .also wrong but at least understandable.


Will gladly accept schooling on why this works.
You are " dimming" the AC side of an AC/DC driver.
On/ off .fine

 

[Reef Puncher]

Those aren't supposed to work with dimming a constant current driver.
I'm confused on why it does..

What is plugged into it? The Quanta driver right?
And what are the specs for the output of said driver.

They will dim led bulbs that run off line voltage and designed to be capable of triac dimming and the like.

My my perspective it's just wrong with unknown consequences.

I've seen people use dimmer AFTER the constant current driver .also wrong but at least understandable.


Will gladly accept schooling on why this works.
You are " dimming" the AC side of an AC/DC driver.
On/ off .fine

lol that’s what Luca said. Kinda. He said don’t use this one it isn’t meant for it. But I’ve used it 6 months it works perfect. The only weird thing it does is if I try to dim it below 20% power it just shuts off. Weird.

 

[telegraham]

Those aren't supposed to work with dimming a constant current driver.
I'm confused on why it does..

What is plugged into it? The Quanta driver right?
And what are the specs for the output of said driver.

They will dim led bulbs that run off line voltage and designed to be capable of triac dimming and the like.

My my perspective it's just wrong with unknown consequences.

I've seen people use dimmer AFTER the constant current driver .also wrong but at least understandable.


Will gladly accept schooling on why this works.
You are " dimming" the AC side of an AC/DC driver.
On/ off .fine

I'm with you, but I'm buying one to test. I need to know.

Thanks, @Reef Puncher. I know Luca and we chat often. I also know the goodies he's working on, but that's for later.

 

[oreo54]

I'm with you, but I'm buying one to test. I need to know.

Think ones going to need an oscilloscope to find out what's going on.
"Internals" will probably be something like this..

How to Make a DIY Smart Wi-Fi Light Dimmer Switch

Build your own DIY dimmer circuit with zero-crossing detection to make any traditional light or AC mains device smarter.

www.makeuseof.com

Stuffs above my paygrade though..

 

[telegraham]

Think ones going to need an oscilloscope to find out what's going on.
"Internals" will probably be something like this..

How to Make a DIY Smart Wi-Fi Light Dimmer Switch

Build your own DIY dimmer circuit with zero-crossing detection to make any traditional light or AC mains device smarter.

www.makeuseof.com

Stuffs above my paygrade though..

There's an o-scope laying around here somewhere.

 

[Serpentman2024]

Here's a not so good pic with the Kessil added. It's jury rigged as I'm waiting on the mount and the Radion lenses. In person, the shimmer is amazing and it washes the blue fantastically. Water is cloudy too. My skimmer is breaking in (microbubble city). Radions are on AB+ at 80%.


EDIT: Unfiltered Pics

Radions only (AB+ @80%)

Radions with Kessil