ATI Powermodule VS Orphek LED's

[Surfacer]

So I just ran across these brand new LED units (Orphek PR-156) and they look very nice. Here's a link to a good review: http://blog.captive-aquatics.com/ca...ek-pr-156-reef-aquarium-led-light-review.html. I want to know what you guys think about them? I am now reconsidering my original plan of a ATI fixture. Should I stick with a 60" 6-8 bulb powermodule instead of 2 Orphek units?

2 LED units = 1 ATI Powermodule (8 bulb) in price...roughly.

I guess its too early to really tell unless someone paid for them and got express delivery but I'll ask anyway...Pros and cons? Guesses?

BTW my tank is a standard 180 (72 x 24 x 24)

Thanks for any insight, advise and opinions.

 

[rtparty]

Disclaimer: I have NO experience with the Orphek LED's. You can listen to my opinion or not.

That "review" was more of a sales pitch to me. I am glad the reviewer loved the product. I am sure some of my reviews and recos sound like sales pitches too.

Here is my issue with them. Reds and Oranges show up under LED's at the beginning. At least they did for me. Then over time they fade and change color. So to say that reds show up better under this fixture is kind of vague unless he has ran the unit for over a year.

Next, dimming is a must on that fixture IMO. I know that there are people out there with 48" deep tanks but how many really? Maybe 1% of the hobby? At 24" deep that fixture was hitting 650 PAR. I can't imagine what it is hitting at the top.

I've read that most SPS run into photosaturation around the 400-600 mark. (I could have been mislead or didn't understand the article I read). LPS and softies generally don't like anything above 150 PAR. I personally feel your corals are going to be pretty upset with that much light. Don't give me the old line that corals get more PAR in nature yada yada. This isn't nature in our tanks, it is a glass box filled with water.

Finally my next issue, there is really no red in the spectral graph. If you look at T5 users over the last 18 months or so, every company is designing a pink bulb now. I would say the majority of t5 users, myself included, found a HUGE color improvement when we added a pink bulb to the mix. The old 50/50 combo is pointless and you lose a ton of colors with it.

I just don't see how the 50/50 LED combo on their unit is that much better than a 50/50 CREE combo. The spectral graph looks almost identical to the graph I saw for the CREE 50/50 mix.

I liked that he said that Orphek has a new LED in R&D and it could be a smaller version for shallower tanks. I would be much more interested in that product than this one.

 

[dustinc]

I would go with the ATI powermodule. It seems as though any info about these LEDs are from sales people, not users. The powermodule is a proven workhorse and I know you would be happy with it.

 

[Surfacer]

Wow Ryan that was quite the write up and it is much appreciated. It seems you have a huge amount of lighting experience so I use your opinions heavily in that portion of the decision making. I guess I should wait at least a year to really see how it turns out.
Dustinc - your right saying the powermodule is a proven work horse. I will be sticking to my original plan of an ATI fixture.

Thanks

 

[solitude127]

One think I notice about the LED fixture is that there seems to be a lot of white bulbs. LED fixtures seem to be going more blue than white these days.

 

[herbklee]

i can't put up with the heat and power consumption of halides any longer.

i think i would miss the shimmering of my metal halides with the ati.
i hear the shimmering of the orphek is not very natural looking.

is there a better option out there?

 

[fcmatt]

One think I notice about the LED fixture is that there seems to be a lot of white bulbs. LED fixtures seem to be going more blue than white these days.

if you read the full article all the way to the bottom they added more blue and
removed some white.

 

[moondoggy4]

Welcome to Reef Central Herbklee Post a separate thread about your concern with your MH setup.

 

[fcmatt]

"Finally my next issue, there is really no red in the spectral graph. If you look at T5 users over the last 18 months or so, every company is designing a pink bulb now. I would say the majority of t5 users, myself included, found a HUGE color improvement when we added a pink bulb to the mix. The old 50/50 combo is pointless and you lose a ton of colors with it."

Well red is about 650 nm and their spectral chart shows some but were you expecting
more of a spike? I am trying to figure out just how much of a spike a ATI ?purple plus?
bulb adds when surrounded by 5 other types of bulbs (lets use 4 blue plus and 1 special).
I think I have the ATI names right for their bulbs.

Also the daring who can solder might replace a few LEDs... but so much for that warranty.

 

[rtparty]

"Finally my next issue, there is really no red in the spectral graph. If you look at T5 users over the last 18 months or so, every company is designing a pink bulb now. I would say the majority of t5 users, myself included, found a HUGE color improvement when we added a pink bulb to the mix. The old 50/50 combo is pointless and you lose a ton of colors with it."

Well red is about 650 nm and their spectral chart shows some but were you expecting
more of a spike? I am trying to figure out just how much of a spike a ATI ?purple plus?
bulb adds when surrounded by 5 other types of bulbs (lets use 4 blue plus and 1 special).
I think I have the ATI names right for their bulbs.

Also the daring who can solder might replace a few LEDs... but so much for that warranty.

I don't know how to answer your question really but here is what I recommend.

Go put 3 Blue Plus and 3 Aquablue in a fixture. Pull one Aquablue for the Purple bulb. It will make a difference. Pull a second Aquablue and you really see the difference.

For running 6 T5's I really like 4 Blue Plus and 2 Purple Plus. I hate the aquablue T5's that are available. They just wash colors out in the end.

I would also suggest that just because OUR eyes can't see the red, doesn't mean it isn't there. Corals "see" light differently than us. They may pick up a ton of red that we don't see with our eyes.

 

[fcmatt]

I don't know how to answer your question really but here is what I recommend.

Go put 3 Blue Plus and 3 Aquablue in a fixture. Pull one Aquablue for the Purple bulb. It will make a difference. Pull a second Aquablue and you really see the difference.

For running 6 T5's I really like 4 Blue Plus and 2 Purple Plus. I hate the aquablue T5's that are available. They just wash colors out in the end.

I would also suggest that just because OUR eyes can't see the red, doesn't mean it isn't there. Corals "see" light differently than us. They may pick up a ton of red that we don't see with our eyes.

right now in a 6 bulb sunpower i am running 1 purple plus, 4 blue plus, and one
special. I found 5 blue plus to be too much blue.. and i never had two purple
plus to try at once. It may be worth a shot!

With two purple plus that is really adding a lot more pink/reds then i think the
LED setup we are talking about could ever offer.

 

[T206]

Avoid Orphek at all costs worst customer service...

 

[ReefCowboy]

Avoid Orphek at all costs worst customer service...

Could you describe what happened? I thought you had become a dealer?