Ecotech Radion PRO VS. GHL MITRAS (My thoughts and experiences)

[luamada]

Temp led

Temp led

:hammer::hammer:Thank you ALL for the amazing information. I am still thinking and on the fence about which one to buy. I keep reading over and over to see but I am still kind of confused. So here is an alternative questions for you guys. What IF I buy a cheap light say around IDK $350 LED of some kind, until I can make up my mind about the right one to get. Keep up with my research and fix my tank because technically I will not be able to add anything into the tank for another 6 month from when I take the tank down. I will need another LED for my quarantine tank anyways... so lets say I buy elchepo light for now which one do you guys suggests? (but it has to be one that I can use on a 20 tank for the quarantine... ALL ideas are welcomed and also where do I find them? please keep in mind that right now i do not have any corals just fishes. Thank you ALL again...
lu

 

[luamada]

+1 this sums it up nicely. GHL have really done their homework with this light. And the best thing is, it will eventually pay for it self as there is no bulbs or tubes to buy!

wow great tank I could not open it earlier... amazing...

 

[James@ACS]

I had this same dilema and opted for the Mitras, better spread of light and I prefer the aesthetics of the GHL, also I hated the massive Radion drivers

 

[HurricaneSystem]

My Mitras 6200 will be here this week. I am going to post a video testing the PAR between this fixture and the Radion Pro over my 60 Cube.

Sirreal63, it is listed as UV on the Radion Pro page and other lighting fixtures. It is a referral to the SPECTRUM. Why don't you count pennies elsewhere and stop trying to pick out the small stuff.

I post real world RESULTS so that people might make a choice and save some headaches. When you can purchase ALL of the fixtures and test them as I have, then you can tell me what to post.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Just wanted make a correction (and clarification) for the importance of accuracy.

I stated neither go below 400nm, what I should of said was neither "peak" below 400nm however they both start below 400nm slightly (to about 380nm), however the human eye can not see much colour below 400nm. I think this will clarify the post above.

The Radion uses an LED called semiLEDS UV 405nm (peak)
The Mitras equivalent LED is called Hyper violet 425nm (peak)

according to Dr Joshi -
Radion pro peaks
405 nm - 660 nm

Mitras 6200HV
425-660 nm

So both have a UV component however peak at different levels. (same as different UV T5 tubes sold for aquariums)

"Ultraviolet light can be generated by some light-emitting diodes, but wavelengths below 380 nm are uncommon and the emission peaks are broad, so only the very lowest energy UV photons are emitted, within predominantly visible light."

source
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_light

 

[sirreal63]

UV-A is also easily blocked because of its low energy, glass, plastic and water are at blocking penetration. It would be interesting to see how much actually gets past optics and the first few inches of water. Even the Sun's strong UV-ABC is blocked in shallow seawater and does not penetrate to typical reef depths.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

:hammer::hammer:Thank you ALL for the amazing information. I am still thinking and on the fence about which one to buy. I keep reading over and over to see but I am still kind of confused. So here is an alternative questions for you guys. What IF I buy a cheap light say around IDK $350 LED of some kind, until I can make up my mind about the right one to get. Keep up with my research and fix my tank because technically I will not be able to add anything into the tank for another 6 month from when I take the tank down. I will need another LED for my quarantine tank anyways... so lets say I buy elchepo light for now which one do you guys suggests? (but it has to be one that I can use on a 20 tank for the quarantine... ALL ideas are welcomed and also where do I find them? please keep in mind that right now i do not have any corals just fishes. Thank you ALL again...
lu

If you want to grow corals (healthy corals) I struggle to imagine a lamp with any quality at this price (my personal view) I dont see where the technology you see in Radion and Mitras could be employed at such a low price.

Good for a QT and sump, but maybe worth waiting and using the money towards one or the other professional big hitters on this thread.

 

[maxwell]

radion schedule required

radion schedule required

Hi
I have just fitted the radion pro over a 30 inch cube , can anyone help with a schedule for mainly sps . The preset schedules are a bit limiting , i have no experience using these leds being days old. Will anybody share their schedule .

thanks Bill

 

[AQD_ottawa]

Always start low output if new to the tank, this advise is good for any LED. My advise would be to set an on time for around 7am (possibly around the 17k area) set the 7am brightness of the Radion to 0% then have another set point of around noon set to 14k and brightness no more the 50% for the first week. If your corals have been under T5 then set this to 30%

Set another point around 5pm and to 18k and 30% brightness then another point set to 7pm at above 20k to 10% brightness

from here on play with mixing blues to get yourself the moonlight you want adding fairly close together set points set to low brightness.

after a week you can raise your midday brightness by 10% a week

This will give you a good starting template, also the natural template that comes with the software is a very good starter just adjust down the maximum intensity to start.

 

[HurricaneSystem]

What ottawa said,

I would choose the preset "sipidian islands" or however you spell that mode. It is the one I ran the whole time. Run it at about 9 inches over the water and start out at 55% intensity.

You will be golden.

 

[luamada]

I guess I did not express myself correctly and I apologize for that. I do want either Mitras or Radion and will get one of the or maybe two for my main display tank. I said I was going to buy another one right now while I am doing the cycling of the tank while I decide on which one to get between the two. The one I buy right now, I want it to be strong enough for my quarantine tank (which I am not sure how long I need to quarantine corals for). So my questions is what kind of cheap light I can buy to use on my quarantine tank (I do not want to spend $1000 or $1200 for a quarantine tank light). I would like anything around $300 up to $500. If anyone knows anything or should I look for an used LED? Any ideas? BUT I will get either the mitras or radion for my display tank. Hope I was clear enough ;-)) thank you guys again.
lu

 

[FlyPenFly]

For a quarantine tank, I would just get a cheap Reefbreeder's light or a used AI Sol Super Blue and run it at 2:1 B:W ratios.

Both can rapidly grow any type of coral.

 

[ghostman]

For a quarantine tank you could get a used sol nano on the selling forum for cheaper. They do not need a controller to adjust white and blue ratios. A used sol would be another good option too, and they are readily available.

 

[d2mini]

Hi
I have just fitted the radion pro over a 30 inch cube , can anyone help with a schedule for mainly sps . The preset schedules are a bit limiting , i have no experience using these leds being days old. Will anybody share their schedule .

thanks Bill

Check out the Ecotech sponsor forum here on RC.
There is a thread with people posting their custom graphs.
I found the Radiant Color graph (one of the default graphs in Ecosmart Live) to be a fantastic starting point, and the colors REALLY POP.

 

[AQD_ottawa]

I guess I did not express myself correctly and I apologize for that. I do want either Mitras or Radion and will get one of the or maybe two for my main display tank. I said I was going to buy another one right now while I am doing the cycling of the tank while I decide on which one to get between the two. The one I buy right now, I want it to be strong enough for my quarantine tank (which I am not sure how long I need to quarantine corals for). So my questions is what kind of cheap light I can buy to use on my quarantine tank (I do not want to spend $1000 or $1200 for a quarantine tank light). I would like anything around $300 up to $500. If anyone knows anything or should I look for an used LED? Any ideas? BUT I will get either the mitras or radion for my display tank. Hope I was clear enough ;-)) thank you guys again.
lu

I would grab a radion gen 2 while on discount! beats anything else in the price bracket hands down!

 

[Jhuff]

I have purchased six Radion pros for my aquarium. I currently have it set at 14k at 50% light output. In your opinion with an sps dominated aquarium, how high would you gradually raise your light output to? Also is it better to come up with your own lighting program or let ecotech take over my computer and put a program on there for me?

 

[HurricaneSystem]

I have had great success with the preset Shallow Reef Natural. It is for tanks up to 36" deep I believe. It is just a great preset, your corals will respond wonderfully.

Now for a 180, I would probably start about 55-60% and use that Shallow Reef Natural preset. I think that will do just fine.

After about 3-4 weeks you could probably turn it up another 10% and be just fine for the long haul.

 

[Jhuff]

Thank you! I have the marineland 72x36x27. I've heard of so many people starting to bleach their corals because of having the intensity too high. I will try that program. I appreciate your help!

 

[HurricaneSystem]

Anytime! Try that preset and intensity and you will see a huge difference in 4 to 5 days.

 

[rsaha]

~ Cannot run program on a MAC ☹ YES IT CAN using VM and other methods

I'm sure the Mitras are fantastic but if you have any input to their support of macs it would be great if you could tell them that running a VM is a non-starter for many mac users. Giant pain in the a$$ and enough to put people off. Mitras are a high ticket item and there's lots of people in that demographic that run macs and want nothing at all to do with Windows and VMs.