I think I can squeeze another one in there. LOL

I had never used the radions to grow Acropora so I cannot compare beyond the appearance and efficiency of either fixture. I am not the right person for that. Reefinsomnia Eugene and Cleadfoot Casey has been using radions since it came out and can probably say more about growth. The hydras are way brighter and more crisp than the radion pro and my preference to it was originally more on getting more bang for the buck. They both use similar LEDs but the hydra 52 has 10 more LEDs and cost less. I have used the hydra 52s with 400watt radiums and they both work equally well. The hydra 52 is comparable to a 400 watt halide. The radion is comparable to a 250 watt halide. That is the only way I can compare it. Both a 250 watt or 400 watt can grow sps corals just fine.
 
R u comparing the hydra52 to the latest radion pro. I ran 4 hydra52s and now have radion pros can't say that I see the hydra as brighter.
 
I think I can squeeze another one in there. LOL

I purchased the gen 3 radion pro and compared it to the hydra 52 side by side at full blast and yes the hydra52 is brighter with 10 more leds. The difference, power supply on the radion pro broke and I returned the xr30 and replaced it with 2 xr15. There are 10 more leds and most of them are white, how could it not be brighter?
 
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I purchased the gen 3 radion pro and compared it to the hydra 52 side by side at full blast and yes the hydra52 is brighter with 10 more leds. The difference, power supply on the radion pro broke and I returned the xr30 and replaced it with 2 xr15. There are 10 more leds and most of them are white, how could it not be brighter?
the white leds were what I didn't like. Thought there were to many. Guess I'll see how the growth is under the radions for six months then decide what to stay with long term
 
I am no expert in LED or electrical for that matter. I do know that the Radio's take more watts to the power supply then the Hydra's. However, that doesn't say that the LED bulbs take more then the other. I think someone that has more experience with LED's, the amount of watt's, and the knowledge of which is the better manufacturer of the LED bulb could comment.

From what I see however, both units are using the same manufacturer for the LED bulbs.

Hydra's: http://www.aquaillumination.com/lighting/hydra/

Radion's: http://ecotechmarine.com/products/radion/radion-xr30w-pro
 
I think anybody will be happy with either one once they figure out how to tweak it to the sweet spot with the corals. I am actually considering using my vho super actinic retrofits along with the radions. I am purchasing my 5th unit today.
 
the white leds were what I didn't like. Thought there were to many. Guess I'll see how the growth is under the radions for six months then decide what to stay with long term


The greater number of white leds is the single best advantage the AI 52s have over the radions. It's all about the intensity ratios. I am not sure what controller you were using to control the AI but I use the apex awm. What I found is that as long as the ratios of intensity are the same the tank color will appear the same but the brightness changes. For example, if you have the whites at 100% and blues, indigo, uv lower than the whites, e.g. 70%, the tank looks more yellow and it shows up more of the yellow red spectrum. If you have the uv, blue and indigo higher such as 100% and the whites lower at 70% the tank looks like a 400watt radium. I turn down reds and green at 5% in both cases. I have created several profiles with whites at 70%, uv, blue 100%, another where whites at 60%, uv, blue 90% and another where whites at 50%, uv, blu at 80% etc. basically the tank looks like 400watt radiums at different brightness at different times of the day. I have the LEDs on from 10am to midnight but it is not set on full blast the whole day. The radion pros can be tweaked to look like 400watt radiums but because it has less whites, you can go bluer but limited on the brightness of the tank. That is why I prefer the AI from the radions.
 
That is why I said the AI makes vho actinic better than vho actinics. You can tweak the LEDs to look like vho actinics but brighter. Vho actinics fluorescent corals like no other but it is too dark. The LEDs makes it brighter
 
The greater number of white leds is the single best advantage the AI 52s have over the radions. It's all about the intensity ratios. I am not sure what controller you were using to control the AI but I use the apex awm. What I found is that as long as the ratios of intensity are the same the tank color will appear the same but the brightness changes. For example, if you have the whites at 100% and blues, indigo, uv lower than the whites, e.g. 70%, the tank looks more yellow and it shows up more of the yellow red spectrum. If you have the uv, blue and indigo higher such as 100% and the whites lower at 70% the tank looks like a 400watt radium. I turn down reds and green at 5% in both cases. I have created several profiles with whites at 70%, uv, blue 100%, another where whites at 60%, uv, blue 90% and another where whites at 50%, uv, blu at 80% etc. basically the tank looks like 400watt radiums at different brightness at different times of the day. I have the LEDs on from 10am to midnight but it is not set on full blast the whole day. The radion pros can be tweaked to look like 400watt radiums but because it has less whites, you can go bluer but limited on the brightness of the tank. That is why I prefer the AI from the radions.
I used the director I think I'm just a blue guy I run 20k radiums also with actinic T5 so prob just a preference. We will see if the growth matches the hydra that will be the most important to me
 
Does anyone have any info on the kessil a360we tuna fixtures
I ran one on a tank for a few months I saw colors change and more polyp extention. The colors were not as vibrant. This was compared to the hydra52 frags of same colony same time same water system only diffrance was the light
 
The more LEDs covering the square floor area of the tank, the less shading there is. The more fixtures you have, the less you have to turn up the setting. The most intense light the LEDs produces is underneath it.
 
I installed a total of four 2 x 54watt t5 hamilton t5 retrofits to cover the length of the tank. Although I removed the metal halides, I was not going to let the LEDs take over a 100%. I supplement the tank with 3 hours of t5 lighting from 9pm to midnight. I am currently using the free bulbs that came with the hamilton retrofits of 10000k and actinic. I installed one t5 retrofit in my 5ft lps/clam tank and will install more as soon as I acquire more t5 retrofits.

 
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