I don't like disco which is why I have stuck with t5s and then got an ap700. If you don't like disco your options are quite limited.
PSA: Philips Coralcare
- Thread starter gus6464
- Start date
ReefCowboy
New member
Did you watch the same video we all did from BRS? Although innovating led frosted plate for better spread, this fixture is bulky, heavy, less efficient, more expensive(2x) with lower par than a damn old ATI T5. It basically throws away most of the so called benefits from leds. Im not here mentioning orphek, at all, stop being so hot buddy chill.
Since you pointed however the atlantik, find a bad review of that light for growing sps tanks anywhere on the net, and please post it here.
Orphek isnt for you, but i was refering to the fact these Phillips came with all the buzz and dissapointed all hype.
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I want an led that mimics t5. This light does exactly that. In fact it was designed with t5 in mind. It's within 10 par of the 8 bulb sunpower. An 8 bulb sunpower mind you that was with 8 aquablue special which is the highest par bulb they make. The unit weighs the same as my powermodule. Funny how no one complains how heavy those are.
FirstContact
Active member
I think it's great to have a major manufacturer like Philips producing reef lights for us, and I hope they are successful. That aside I'm not dragging a 21 lb light fixture to my computer to program. I already have leds; so, I'm good for about four years. Maybe by then Philips will have an iOS app for my iPhone or iPad or an android app with the model they'll be selling by then. Nothing wrong with more consistent par numbers.
Since it's not the usual suspects pushing their lights I guess I already knew the outcome of the review on this board. Ryan from BRS clearly stated on the video that he has never tested an LED with an even spread of light and spectrum like this unit. The fact that he compared it side by side to an ATI Sunpower speaks for itself since every other LED would fall flat in that regard.
So it uses the same amount of electricity as a sunpower? Who cares if I don't have to spend $160 a year to replace bulbs. It's apparently all kinds of expensive when the reality of it is that it's cheaper than a Radion G4 Pro plus a single XR30 doesn't have the same spread. So I have to connect my computer to it, well you also have to with other units including the radion if you don't own a reeflink or WXM. Guess what the philips comes apex ready out of the box so a PC is not required.
Funny how BRS got 210 PAR avg at 18" from an XR30 G4 Pro and this got 199 but with the even spread blanket being bigger and the radion also being 190 watts.
Gotta love it when people complain about LEDs not matching the spread of T5 and yet here something comes along designed with that in mind and with the numbers to prove it and it's still crap because it's not from X manufacturer or X person didn't endorse it. I was excited to show off pictures of what the light actually looks like under my new tank since no one here has one but what's the point.
It's ugly? Yeah it's big and bulky but tons of people here have canopies even with their shiny thin LEDs. It has no fans and it's fully sealed so if the thing goes for a swim in your tank nothing will happen. Salt creep and being inside the canopy has 0 effect to this thing.
So it uses the same amount of electricity as a sunpower? Who cares if I don't have to spend $160 a year to replace bulbs. It's apparently all kinds of expensive when the reality of it is that it's cheaper than a Radion G4 Pro plus a single XR30 doesn't have the same spread. So I have to connect my computer to it, well you also have to with other units including the radion if you don't own a reeflink or WXM. Guess what the philips comes apex ready out of the box so a PC is not required.
Funny how BRS got 210 PAR avg at 18" from an XR30 G4 Pro and this got 199 but with the even spread blanket being bigger and the radion also being 190 watts.
Gotta love it when people complain about LEDs not matching the spread of T5 and yet here something comes along designed with that in mind and with the numbers to prove it and it's still crap because it's not from X manufacturer or X person didn't endorse it. I was excited to show off pictures of what the light actually looks like under my new tank since no one here has one but what's the point.
It's ugly? Yeah it's big and bulky but tons of people here have canopies even with their shiny thin LEDs. It has no fans and it's fully sealed so if the thing goes for a swim in your tank nothing will happen. Salt creep and being inside the canopy has 0 effect to this thing.
LQT
Active member
I am actually stoked about this light and hope it makes it to our side of the pond. Feel free to PM me shots of your setup. Definitely want to check it out and follow up on how this fixture works for your set up.
drummerboyevil
New member
I'm trying to understand if some of these people in this thread watched the same review as me.
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Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
ReefCowboy
New member
Did you watch the part of the video where he says it lacks lighter blue spectrum, and other led fixtures tested did a better job? Two G4 radions would cover better, weight over 1/3 less, produce way more par for bigger/deeper tanks, better spectrum and you wouldnt have to hide it from site. Where did hou read they are waterproof? Forget Orphek btw, lets keep facts going with why this Phillips is the biggest groundbreaking led fixture so far.
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Vinny Kreyling
Premium Member
The Perfect Light? NO but it is a step in the right direction IMHO.
For a 1st foray into reef tank lighting Phillips is on the right track and with all the feedback, (I'm sure someone will forward the video to them) there are bound to be changes.
Who knows how much the ballast weighs & if they would make it remote for saving weight or leave it alone.
All these concerns could well be addressed before we see one on this side of the pond.
For a 1st foray into reef tank lighting Phillips is on the right track and with all the feedback, (I'm sure someone will forward the video to them) there are bound to be changes.
Who knows how much the ballast weighs & if they would make it remote for saving weight or leave it alone.
All these concerns could well be addressed before we see one on this side of the pond.
LQT
Active member
2 fixtures (380 watts) vs 1 fixture (190 watts)... really!?!
Per the Philips website, the CoralCare fixture is IP65 rated.
I dunno, I see a single LED fixture that can go toe to toe with an 8 bulb ATI Sunpower (widely considered to be the holy grail in SPS lighting) in terms of par and coverage and am pretty excited. Hopefully they address some of the concerns bought up in this video before it's debut on our sided of the pond. Either way, I want one!
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I am actually stoked about this light and hope it makes it to our side of the pond. Feel free to PM me shots of your setup. Definitely want to check it out and follow up on how this fixture works for your set up.
I want to see the light over your tank as well. I have been waiting for this light to get to NA since I first heard of it. I am already well down the road to using 5 x AP700 and 8 x 80W T5 over my new tank, so I will probably not switch to the Coral Care right away, but I expect that I will be making the switch in the future.
The weight does not concern me as my light rack will be made of 8020 anyway. I might even be able to get away with 4 of these intead of 5 over a 10ft tank.
Dennis
ReefCowboy
New member
2 fixtures (380 watts) vs 1 fixture (190 watts)... really!?!
Per the Philips website, the CoralCare fixture is IP65 rated.
I dunno, I see a single LED fixture that can go toe to toe with an 8 bulb ATI Sunpower (widely considered to be the holy grail in SPS lighting) in terms of par and coverage and am pretty excited. Hopefully they address some of the concerns bought up in this video before it's debut on our sided of the pond. Either way, I want one!
If your tank is 30-36" long, you might be ok. If you have a 48" tank, will need two of these no matter what it claims to cover. Some will like it, im sure. With all other considerations the video addressed, it is not the future. It could be in the right direction, but that is as far as a frosted plate over leds can go for now. The fixture is compared to a 24" ATI BTW. Had it been a 36" one, we would be talking impressive coverage. Im also looking for a fixture for an office tank, but since the ceiling is dry wall, putting two of these would be waiting for an eventual fireworks show. I could however use them to do lateral shoulder raises on my lunch break and skip the gym
ReefCowboy
New member
Flippers4pups
Home made abyss
Did I miss if they tested the thermal energy produced by these? Do they run "hot"? They have no fans built into it? I trust philips did their research and have a contender in the LED reef lighting fray, but what about thermal degradation of the circuit boards and led diodes with passive cooling?
Price....... euro to dollar conversion is at $816 for the light and (I'm assuming these are sold as a add on) the controller at $81. That's $897 for one light in Europe. Pre tax. Pricing in the states? If it stays consistent with pricing in Europe, ouch!
Flippers4pups
Home made abyss
These LED's are ugly because they are just tweaked "Gentle space gen2's". They mass produce these by the thousands. No doubt these led fixtures made for warehouses, exhibit halls etc......are made from top notch materials. Now it would come down to what led diodes and drivers are used in them.
Now Philips making a more pleasing fixture for the hobby, doubt it.
This explains why they weigh a ton.
http://www.lighting.philips.com/mai...igh-bay-and-low-bay/high-bay/gentlespace-gen2
Now Philips making a more pleasing fixture for the hobby, doubt it.
This explains why they weigh a ton.
http://www.lighting.philips.com/mai...igh-bay-and-low-bay/high-bay/gentlespace-gen2
You are taking VAT into the equation which shouldn't be. Take 20% off the price and then do the currency conversion. The unit has 104 Lumiled Luxeon diodes. The blues are Luxeon TX, colors are Luxeon C, and violets are Luxeon UV. They run at max 700ma. Luxeons are the most thermal efficient 3W diode you can buy. The unit is $749EU with VAT included. I will repeat this again, it is cheaper than an XR30 G4 Pro.
Ohh and drivers are Philips Xitanium. This thing is basically 100% made in house.
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luvreefs23
New member
I'm not impressed. I'll stick with radions...it's just something new for everyone to ooo and ahh over. There are plenty of gorgeous tanks using radions and kessils and tons of other leds....it's like everyone thinks there's some fool proof light that makes even the newest hobbyist experience instant success. Some one up there was saying how it's comparable to the ati sun power (the holy grail of sps t5 lighting). I remember not long ago these same forums arguing how sps couldn't be grown with anything but halide and wanting to see proof of a successful sps tank with t5s, now they are the standard whether it's a quality retrofit kit or an ati fixture. It's the same old argument, in a few more years it'll be some new lighting method and radion/kessil etc. most likely will be the holy grail of led.
Flippers4pups
Home made abyss
After reading about the gentle space fixtures, I'm throughly convinced that these reef lights are top notch built. Years of experience building these and their applications are over the top. Concerns of thermal degradation with these are now laid to rest. Period.
Cost, I did not factor the vat. But we haven't seen US pricing yet, so I'm waiting on the release of this from philips.
Back to weight, this housing is very heavy and must be because of the heat distribution needed. Okay, it's needed. But it's still heavy. They do offer mounting options for the gen2 housing, which is a plus. But it's still heavy!
Mounting 4 units over a large tank would be pushing 100lbs!
Cost, I did not factor the vat. But we haven't seen US pricing yet, so I'm waiting on the release of this from philips.
Back to weight, this housing is very heavy and must be because of the heat distribution needed. Okay, it's needed. But it's still heavy. They do offer mounting options for the gen2 housing, which is a plus. But it's still heavy!
Mounting 4 units over a large tank would be pushing 100lbs!
