Mr. Saltwater Tank’s EcoTech Marine Radion Experiment Update
I’m 4 months in, so it is time for a full fledged update of testing out LEDs over my SPS heavy tank.
Don’t miss the link to the bonus video showing my Radion custom program!
Links in this video: www.mrsaltwatertank.com/radion
Browse the Store! Questions?
Hey Mark,
Great piece on the LED’s too bad i didn’t watch this 1 year ago. I just replaced my lights with a new halide light canopy and had i seen this i would have looked more seriour at LED’s just for the sheer energy saving’s. Oh well my next light i’ll be looking at LED’s.
Thanks for the great info – just bought some Radion’s your top was great!
Thanks for the update. i have been waiting on this to see how they worked on your tank. I just placed my order for 2 of them. At 750.00 a pop, thats all I could order today for my tank, but will be getting one more leter for my wifes tank. I like the fact I can control it as different times and be hands free. Thanks again
Thanks Mark for the update, can’t wait until the price comes down.
i just purchased my light setup at the begining of this year…. 🙁
I am wondering as to the life of the unit. What is the method for changing the leds? How long do they last?
Thanks for showing me a new way to spend yet more money!! :^)
Capt. Smitty
Great update, I take it you like the Radion much better than the AI unit? Also, is the Radion controlled via the WXM module or does it have it’s on Wi-Fi radio to communicate with your computer software? Have you hooked it up to your Apex yet as well or still separate? Thanks and great looking tank.
Great experiment Mark. $1,900 is the UK equivalent price for 2 of these units, so its a high price to pay. Think I’ll have to stay changing my 4x florescent lights each year total cost £100.
As usual, nice article. Always lots of information.Thanks!
Hi Mark, Thanks for review. Nice to see new LEDs works perfect. Just one problem/question: These units are very expensive for a 300gall tank. Can you tell us why you didn’t choose Ecoxotic over your 90gall!? Thanks.
Hey Mark! I love the site and I love all the informative videos! I was just wondering what you knew about the AI Sol and the AI Phoenix. I love the functionality of the Radion and just wanted to know if the AI lights did as much as the Radion as far as the web interface and as far as the Votech/AI relationship goes. Thanks so much!
Hey, that was kool. im planning too, but confused that when do you need to change them as the spectrum/intensity will go down gradually. you need to change MH every 6-8 months or max a year, what about RADION?.
?
Have you synced your lights to your pumps?
great review.I have had led’s for 12 months and my corals have grown heaps….my led’s have only 3 settings…night(blue) day has 2 banks that can be turned on individually ..auto timers…but the best is the price..was about $600au for both 150watt per side…100white and 50 blue led’s in each
but will look into the ones you have because of the light spectrum
keep up the good work Mark
Sean..thanks for the complement!
Capt…the round silver pieces on the Radions (called “pucks”) unscrew and then you can install a new puck. Estimated life on LEDs is 10,000 + hours so you’ll very likely never have to replace them.
Wesley…I wanted the RGB functionality that the Radion had and I liked the increased spread of the Radion over the AI unit.
The Radion will be controlled via the WxM when Neptune updates their software to support the Radion. Right now the apex turns the apex on/off via the EB8 and like any electrical device (the outlet just turns on/off)
Thanks Steve!
Bob…I liked the controllability (via software) of the Radions as well as having an all-in-one unit. I am a fan of Ecoxotics gear though as i’ve put their stuff over several tanks with great success.
Nathan…the Sol and Phoenix do not have the RGB functionality but they have software where you can setup a program to ramp up/down.
As far as the Vortech/AI relationship goes, there is none. Neither units talk to one another. You’d have to have a tank controller like the apex to talk to both the AI unit and Vortech
Veeral…I’ve yet to see any hard data about spectral degradation of LEDs so I don’t plan on adjust the spectrum. Unless I decide there is another look (color temp, etc) that I like!
JC..it happens automatically
Very nice test. I have my 2 Radions and am allmost finished the custom canopy. Like the manufacture date on them. They were made to order. How high above the water are your lights? I have planned on 16 inches so I have enough room to work in the tank and not have to remove the canopy. Thanks for the info on the Neptune!! I was just about to order a Apex Jr but will wait until they are all compatiable. Love the way the talk to the vortec pumps! The storms are realistic.
Forgot to tell you that the software is as easy as you showed and your are right about dialing the light spectrum. Cant do that with MH!! I have been looking for the last year and a half for LEDs like this and you sold me on them! Thanks again.
Would love to see a time lapse of your tanks lighting scheme for a full day….please.
Thanks as always Mark! Keep up the great work!
Mark, Great video and beautiful lights. My question is why do the LED’s require a fan? The LED’s that I have seen before run very cool and don’t heat up the tank at all. Do the radion LED’s run hotter and therefore require a cooling system? Thanks. Leonard
Mark ,great review. my question is what are the dimensions of your 90 gallon tank? how deep. I have a 110 gallon and it is 4ft lg 18 inches wide and 28 inches deep. I currently run 2x 250w MH 20k radiums. I would like to get a wider tank and less depth in the future.
what do you think about aqua illuminations sol compared to the radion?
Thanks Mark, well i guess Apogee Quantum Meter (model MQ-200) would be worth a buy with Radion to test the intensity/PAR every 6 months to 1 year and see if there are any changes.
People still think “light” causes algae/cyano problems? come on…
well i dont know about algae but it does effect the growth of corals.
Mark,
I was looking at the product info on their site. I am confused as to how I would determine the number of units I would require for my tank. How did you determine that you required two units for your 90gallon tank? Thank you for all that you do for the hobby. I can see the video quality is great but I am also curious did you see a difference in how the light looks in the tank? Is it an even looking light or does it appear to shake or shimmer through the tank. I saw one tank that looked like the led was flickering through water.
Thanks for this review, I know your tank is SPS heavy, but I’m interested to see how LPS does under this unit. I have mostly acans and torches with some sps. From all the DIY units I’ve seen, it seems the LPS take the hardest beatings. Do you have any LPS in your tank and care to comment on how they are taking the switch over?
Thanks
Mark, great video recap of the Radions. I bought two of them for my 90 gallon new tank, and have been running them since. We were one of the first original shipments, and we have been pleased.
Im glad to see how you have programmed the lights. I was kinda disappointed that the “natural” mode was not available in the firmware, and still isnt. I’ve been very concerned about burning out corals running them at 100%, I plan on buying a PAR meter to take some measurments. I have them at about 12 hour photoperiod ramping up only to 60% of the 14k setting around noon currently, and have some good growth on a month old stylophora and very happy LPS in the tank.
Hi Mark,
I have a 90gal corner tank. Do you think there would be enough spread in the light to use 1 Radion or should I look at two when I am ready to switch?
Thanks,
Mark
Wow, I guess I posted too soon. Just got this email from Radion:
• Accelerated program review feature
o View the whole day’s program in 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes
• Natural Mode is enabled
o Adjustable depth offset
o Adjustable storm and cloud probability
• Live Demo is enabled
o Real-time palette and intensity adjustment
o Save custom color and intensity settings for use in Artificial Mode programs
o Toggle feature modes on and off
• Artificial Mode has been improved
o Import and export Artificial Mode program graphs as a backup or to share with other Radion users
o Option to see separate color channel contribution independently throughout the duration of the program
Jack…I knew it was coming, but was waiting for the email.
Getting to see the whole day’s programming will make filming a time lapse of my tank very easy!
Happy updating!
Wow, $1500? I don’t think I’m alone in saying thats a bit ridiculous for lighting for a saltwarer tank. I happen to love the shimmer effect of my metal halides, and I couldn’t help but notice the lack of shimmer after you went to all leds. On a positive note, the colors were outstanding, very nice looking tank Mark. I have been watching your videos for a long time now, and have been very impressed with your dedication to the hobby. Truly, I think this whole LED thing is a fad that these companies are taking advantage of. The LEDS proboabably cost around 10 % of what they are charging for them. The chinese are going to catch up soon and then soon after the prices will take a dive. I may consider trying them when they get more realistic with the markups, not until. Thanks again for the awesome videos, will stay tuned!!
My2cents
I guess they are using CREE leds. they are a bit expensive but i guess the reason they are sell ing expensive because initially the prices are always high, then they become cheap as the sales increses and the cost of production goes down.
Hi Mark, great video, I’ve been waiting for this one for a while. My tank is 72x18x32 (180 gallons). I’m placing my order next week for 4 units. I plan on using all 4 on this set up. My question is, do you think this would be over kill on lighting? I also have a 36x18x18, (50 gallon). Question 2, if the the 4 units is to much on the 180, how would the lighting be if used 3 units on the 180 gallon and 1 unit on the 50 gallon? Do you think that each tank would have sufficient lighting? Question 3 what are you using to attach your corals to the glass? I see you have corals growing from the glass.
AS ALWAYS (MARK), great job, thanx for your help!!!!!
Mark…1 would provide enough light for the tank and if you were planning on a SPS heavy tank, I’d go for 2.
Justin…I have several pieces of LPS (acans, favias, westos, trachs, hammer coral, scollies) in my tank that are doing fine under the Radions. Some are right under the Radion, some are off to the side in lower light areas of my tank.
Mark this is Jackson of Maine 12years old I have a 6gallon quarainteen
Tank up we will have a 30gallon can you suggest some fish (reef safe)thanks
bed head! Love the spikes at the back!!
how come your tank stays blue when you take the lights off and change them out?
Hey Mark,
At 10,000 hours, 12 hours on 12 hours off would yield 833.33 days straight or 1666.66 days of the above stated cycle which is 4.5 years, correct? Please correct me if my math is wrong… but wouldn’t that mean that you should indeed plan to replace the fixture or the pucks in around 5 years?
Thanks for testing them for us. I wish I could justify getting a set and convincing my wife to agree. 😛
12hours X 365 days = 4380 hours
10000 hours/ 4380 hrs = 2.28 years.
it will last for 2 yrs 3 months.
Mitch et all…while LED’s longevity is nice, I don’t honestly think anyone will keep their LEDs until the burn out.
Why?
B/c the technology is evolving so fast that we’ll want to replace them with something new/better before they burn out. To me it is like cars that can last several hundred thousand miles. That’s great but few people ever keep their cars that long.