I have a 120g 4x2x2 and would have had to buy 4 ai or 2 radions.I bought the radions after looking at both sets in 2 different lfs, and the ability to use my laptop to change the lights intensity and spectrum at the same at any time of the day.
EcoTech Radion or AI Sols Blue
- Thread starter dbartkow
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chestnud
Slice & Dice
IMO the radians have better coverage then the AI's and I own both
Coral Theory
Community Member
Radion for me. AI was too intense for a lot of my corals. Unless you have a deep tank or SPS dominated system, PAR values were a bit too high and the colors were always off a bit...Radion has better spread and corals seem to respond better, short term and long term.
dbartkow
Community Member
Marc, thanks for taking my call and talking me through the advantages and disadvantages of each. It was extremely helpful! It is great to have a forum like this, but when you can talk to someone on the phone it is a lot easier to get more details and ask questions. So I appreciate it.
I am definitely going with the Radions. The cost is higher, but they seem to have the most bang for the buck. I am also really impressed with EcoTech as a company, so I don't think I can go wrong with them.
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It looks like you made up your mind. But if you decide you want to see both units in person, we run them in our store in Buffalo. An hour or so drive for you. I have a Radion on a 30"x30" 93 cube and 5 Sol Blues over a 84"x36" look down tank. I plan on taking a Sol Blue off the look down tank and adding a Radion so customers can see them side by side.
I'm a fan of both units. The price factor is nice for the sol Blues and they do a good job. It's already been said, the Radions are pricey, but if you add a wireless module to the AI's, controller, mounting rails, and then hanging kit, the difference is not that big.
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Dashiki
Valuable Member
But the rails and hanging kit are extra on the radion aren't they?
The controller is 75 and you only need one.
I like the radion as well but I think these lights are in a different league.
The controller is 75 and you only need one.
I like the radion as well but I think these lights are in a different league.
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Me z
Active Member
Just want to point out that AI does not have a 2x2 coverage I called and talked to aqua illuminations and they recommend one unit for every square ft. So for my tank I would need 6 AI units @ 400 each so 2400 plus the controller. Radion is rated to cover a 2x2 area @ 750 each so I would need three which brought my price to 2250 no extra controllers needed. I actually saved money and got piece of mind going with radion and I dont regret it at all. That being said if my tank was deeper I would have prob went with AI my good friend runs AI over his 300g sps reef and he has amazing results. My opinion shallow tanks go with radion and youll save money, deep tanks go with AI to get penetration rather than coverage. Comparing the two is hard they have different mounting heights recomended and different spread I think they are for two different setups and neither one is a one size fits all. Even with the new TIR lenses I would be hesitant to put radions on a deep tank and I am an owner and a fan of radions. I think deep tanks would just be better off with AI.
I cast my vote to radions over ai blues, I got a few of the osram reds in, and they are a nice deep red, all the radion needs is violets, and a lower price, LOL
E.intheC
Active Member
I feel like a 1x1 footprint for the sol blue is a little crazy honestly. That means I'd need 4 for my 60 cube. Maybe they meant 1 per foot, in which case I would need two. That makes more sense. Right now my 60 cube is half filled with water (don't ask...lol) and my Sol Nano is doing fine with my LPS and Zoas spread throughout the tank.
Well... The Maxspect is (AFAIK anyway) the only commercial fixture that comes with warm white and violet LEDs included... I'm very uncertain about the Maxspect brand because of the LEDs used (is this listed anywhere? I haven't found anything) and the prior history of Maxspect LED issues. Especially with the G2 models. I know that Chris at Coralvue is taking care of the issues now (which is great) but I don't want to mess with unreliable fixtures and burnt LEDs.
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I looked intot he multi chip violets, and have heard that they burn out prematurely. I do not know if theres are better, but that is what I have heard. I wish they would market it to reefers in the USA better, as in I do not know many people who prefer 10k, and adding royal blues to the whites makes the fixture less controllable. The base unit should be 14k, and the fixture would be even better than it already is.
Me z
Active Member
I looked into several leds while doing my research AI was top of my list because of the results I have seen on my friends system. But when you are pricing things AI did not have a recommended coverage listed with any retailer I could find. I actually called Aqua illuminations the told me for sps tanks and even light distribution (no spot lighting) I would need six for my tank 72"x18"x24". Maxspect told me the same thing. I could probably get away with three but they warned me I would have a spot light effect. Sure it would keep sps happy on the sand bed under the led but I didnt want a spotlight or banding effect in my tank. It all depends on your system like I said I dont beileve either fixture is a one size fits all solution in fact I dont think any fixture on the market is nearly as versatile as a halide. But thats just my .02
E.intheC
Active Member
I gotcha. I think you originally meant one per foot of tank length (even if that meant it was 2ft front to back) rather than 1x1 footprint. A standard 180 would need 12 AI units if they suggested 1 unit per 1x1 area.
Chameleon
Valuable Member
that would be 8 units on a 120...i dont think so
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