EcoTech Marine Launches Coral Lab Project.

[RandoReefer]

A few days ago Advanced Aquarist released the following article depicting a new project launching from the minds of EcoTech Marine.

What do you guys think?

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/blog/ecotech-marine-launches-coral-lab-project

 

[TD13]

Glad to see you all measuring your light, not by just PAR value, but by REAL value. Reliability, and quality are definitely words that I associate with Ecotech Marine, but the fact that you all are now venturing into a realm to help move the needle on making our hobby sustainable is amazing. Partnering with some of the largest educational and archival institutions in the United States, even the world, puts you all on a scale way above the competition yet again. Job well done.

 

[Berlibee]

This is very cool, I would really love to try the SPS AB+ schedule but I'm using Apex this will be really nice if you could post SPS AB+ and SPS PHX14 properly translated to Apex code. Thank you very much!!! @RandoReefer

 

[TheEngineer]

I don't understand this report and would appreciate some more clarity. The point is to show that you can successfully grow corals with LEDs? The report seems to suggest some comparisons of T5, MH and LED lighting, but doesn't consistently say so. I'm confused by some of the statements made in this report. For the SPS AB+ comparison, it is stated that:

Although the visual appearance of the light output was different between the T5 bulbs and the Radions®, coral response was similar if not identical. From there further adjustment of the spectrum and fortnightly reviews resulted in a spectrum that outperformed the T5 benchmark.

What is this test to show? This to me says that you made changes to the LED spectrum which outperformed that particular T5 spectrum, not that the LEDs performed better at the same T5 spectrum. What would happen if you set the T5 combination to match the LED spectrum? Would the LEDs still outperform T5?

Under the SPS PHX14 section there are no comparisons made to color spectrum or intensity. Just that this is a good transition program from MH to Radions.

Under LPS there was no comparative analysis at all and only Radions were used.

The results are equally confusing. You show one MH vs LED comparison, which appears impressive, but then don't show it for the other two programs. Why not?

It looks like a lot of work went into the setup and the tests, but this report really leaves quite a bit to be desired. It is really lacking in consistency and focus. There's probably information there that is very valuable to all of us and I'm grateful that you are choosing to share it. I'd ask that perhaps this report be revised fairly thoroughly. I'm happy to offer assistance if you'd like it.

EDIT: I'm 100% an LED supporter, so don't take my comments as anti-LED

 

[Rlynch818]

I think it's pretty awesome what they are doing. I just started trying one of their lighting programs today.

 

[Berlibee]

I want to try it as well. Looks very cool.

 

[sevens_up77]

It seemed to me that the sps AB+ was just high growth with the white, red, and green turned down.

 

[Berlibee]

Would be nice to be involved in the conversation after posting a question @RandoReefer

 

[RandoReefer]

Your thoughts and sentiments aren't going unheard. The powers that be, at EcoTech Marine, are aware of this and all other threads on this forum. [emoji4]

As anyone can/should deduce from my signature block (available while viewing R2R from a full web browser view) I am a regular hobbyist like everyone else. The only difference is I have ties to EcoTech Marine through their EcoTech Product Test Team (PTT) program, which started in December 2014.

Although I do have a fairly large working knowledge of EcoTech Marine products, I cannot claim to be a direct voice for their organization. Think of me more as a facilitator of EcoTech Marine conversation in a unique position to communicate directly with the heads of the company.

That being said, I truly wish I could offer more information on this specific topic yet, this endeavor is not one that EcoTech Marine has tapped the PTT to participate in. So unfortunately, I can only sit on the sidelines with the rest of you and speculate as to where/why/how this project will unravel.

Bummer, I know! [emoji12][emoji6]

Randy
EcoTech Marine Product Test Team

 

[RandoReefer]

On that note, as well, as soon as my personal life/work schedule allow me to really take some time to share thoughts on this project, I will absolutely get something posted! [emoji106][emoji4]

 

[Berlibee]

Awesome, thanks man. I've changed my schedule to Sps AB+ and will report after 16 weeks as well.

 

[Anthony kolodziej]

Might I suggest that once the Data has been finalized and the spectrum of halides and T5 have been matched ,..... don't stop there. I can't even begin to realize or comprehend anything in this field . But I am glad that someone can and maybe be able to help hobbyist and coral reefs in the wild . good luck and thank you

 

[winwar]

Very cool

 

[sn2per]

The New schedules and work is a step forwards from the original default schedules.. We can't knock them too much... If no new schedules came out we would be knocking them again... With regards to similarities I'm glad they are similar it means that they weren't that far off all those years ago when they started... I had been running a schedule of my own design that was a few percent off here and there from the new LPS schedule so that was nice to see and made switching very easy for me...

Lets hope the project continues and more evidence is forth coming... We now have a schedule for each main tank type SPS,Mixed and LPS as fish don't care about light that pretty much covers most of the tanks out there...

 

[Hysa]

My first reef ever was lighted by 2 Radions G1, and guys I have to say that I never got great grow or color. Then I switch to the G3 version, perfect parameters but no grow or color either. So this article came to life, I was almost giving up on LED to go after those T5. I just decide to give this a try, I took the Phx14 profile (because of my birdnest and sthyloporas), and I love it, from the first week the color and grow come back to my corals, this is just amazing.

Not my favorite color temp but, I mean I like it more on the blues, but this is working, so at the end I am considering to get another G3 to work on acros shadowing .

Tank 55" long, Radion G3 x 2 today 18" above water surface (raised from 8" to 18") and 100%.

I will post few pictures tomorrow, my across colors really pops up.

 

[nitro]

I love this stuff...
Nitro

 

[spacetime]

Most zeovit tanks run a whiter spectrum of t5 bulbs. Could we see some other t5 bulb configurations that are tried and true?

 

[Budman's Corals]

think they need to reply to a email i wrote the other day to them, Customer service is more important then this ..just saying

 

[RandoReefer]

For anyone who hasn't noticed yet, the Coral Lab light settings are available in the most recent EcoSmart Live update!

Try out these settings on your own reef, today! [emoji4]

 

[whatchamacallit]

I just wish I knew why the lights are on all night lol I had to change the settings. Any reason why they chose to keep them on?