Going with the or2 bars with my radiums

[Graffiti Spot]

I am not well versed on led tech and spectrum stuff so I was hoping for a little help.
So I was going to try and fit a few led fixtures around my radiums but I had trouble finding ones that were fitting where I wanted. This is the main reason I am going with these bars. I have used the 21led reef bar pros and loved the amount of leds in them hopefully the better quality from orpek will get me farther with them though.
So I am lighting a 100 gallon Rubbermaid tub with two 250w radiums on electronic ballasts in lumenbrite mini pendants. I am going to start with two of the blue plus strips but am thinking about getting one or two of the daylight strips as well. I am not sure if one daylight strip will leave the other side of the tank looking different though. Also I am not sure if the uv/violet strip would be benificial either for coral color, health or growth? If it would be then I am thinking about getting two blue plus, one daylight and one violet/uv strip.
My goal was to use a daylight spectrum from the led during the halide hours but now I am wondering if using four blueplus or three blue plus and one violet/uv would be best? Keep in mind I do not care for a blue tank during daylight hours but I have never found anything that will overblue a halide bulb. Honestly I think the radium is pretty blue on these ballasts hinge why I wanted to use some daylight leds.
So for the reefers who have used halides before, what combo would you use alongside a radium?

 

[Graffiti Spot]

My goal is to provide enough light over the tub to get a little of that bright light coloration on my corals and long branch coloration without having to keep my nutrients very low. I want to be able to raise my lights a little as well and I think four bars will help me do this while still getting the light I want.

Anyone with these bars think that two of the daylight bars would be too much? What about a violet/uv with the radium? Any benifit to coloration, growth or health?

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Well I ordered two blue plus, one daylight, and one uv/violet. I feel like I am going to regret getting the uv/violet instead of a second daylight strip but my hope is the blue plus will have enough different types of blue chips in them to provide the look I want. I saw they are not all deep blue and some are a light blue light.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

These strips are made very well I was suprised. The uv/violet one was bad off the bat though. If I tap it it turns on for a half second and turns back off.
I don’t like how the daylights are payed out because the ends of the strip are much brighter and whiter than the middle. I guess they do that to try and light the corners of peoples tanks better, but I haven’t hung them yet so I won’t complain yet. I am thinking about asking if I can get a daylight as a replacement for the uv/violet one. I still am wondering if it will even do anything for me. I was also suprised that the blue plus strips are not that blue but they look good.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I got the uv/violet strip and it’s actually brighter than I thought it would be so I am going to throw it on there and see how things go. Hopefully it will provide a little more fluorescence at the least.
I figured I would get some reply’s from a few people who have purchased these lights but I guess not

 

[501Reefer]

I love my blue plus bar. I use it in combination with a couple AI primes. If they ever release the dimmer that's been in the works for over a year I'm going to go all OR bars.

 

[fishead]

Hey mate. I have a 6 bulb ATI T5 4' fixture with OR2 Blue Plus bars mounted each side. Overall I'm happy with them. Nice subtle shimmer. I do have a bit of tape over the green diodes. Tank is 24" deep. Rock work is below centre height and have an even blanket of 350-450 par at that level. Lights about 10" above the water. I like that they have a wide blue spectrum.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Yea these things look great but I am really frustrated. One blue plus flickers on and off randomly and so did the first uv/violet. The daylight is super bright on the ends and dim as all get out in the middle! Looks horrible. I should have went with all blue plus strips but even then getting two off the bat that were bad makes me really not confident in the product. I thought orpek was supposed to be a solid product and these are even the second gen of the strips right?
What would you do? I am waiting a reply back from the supplier and want to make it right but I don’t want to be shipping strips back and fourth for months before everything’s normal and working....

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Has anyone had to return these because they didn’t work right?

 

[Reefcowboy]

I ran OR bars(first gen, sky blue) with my spectra which I run radium bulbs.
I liked the quality of the bars, but couldn’t stand the 550nm cyan diodes. Made my tank green.

One of the bars died after one year.

I loked into the OR2’s(blue plus) and got frustrated with two things:

Had to wait for an answer from the rep by email which made the buying process tedious. I wanted to do my own led configuration without the cyan leds, but kept thinking what if this bar also died like the first one.

I ended up buying reefbrites which are way more expensive and feel cheaper to the touch, but had the royal blues wich make the corals look great. Being my radiums do all the beavy lifting as far as corals are concerned, all I cared was pop.

Heres the pics with the or

 

[vetteguy53081]

Love my bars and they really blue up my tank

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Yea the green in the blue plus is a really odd choice and it isn’t too bad with my radiums and I really really wanted to get custom layouts but figured I would try the standard layout. I think the only way this will work is if I use all blue plus. The uv/violet strip does not do much for color when the halides are on at all and I am wondering if it’s even going to help give extra pop to the corals or if I should just go all blue plus.
That’s sad one died after one year, what went on it the ballast or the wiring started flickering like mine?

 

[Perry]

Wow,
Not a good start with these highly anticipated release and hype. I am truly leaning towards SB Reef Bars myself. Sorry to hear about the troubles.

 

[Reefcowboy]

Yea the green in the blue plus is a really odd choice and it isn’t too bad with my radiums and I really really wanted to get custom layouts but figured I would try the standard layout. I think the only way this will work is if I use all blue plus. The uv/violet strip does not do much for color when the halides are on at all and I am wondering if it’s even going to help give extra pop to the corals or if I should just go all blue plus.
That’s sad one died after one year, what went on it the ballast or the wiring started flickering like mine?

Flickering, then one day only half of the LEDs turned on, then next day all toast, none worked.
I plugged the bad bar to the other power brick and it would not work so I believe the leds themselves went out

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I would love to hear from any others that may have had trouble with these.

 

[Reefcowboy]

To orpheks defense, I must say the bars are extremely well made, cant compare with the Reefbrites, which seem much cheaper made.
Although I personally hated the cyan LEDs, I am aware they cover the 550nm and having owned other orphek fixtures, can say they know what they do for coral health.

I guess my fixture had a flaw, and maybe the newer versions have improved.
Still a great choice with great price point.

 

[Greengny]

Sorry to hear the troubles you guys are having. I’ve had an OR2 Blue Plus for 2 months and couldn’t be happier. I have it attached to a 4 bulb ATI hybrid. The T5s overwhelm it during the day but am and pm, the OR2 displays great color to the tank. Honestly, I don’t have any trouble with the green diodes. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right. Hope you guys get your fixtures replaced quickly.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

I like the green when the halides are on but it’s just a little too green which just the strip or even with the uv violet strip it’s still too green. I did get these to help the corals though and got them because of the wide spectrum and great brand orpek has.
I also got them because they are made like a tank!! Just a beautiful strip light and they don’t even get hot at all which is HUGE! I am hoping they let me return the uv violet and the daylight and then replace my busted blue plus so I can go with four blue plus.
I was hoping they would keep up with my two radiums during the day and give the tank a nice sharp blue crisp color. I think once I switch over to all blue plus they will show through the halides and not just be a night and mourning viewing light.

 

[Graffiti Spot]

Well they sent me two new strips for the two that were flickering and sent me a replacement for the funny looking day strip. So I have three blue plus and one uv strip.
Now I just looked over and saw the uv strip flickering on and off without me even touching it. Oh man am I upset. This is not acceptable imo for such a nice looking strip to have such issues. I can’t even start to believe that I am the only one getting these bad strips!