Lighting advice with orphek or similar

[Bigreeflittlefish]

Hey guys so I’m kinda stuck in a pickle here, i have a 72 in long tank with euro brace of 3 inches each side.

I’m trying to get some lighting options going cause my tank looks like booty…
I don’t want to invest 2k into lights cause it’s too expensive

I’ve been thinking on going Orphek or4 led bars 60 inch ones raised alittle for coverage
My question is will i get a full spectrum required for my a mostly soft lps reef maybe hand full of sps with just the bars

I was thinking 2 reef day maybes 2 blue bars
Then eventually add a purple/uv in a few months
With osix controller would think look good and grow corol?

 

[Johnd651]

Hey guys so I’m kinda stuck in a pickle here, i have a 72 in long tank with euro brace of 3 inches each side.

I’m trying to get some lighting options going cause my tank looks like booty…
I don’t want to invest 2k into lights cause it’s too expensive

I’ve been thinking on going Orphek or4 led bars 60 inch ones raised alittle for coverage
My question is will i get a full spectrum required for my a mostly soft lps reef maybe hand full of sps with just the bars

I was thinking 2 reef day maybes 2 blue bars
Then eventually add a purple/uv in a few months
With osix controller would think look good and grow corol?

I have 2 Nicrews HyperReef 200 Gen 2 on a 56" tank that are doing really well. Price is good, and there mount can be reversed to mount onto euro bracing. If you get the controller, you can also link them all with usb c.

 

[paragrouper]

Hey guys so I’m kinda stuck in a pickle here, i have a 72 in long tank with euro brace of 3 inches each side.

I’m trying to get some lighting options going cause my tank looks like booty…
I don’t want to invest 2k into lights cause it’s too expensive

I’ve been thinking on going Orphek or4 led bars 60 inch ones raised alittle for coverage
My question is will i get a full spectrum required for my a mostly soft lps reef maybe hand full of sps with just the bars

I was thinking 2 reef day maybes 2 blue bars
Then eventually add a purple/uv in a few months
With osix controller would think look good and grow corol?

I have the Orphek OR4 bars: 1 reef day and 2 blue plus. I like the colors and corals grow well.

 

[Bigreeflittlefish]

I have the Orphek OR4 bars: 1 reef day and 2 blue plus. I like the colors and corals grow well.

Are you using just the bars?

 

[Bigreeflittlefish]

I have 2 Nicrews HyperReef 200 Gen 2 on a 56" tank that are doing really well. Price is good, and there mount can be reversed to mount onto euro bracing. If you get the controller, you can also link them all with usb c.

They look promising but it’s also one of those Amazon brands i don’t know if they fully work 100% also I’d need 3 which is 1k roughly wondering if it’ll thrive my rank with the right spectrum

 

[twentyleagues]

I really want to like Orphek products. For my tanks they just wont work out though. I have seen nice tanks with them and I have seen the weird multicolor spots on the rock and sand bed from tanks that the lights are not mounted with in the correct height requirements the corals looked good in most instances though. I dont have 18"-24" of mounting space above my tanks so I would see the disco in my tanks and that wont work for me. There is a guy that is sorta local the runs the or4 and osix controllers with a canopy height similar to mine. His corals looked great but the disco was terrible. He made a floating canopy which put the light about 20" off the water. Then they looked amazing and he had better blending and spread. Both my tanks have the ugly black plastic trim/bracing so not covering that up wont work for me either. Maybe if I get my dream tank I'll revisit Orphek.

 

[Johnd651]

I think people shy away just cause they use Amazon for sales. I moved from an ai blade to them and first week, already looks better. Customer service response has been quick. I will be doing par readings this weekend. I only am running them at about 45% blue right now, 25% white. In the end, I am more sure any of it is truly made in America, just marketing.

They look promising but it’s also one of those Amazon brands i don’t know if they fully work 100% also I’d need 3 which is 1k roughly wondering if it’ll thrive my rank with the right spectrum

 

[Bruttall]

I had a really horrible experience with Orphek. I bought 2 bars, 48inch sky blue. one didn't work out of the box, Orphek sent me a new Ballast, Euro Plug to a USA address, I never did get a ballast with a US plug from them, they suggested I re-wire the plug end of the ballast and considered their replacement of a Ballast good enough to satisfy the warranty.


In my opinion, RUN don't walk away form Orphek.
You might take a look at these lights. Never used them but I have been hearing good things abut them.
https://www.quanta-lights.com/products/quanta-helix?variant=45246714413213
I have Reefi Lab uno 2.1 led lights over my tank. 8ft tank so 4 lights. When I bought them they were around $500 each, prices have gone up since then I suppose.

 

[paragrouper]

Are you using just the bars?

Yes.

 

[Bigreeflittlefish]

Yes.

Your colors and growth looks great do you have osix controller and do you have a schedule made with ramp up and down?

 

[Beefyreefy]

I originally did 3 reefi unos, it’s more par and wattage than you need for anything you can grow and much less then 3 of any of the big brands. I eventually added some more lights for more shimmer and shadow remediation but I was very happy with the 3 reefi unos. Just as good or even better in some ways then the big brands.

Edit- I meant to add I have a 72 inch 125gallon

 

[atoll]

I believe you can remove the 90 degree lenses and either leave off or replace with 120 degree ones. At least you can with the OR3s I have. Why not contact the rep who should be able to advise you better.b

 

[paragrouper]

Your colors and growth looks great do you have osix controller and do you have a schedule made with ramp up and down?

I use the Osix controller.
I do a ramp up/down. I also do a period of blues only in the evening.

 

[ReeferA]

Absolutely no Orphek for me. They have only 1 year warrantee and both of my 48" stopped working at 13 and 15 months. They wanted me to spend $120 each to fix and more to upgrade. I like AI Hydra 32 and Quanta Helix bars on my 240G.
I'm very impressed with Viparspectra 165W from Amazon which I use on my grow out and I had the same results as my 240G SPS.

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[Bigreeflittlefish]

I use the Osix controller.
I do a ramp up/down. I also do a period of blues only in the evening.

Do you know roughly your par readings? And do you have additional lights with the orphek?

 

[paragrouper]

Do you know roughly your par readings? And do you have additional lights with the orphek?

I do not know my par readings. I run the lights around 60%. I only have the three 24” bars