Radion or Orphek

[mycoralswontgrow]

How did you mount the lights? I had a custom lid from top lids made that I have two cut outs for a mounting system for Radions. But I can’t see anything they sell with just a. Single arm holding up the lights. I don’t mind mounting on the wall or ceiling but also want to add the light bars as well so just trying to plan that out

So I hung mine from ceiling which I don’t like. I’m planning to build a tslot light mount to the wall.

I’ll post a pic of mine later. Make sure if you get the ceiling mount that they sell you ask for them to include bars that will work with natura. I also paid for 2 extra cross bars. (Will make sense when I post a pic later)

 

[biecacka]

Really love my Orpheks over my cube. Nice even blanket of light.

Corey

 

[rtparty]

If those are the only choices: Radions by a mile. Orphek is a trash company with horrible service. If you try to post any negative experiences on their social media, they will ban you. Just search here and you’ll find plenty of examples

I would get the Giesemann V12 if going all LED

 

[reefscapestudio]

So I hung mine from ceiling which I don’t like. I’m planning to build a tslot light mount to the wall.

I’ll post a pic of mine later. Make sure if you get the ceiling mount that they sell you ask for them to include bars that will work with natura. I also paid for 2 extra cross bars. (Will make sense when I post a pic later)

Hey can you post a pic I really want to see your setup. I think I might just mount the 3 lights to the ceiling with the hanging mount kit it comes with. I really wish they sold a long enough rail to connect all 3 lights across a 4 foot tank and then I could just use two of the hanging ceiling mount kits on each end.

 

[azreefer93]

Tried both Natura Icon and Xr30 G6 yesterday and decided to go with Orphek because of the spread and color. My tank is 36x23x22 - Par is pretty much same (500 mid tank, 800 at water surface, 200-250 sand bed), I hang them 16 inch above water surface, running at 60% intensity. Orphek running Helios - you will love this color, XR30 running AB+. Orphek is 160w compared to Radion 210w and $300 cheaper, so why not Orphek.

 

[chiefreefofficial]

Tried both Natura Icon and Xr30 G6 yesterday and decided to go with Orphek because of the spread and color. My tank is 36x23x22 - Par is pretty much same (500 mid tank, 800 at water surface, 200-250 sand bed), I hang them 16 inch above water surface, running at 60% intensity. Orphek running Helios - you will love this color, XR30 running AB+. Orphek is 160w compared to Radion 210w and $300 cheaper, so why not Orphek.

Is the Helios setting the same as AB+? I just grabbed Orpheus and still need to create my schedule. I want them to look nice and blue

 

[Tamberav]

Hi everyone! I have started my first reef tank and want to do SPS dominant. Between Radion and Orphek. Which lights are better? I see many tanks in YouTube tank tours now that all rock the Orphek lights. Are the color better? They seem to be getting popular but I’m also afraid of low quality (not saying they are).

I had radions and switched to orphek..


ORPHEK 100% no question about it!!!! App is about 300000 bajillion trillion times better and it is a nice aluminum casing instead of cheap plastic.

Radion like to randomly lose schedule and turn on at 3am

Radion just is sooooooooooooooo blah. Never again!!

You should also check out reefi lights.

 

[mrpontiac80]

I like Radions spectrum when looking at the corals in the tank. But I’ve never used them. I do know that they have problems with the clock schedule. My friend has one over a tank and his randomly will loose schedule.

Orphek looks amazing and would be a light id like to try.

Personally I started with reefbreeders photons and love them. I just upgraded to the reefbreeders meridians. Very excited for these. I wouldn’t narrow your choices to just the two you listed personally.

 

[X-37B]

Just choose the one you like as they are both quality, imo. I run Radions and RB Photons. If I needed another light it would be the Meridians.

 

[rcpiv93]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Nicrew Hyper Reef lights. The gen2 are great and they are a fraction of the price of all the other lights mentioned. You could get three 200w units for hundreds of dollars less than even the meridians.

 

[azreefer93]

Is the Helios setting the same as AB+? I just grabbed Orpheus and still need to create my schedule. I want them to look nice and blue

I don’t think so, they might not the same spectrum, I saw that AB+ is more white and purple while Helious is more blue. Helious really make color of the coral pops.

 

[azreefer93]

My Helius custom just light schedule

 

[GSPClown94]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the Nicrew Hyper Reef lights. The gen2 are great and they are a fraction of the price of all the other lights mentioned. You could get three 200w units for hundreds of dollars less than even the meridians.

I actually bought one of these a few months ago and I'm just now getting around to setting it up so I can't really comment on them other than the lights turn on and they are bright lol

 

[bubbgee]

Having owned both, Natura is best for fish and the metal halide look some strive for using LEDs.
Radions are best for those with SPS that need that pop of color that you can only see on vendor sites.
Bonus: Noopsyche is also a great cheaper light that can be as good as either of these.

It boils down to preference for blue or natural look.

 

[chiefreefofficial]

My Helius custom just light schedule

Thank you for dropping that! What percent do you have your peak at?

 

[azreefer93]

Thank you for dropping that! What percent do you have your peak at?

Right now I am at 70%. But will reduce back to 60% once I got 2 OR4 bars.

 

[McPuff]

I have used a lot of different lights and I like Orphek the best. Really like the look they create. They are a big light and their coverage is very good. I have 3 Atlantiks (g4v2) lighting my SPS dominated 300DD and another one over a 75 gal. They are easy to maintain and you can upgrade them easily (which I have also done). Mine are over 4 years old and if I decide to do another upgrade I will be sticking with Orphek, likely to the iCon or whatever version is the same format (i.e., Natura is a different beast, and smaller than Atlantik). The Amazonas are also very intriguing to me for large tanks.

 

[Maize & Blue]

I would not even recommend Radions to my worst enemies due to the ongoing clock errors they refuse to fix. I have no experience with Orpheks.

Just during daylight time change (twice a year) or all the time? I have 5 Radions and never had any issues, except the clock is skewed twice a year.

I changed the clock pretty dang simple. It’s not worth not buying a light over.

 

[DrkNMighty]

I would not even recommend Radions to my worst enemies due to the ongoing clock errors they refuse to fix. I have no experience with Orpheks.

Just during daylight time change (twice a year) or all the time? I have 5 Radions and never had any issues, except the clock is skewed twice a year.

I changed the clock pretty dang simple. It’s not worth not buying a light over.

You found a way to fix the bug or are you saying you just manually set it back? The issue is if you are away from your house when it resets or if it’s the middle of the night and you are asleep. Not an issue if you are always home and can fix it as soon as it occurs, but at the same time if we are paying a premium for a light this should not be something we have to worry about.

 

[GSPClown94]

I changed the clock pretty dang simple. It’s not worth not buying a light over.

Good for you. I’m not able to monitor my aquariums 24/7 to constantly reset the clocks when they malfunction at random hours of the night.