Radions or Orphek Atlantik's?
- Thread starter bubbaque
- Start date
- Tagged users None
To put my two cents in, you only need two Compacts, you do not need additional T5's unless you're going to a clambake. Our Atlantik line has all the flexibility a coral grower could ask for. We do not put gadgets in our lights like lighting, etc, serves no useful purpose. May cause some freshwater fish to spawn but other than that..................
Jrainey312
Active Member
Would one compact be enough for a reefer 170?
I’m really stuck. For my new SPS frag tank (48x24x16), trying to decide between ATI T5 with Reefbrites or the Orphek V4s. T5s are tried and true for SPS, but the V4s could be comparable for growth.
Any suggestions?
Any suggestions?
BoomCorals
2500 Club Member
I recently picked up a couple Orpheks and I like the color and overall look better than my Radions. Software is much better with Ecotech and their customer service is top notch. You really can't go wrong with either one.
You could also go with ati T5 and orphek bars to make it even more complex....
Or see if the orphek will fit in aquaticlife unit.
I am happy with just the orphek however.
What settings are you running your Orpheks? Mine: Channel 1: 30%, Channel 2 and 3: 100%, Channel 4: 5% This gives me a nice blue look I like, but they seem fairly dim with these settings. I've never used Radions so I don't have anything to compare to other than my T5/Radion tanks.
Not a ton, I match par between lights and growth has increased but as frags grow to colonies consumption seems dang near exponential so it's hard to tell. (My round about way of saying growth is faster but should be as a tank and corals mature) I believe feeding, appropriate sided food, is more more for growth and light is more for color and color is improved with the orphek without a doubt.
I run 1 and 4 only 10% lower than channel 2 and 3 for the bulk of the day with blues ramping higher (Well I guess it's actually blues staying high and whites ramping down) for night time viewing. Imo if you want best growth and color you should run the channels pretty close to each other with this fixture.
Really? So you run Channels 1 and 4 at like 90%? Maybe I'm being too picky, but I just hate the overall red/yellow look of the orpheks when channels 1 and 4 are up so high. It's a very 6500k MH look IMO. At least that's how it looks sitting next to my T5/Radion tank. Any pics of your tanks running with your full settings?
phil bevilacqua
Well-Known Member
Orphek is the best led light as far as growth and color. IMO. I will be buying another soon
My tank is shallow so it's more like 60% and 50%. I feel it's more 12k ish but a lot of people like blue heavy which is ok, gotta run what you like. Really most of the photoperiod is while I am at work and then it's more blue at night so while I don't mind the 12k (to my eye) I still get the benifit.
I don't have a FTS but did take these not long ago. Just did white balance on the point and shoot no filters or post editing.
Thanks for sharing. Looks like a nice balance actually.My tank is shallow so it's more like 60% and 50%. I feel it's more 12k ish but a lot of people like blue heavy which is ok, gotta run what you like. Really most of the photoperiod is while I am at work and then it's more blue at night so while I don't mind the 12k (to my eye) I still get the benifit.
I don't have a FTS but did take these not long ago. Just did white balance on the point and shoot no filters or post editing.
I agree with you that with all channels set to the same power level, the Atlantik v4s have a very white look to them (reminds me of somewhere between an Iwasaki 6500k and a 10k halide bulb. I run 1 and 4 at 75% for 5 hours a day with those channels fading out before channels 2 and 3. Most of the par comes from 1 and 4 so I feel that the corals need the channels even though I don’t love the look. My settings:
Dana Riddle
2500 Club Member
I'm late to this party, and haven't read all ten pages of comments. I did see early on that Orphek utilizes UV and IR LEDs and these are important. I agree. Orphek recently added a 740nm LED which preferentially relaxes Reaction Centers in Photosystem I (which potentially allows higher rates of photosynthesis due to balanced electron flow between PSII and PSI.) UV generated is also utilized in photosynthesis and could excite - or encourage formation of - fluorescent proteins.
Will definitely be interested to hear people's feedback after their corals have a chance to respond to these different settings. The one disadvantage to going with Orphek vs Radion is that we don't have as much data on which settings work best (for example we KNOW that AB+ setting on Radions will work well for color and growth). The orpheks are still a bit of a mystery. I think they have the potential to be better, but finding that sweet spot is key.
I honestly doubt dropping a couple channels 20-30% will matter much if any if you keep the par range in your target zone. I feel people get too worked up over it. If you really are after crazy growth feed them more and colors get the right intensity and chemistry. Just my opinion.
I am surprised to hear the light compared to 6.5k though. We have a greenhouse here that still runs those and they are really yellow.
Fwiw AI and radion are far more white at all channels running 100% and their guide used to be that was equal to roughly 12k. 7k was whites at twice the power of the blues while 20k was blues at twice the power of the whites. Now this was a while ago and not precise, but I feel the orpheks are more of a 14k or higher all channels just the trend is now really blue.
Dana you have any of those old mh spectrum graphs around still? Edit I found one on AA of 10k bulbs.
And all channels of orphek. A lot less yellow and red without that 550 peak that is at least 50% of the blues in the 10k mh
I am surprised to hear the light compared to 6.5k though. We have a greenhouse here that still runs those and they are really yellow.
Fwiw AI and radion are far more white at all channels running 100% and their guide used to be that was equal to roughly 12k. 7k was whites at twice the power of the blues while 20k was blues at twice the power of the whites. Now this was a while ago and not precise, but I feel the orpheks are more of a 14k or higher all channels just the trend is now really blue.
Dana you have any of those old mh spectrum graphs around still? Edit I found one on AA of 10k bulbs.
And all channels of orphek. A lot less yellow and red without that 550 peak that is at least 50% of the blues in the 10k mh
Last edited:
Similar threads
- Price: 650.00 each
- Shipping Available
- Price: $600.00
- Shipping Available
