Reefbrite XHO or Orphek OR3 LED bar as supplement

Which LED bar is better to supplement Radion Gen5 Blue?

  • Reefbrite 50/50 XHO

    Votes: 18 34.0%
  • Orphek OR3 Reef Day Plus

    Votes: 35 66.0%

  • Total voters
    53

ReefBeta

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
1,318
Reaction score
1,427
Location
Seattle, US
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Between Reefbrite 50/50 XHO and Orphek OR3 Reef Day Plus, which is better to supplement Radion Gen5 Blue?
 

Mastiffsrule

Where ever you go, there you are, so be nice 2 you
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
8,440
Reaction score
33,571
Location
Charlotte
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Evening,

It seems like bars are all the rage this month. I just ordered one from SB reef. There has been a few threads asking the same question about the 2 you are trying to decide between. The threads I saw were mixed, both seemed to be good choices. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. Do a search and check out some of the other threads and see what others say.
 

bobnicaragua

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 28, 2019
Messages
905
Reaction score
913
Location
Dallas, TX
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Orphek recommended mounting height is 16 inches because of the lenses. The reef brite can be mounted much lower.

The 50/50 is very white. The actinic blue reef brite would be the equivalent to the blue plus. Orphek has a broader spectrum than reef brite, but their daylight bar will have some disco effect.
 

scchase

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Apr 5, 2012
Messages
977
Reaction score
1,700
Location
colorado
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Evening,

It seems like bars are all the rage this month. I just ordered one from SB reef. There has been a few threads asking the same question about the 2 you are trying to decide between. The threads I saw were mixed, both seemed to be good choices. I don’t think you can go wrong with either. Do a search and check out some of the other threads and see what others say.
Did you ever get the bar from SB reef? Been trying to get ahold of them a few weeks now to make sure they still are in business before I order but haven't heard anything back.
 

2Wheelsonly

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
1,449
Reaction score
2,019
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the Orphek blue plus bars to supplement my hybrid setup. They are the best looking lights in my combo...

My tank has three lighting stages:

6 Radion XR30 G4 Pro
4 ATI Plus + and 4 Geismann Super Actinic
2 Orphek 48" Blue Plus bars

In the morning just my radion's are on...great growth but a very bland LED look
12-6 my T5 kick in and the tank has lots of light but I think T5 bulbs make the corals look dull
12pm-10pm my blue plus kick in and the entire tank comes to life

The time when my radions finally go black and JUST the Orphek bars are on the tank looks absolutely stunning (7:30pm-10pm). I love them, they give me the pop I always hoped to get (but never got) with Radions. If you want your corals to literally glow from across the room then either bar will make you happy.
 

Graffiti Spot

Cat and coral maker
View Badges
Joined
Oct 8, 2012
Messages
4,320
Reaction score
3,676
Location
Florida’s west side
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The reefbrite would be better for shadowing although they wouldn’t provide much par ime. If you used four you might see a good difference. The or2 or3 bars are amazing for supplementing metal halides ime. They look great for supplementing led too but might not provide as much as reefbrite or t5 will for shadowing and getting colonies to grow fuller and bigger without issues. The reefbrite just need more fixtures to match what t5 can provide. A friend just added four t5 to his few radions and the difference is huge, I honestly didn’t like the tank before but one month later it’s looking much more healthy.
 

RMS18

I keep water chemistry as my hobby
View Badges
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
2,867
Reaction score
2,158
Location
The Shore
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have 2 xho actinitc, and if I could it again I'd go with the or3. Price, and color is what the or3 does better than RB. I don't need the par which I think RB delivers. BTW one of my RB is 4 months old and I have to send it back for a bad internal wire.
 

Reefcowboy

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 27, 2014
Messages
888
Reaction score
1,319
Location
Long Island, NY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I've ran the orpheks and now run reefbrites. One of the Orpheks died after 1 year. I had the first gen which was called "sky blue". It had lots of the cyan colored LEDs which I know are needed but made the tank look greenish. The latest gen has a combo of violets as well so maybe it is better than my old ones.

Quality of the Orpheks is definitely better, housing and glass finish are nice. The quality of the leds I'm not so sure being mine died prematurely.

IMO reefbrites are WAY overpriced. Their overall royal blue color though is very nice. I've had mine for 2 years and they look great.
 

Mastiffsrule

Where ever you go, there you are, so be nice 2 you
View Badges
Joined
Feb 10, 2019
Messages
8,440
Reaction score
33,571
Location
Charlotte
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Did you ever get the bar from SB reef? Been trying to get ahold of them a few weeks now to make sure they still are in business before I order but haven't heard anything back.

I got my bar in and will be hanging it today, I hopeo_O. It is a beast. I do not have an XHO to do side by side but my LFS store has an XHO on a frag tank. The SB has tons more power.

I will update my build when I get it hung

B6CE8358-6EA2-49DA-8659-D56CB7603A9B.jpeg
 

rusgum

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 23, 2020
Messages
975
Reaction score
2,465
Location
Moscow
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Between Reefbrite 50/50 XHO and Orphek OR3 Reef Day Plus, which is better to supplement Radion Gen5 Blue?
You are doing great. Why do you need bar? I don't think you need it yet. There will be large colonies then connect
 
OP
OP
ReefBeta

ReefBeta

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
May 26, 2016
Messages
1,318
Reaction score
1,427
Location
Seattle, US
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have the Orphek blue plus bars to supplement my hybrid setup. They are the best looking lights in my combo...

My tank has three lighting stages:

6 Radion XR30 G4 Pro
4 ATI Plus + and 4 Geismann Super Actinic
2 Orphek 48" Blue Plus bars

In the morning just my radion's are on...great growth but a very bland LED look
12-6 my T5 kick in and the tank has lots of light but I think T5 bulbs make the corals look dull
12pm-10pm my blue plus kick in and the entire tank comes to life

The time when my radions finally go black and JUST the Orphek bars are on the tank looks absolutely stunning (7:30pm-10pm). I love them, they give me the pop I always hoped to get (but never got) with Radions. If you want your corals to literally glow from across the room then either bar will make you happy.

Do you have pictures of when just the Radion on and when just the Orphrek on?
 

ichthyoid

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 6, 2020
Messages
326
Reaction score
481
Location
Atlanta GA, USA
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
While I have gone with hybrid Noopsyche + T5’s over my displays, the 50 gal. Lowboy is likely to get a couple of Orphek bars to supplement 3 Noopsyche’s. I want to mount them higher, so I have room to work over the frags, without spilling too much light.
 

2Wheelsonly

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 22, 2017
Messages
1,449
Reaction score
2,019
Location
Indiana
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey nice tank! At what height do you have de Orphek Bars installed?

Because my bars are for supplemental lights and par towards the sand bed where my corals and rocks above shadow, I have them on the wall about 2 inches from the top of the tank shooting down.

Here is the fish room behind the tank to show how I have them setup:

Uu8wDU8.jpg
 

Scp

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 20, 2016
Messages
207
Reaction score
47
Location
Waterford
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I have both and my biggest complaint is that I can't adjust the intensity of the Orphek bars ... they were supposed to release a dimmer this spring but haven't yet to my knowledge. I have the blues of both to supplement a couple hydra 52 hd's . The orpheks increased the par too much and starting bleaching some of my coral. Switched to to the XHO with the dimmer and corals are responding better.
 
Back
Top