Testing new Orphek OR90: High quality strip lights!

[pjr]

I've been given an opportunity to implement a new LED light from Orphek: The OR 90, a model that appears to be a high quality strip light. I've been using higher quality LED strip lights over my 6 foot wide SPS reef since 2009 (which was then a flying leap of faith in the technology). There were some bruises and bumps along the way, but I have a thriving reef which I want to maintain and continue to develop. Hence, making such a change is a bit exciting yet nerve-wracking and not devoid of risk.

The OR90 is a 35" fixture that uses 24 three watt LEDs in each unit. The default lens is 120° but there is a 60 and 90 available.

I will be using a pair of units in each of the spectrums below. Also below is specifications on the unit; I Plan to perform PAR testing (before & after install), so more details to follow.

• Length: 35.4″ (900mm)
• Width: 1.97″ (50mm)
• Height: 1.13″ (28.8mm)
• Power Consumption: 72 watts
• Input Current (Amps) 0.55
• Light Unit Weight: 3.3 lbs (1.5kg)
• Output Voltage (V) 40-80
• Power Supply Weight: 1.1 lbs (0.5kg)
• Cords Two meter (78.7”) extension cord
• Light Unit Body Material: Grey high quality with waterproof connector from extruded aluminum housing.
• light unit to power supply. Tempered Glass Cover

 

[pjr]

A few current tank pics:

 

[pjr]

Current Lighting Setup:

This tank was set up in Jan 2005 and has been running continuously for almost 13 years; it was converted to all-LEDs in May 2009. At the time, I've been told that it was likely the largest LED-based SPS tank in the US. The tank is still up and running, still robust and healthy, and still all-LED.

The initial lights on the tank were through a company names SunBrite; they were strip-light style models that were mounted in "tubes." I originally ran 8 of these tubes over the tank! Lighting start and stop times are controlled via its "Timer Pack" which is a sweet little device with all the wires to the times nicely hard-wired to the box.

Over the years Sunbrite upgraded their tubes, and Gen 3 units were based on 3 watt CREE LEDs. I was able to drop from 8 tubes to just three... and with greater PAR.

Unfortunately, the company was poorly run, and new fixture models introduced following the tubes did not take off in the marketplace, and the company folded. The lights happily remained on the tank, until one of them failed about 2 years ago.... enter BuildMyLED, Austin TX, who introduced a great line of strip-style lights, including custom configurations, a combo of various LED spectrums, colors, and wattage, and a very well-built package.

However.... many of you are aware that BML is no longer selling reef lighting. They have renamed the company and are a leader in lighting to support indoor farming. All of these trials makes me quite excited over this new entry from Orphek.

 

[Desgada]

Your tank is absolute stunning, and I bet it is really awesome to be able to test out new equipment with such a long standing tank.

Quick question: is the Monti cap one of your favorite corals? You seem to have quite a few large colonies.

 

[pjr]

Interesting question!

The only cap of size in the tank is the Orange Monti Cap. I trim it a lot, and right now it is growing up the front glass, but it used to be MUCH larger. In fact, here's an old pic when I removed it from the tank in June 2010.... I started selling "frags" from it (if you can call a 10x12 hunk a "frag") shortly after this pic:

To the right of the orange monti is a bit of green monti cap.... just a few pieces for a bit of color. At one time, the green cap was about 16" inches across. There is a bit of green mirulina below it, which may look like monti in the pics.

At the left is a plate of Hollywood stunner chalice; this was a frag that is grown out, but I sold the mother 18 months ago..... it was a whirling plating coral too, and was 16x20 x 6" high or so (that was an interesting transport effort). Here's a pic from about a year before I sold it:

Above it to the left is another chalice, the Blue Chalice. It is about 1/3 its former size. I literally fragged it down to a pair of pieces, each the size of a 50 cent coin. Needless to say, it has surely grown large again. It has grown on to the overflow and I have to punch holes in it weekly to keep the water flowing through the top grates.

 

[Desgada]

Gorgeous, sorry I don't have the eye for identifying corals yet. Newer to the reef world.

I appreciate you taking the time to write out that reply. Like I said before your tank is stunning. So, and I hope I'm not bothering you with my questions, what type of filtration do you run on your tank; and what is your favorite coral?

I'm asking because I am about to start a 210 and looking to run a primarily sps tank once it is setup and cycled. Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask these questions.

 

[pjr]

The questions are totally fine!

Equipment wise, I have taken a minimalist approach in compared to a lot of tanks.

Skimmer: Tunze 9420
Sump: a converted wet-dry, with a sponge block prior to the return.
Return Pump: Iwaki 30
Flow: Vortech MP-40 QD (two)
Doser: GHL series 1, providing 160 ml of BRS Calcium Chl and 160 ml of BRS Sodium Bicarb daily.
Topoff: Spectrapure

Water changes: apx 10% every Sunday am.
Salt: Was Reef Crystals until a recent change to Red Sea.


Favorite Coral: Wow! Tough question.... it probably is that 20K Lokani, as it is pretty rare and such a SLOW grower. It started as a single 1/2" frag! To get it to the current size is very cool. Second would likely be that purple-maroon table, which was sent to me as a frag in a thermos many years ago from JB NY. It is huge!

The bonsai as well as that acropora pulchra (looks like a blue stag) are also right up there. That red planet was a frag that was overgrown and killed by a tri-color that just grew faster and overwhelmed it. However, it fought off the predator, encrusted downward, eventually moving from its base and re-established itself, and is not a wild large colony. (That tricolor remains, but I have probably sold 6-7 colonies from it as well as many frags in the past 4 years).

I have a hurricane chalice that serves as a wonderful memorial to a reefing friend who lost his battle with cancer. My only paly, a pink one that glows wildly under actinics, reminds me of my friend Daniel who moved away to Georgia.

I think I have 15 or 16 different SPS, 5 chalices, 3 coral from the "brain" family, a gorgonian, a few hitchhiker mushrooms, plus some finger leathers that just keep dropping. Everything except the brain corals were obtained as frags. I really need some learnin' to take better pictures.

 

[elFloyd]

Hi PJR... great looking tank and it looks like you’ve had good success with strip lights. After seeing your post I contacted Orphek. Here is their suggestion for my standard 180 gallon mixed reef tank:

Three rows of two OR90 LED Reef Lights. In the center row they suggest two of the Reef Violet OR90's and the outside rows, the Reef Daylight OR90's.

A few questions if I may:

• How did you come to the decision to use strip lighting and not typical fixtures?
• Have you had the chance to measure PAR?
• Do you agree with the configuration Orphek suggested?

 

[pjr]

Thanks for the kind words!

I am also planning to use three strips over my 18" front to back tank. It really is similar to my current setup of three strips (I will add some "before" pics later tonight). I am also working to get a PAR meter on hand, and plan to measure "before and after" performance. That measurement will help me make an educated reply on Orphek's recommendation for your tank, as your is deeper than mine at 24" front to back.

My tank has a canopy (with a hood that I tilt open in winter, willy open or remove in spring/summer). The trim hides the lights. The suspended fixtures and resulting light spill-over inst really acceptable in my study, which is just off the foyer of my home..... there's a bit of a WAF that I need to consider. In addition, my tank (and the canopy) has braces every two feet, so I would need three units. By the time I add them all, access to the tank becomes a PITA. also, the tubes are fan-free, which makes them quiet and more energy efficient.

 

[elFloyd]

I have a 9" open canopy on my tank (which is in my home office) that helps with any light spill over and heat. Also, the tank has two cross braces. In the past I've used one light fixture over each section of the tank, so I'm concerned about any shadowing from the braces with longer light sources crossing the braces. I like the idea of no fans... any noise from my tank now comes from the skimmer pump and LED fixtures.

 

[pjr]

yeah, i have been fortunate to avoid any shadows with the tubes. heres a pic of the current setup: two Sunbrite tubes at back, and the BML strip at the front.

 

[pjr]

By the way, here is the light controller from Sunbrite… it uses captive wires and has timing patterns to turn to control 8 seperate tubes! At a point many years ago, the tank had 8 tubes… but with the stronger LED's, i was ablr to drop down just to 3. Lights can be turned on and off several times A-day… and each bulb is controlled individually as well.

P.S. the BML is connected to the Apex.

 

[pjr]

packages start to arrive.... first from 80/20.... aluminum rails that will be used for mounting the lights...

 

[alton]

Looks kind of like a BML except missing the diffuser lens? Also is there a controller/dimmer available with the fixture? By the way I love my bml's

 

[pjr]

BMLs are great! And yes, it does look like a BML. No controller/dimmer. Boxes received, will post pics later today.

 

[Velcro]

I thought that tanknlooked familiar. I bought anfrag of a blue stag from you on my way back to Kalamazoo from London Ontario a few years ago. Unfortunately it didn’t survive a Dino outbreak six months later. I’d love to buy another frag of that from you some day!

 

[pjr]

my deployment has been delayed by the lack of a PAR meter and business travel. Home now. hopefully a meter soon. But...packages!! Who Hoo!

 

[Bruce Burnett]

I have one of their 120 that I just put on my tank but it is their Actinic which is more in the violet range. Look blue to the eye but with a camera it is almost purple like a actinic 03 and peaks in the 420 nm

 

[Mike S]

Interested to hear how you like it. Is it dimmable?

 

[Bruce Burnett]

here is picture of actinic 48' long not dimmable