Thoughts On New Neptune Sky LED?

Ryde

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
1,167
Reaction score
666
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Basically the title. Just wanna here thoughts and oppions on the newly announced Neptune Systems Sky LED.
 

Jekyl

GSP is the devil and clowns are bad pets
View Badges
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
11,258
Reaction score
15,476
Location
Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hopefully they put out a good product at a reasonable price. I'm sure it will have all sorts of bells and whistles. However I'd trust a company who just does lights over programmability.
 
OP
OP
Ryde

Ryde

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
1,167
Reaction score
666
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hopefully they put out a good product at a reasonable price. I'm sure it will have all sorts of bells and whistles. However I'd trust a company who just does lights over programmability.
Although programmability and having everything linked can be great, but this is there first reef light, better to go with a light that has been in the hobby for a few years. With that said I think they will be learning the ropes for their first reef light.
 
OP
OP
Ryde

Ryde

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Jun 28, 2020
Messages
1,167
Reaction score
666
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
$870. 1st gen. Unfortunately, I will pass. What happened to products getting cheaper as tech matured?
$870 for 1st gen, you can pick up two Radion XR15 G5 Blue LED Light Fixtures for that price. or even a single Radion XR30 G5 Blue LED Light Fixture. I'm really ready to see why its priced so high.

 

CoralNerd

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 19, 2014
Messages
1,469
Reaction score
1,031
Location
SoCal
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
I like how the mounting system allows you to use ecotech's bracket. The black hanging cables look nice. Looking forward to seeing more information and videos on the programming aspects of the light.
 

Variant

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 23, 2018
Messages
572
Reaction score
596
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Philips coralcare v2 is whiter spectrum at 100% and tries to differentiate itself by having the fixture itself IP rated with no fans and a built in powesupply. Super unique approach that I can appreciate after having one of my pump power supply getting burnt after my skimmer overflowed nearby.

ATI Straton is design forward (look at how thin it is!) with bluer spectrum than the Philips and separate power supply. Uniquely elegant is the word I would use to describe it.

GHL mitras are unique with their actual UV or near UV led versus the competitors' UV which is not really close to UV. Additionally they stand out with replaceable small pucks in their design.

Radions improved on their prior design via diffuser and one of their biggest contribution to the hobby is their testing of color spectum so its more bullet proof.

The Neptune Sky just looks like a bigger Radion. Each brand in the same pricing category seems to have something unique to them that it noteworthy. But the Sky seems to take the approach of copying other brands. As a new product, I would have hoped they brought something to the table like a true innovation, new design, etc to propell the hobby forward but instead this just seems like a pure money grab "everyone else makes money off LEDs, lets get in on it without brining anything uniqie to the table". This kind of copying is something I would expect more from lower cost brands like Jebao that may take unique designs that people love and make it at a lower quality / low cost option.

Sounds harsh but I am hoping to be proved wrong over the weekend!
 

jez

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 23, 2017
Messages
21
Reaction score
30
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
As a new product, I would have hoped they brought something to the table like a true innovation, new design, etc to propell the hobby forward but instead this just seems like a pure money grab "everyone else makes money off LEDs, lets get in on it without brining anything uniqie to the table".

Pretty much sums it up, other than let's make it cheaper offshore to leverage our fat margin with mediocre parts, and let's save money by not developing our own better mounting solution.

There is cutting-edge stuff out there with LED that the aquarium industry has yet to embrace and develop and Neptune could have incorporated any of that technology into their product and claimed the high ground what you would expect for a tech company.
 

jose hernandez

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 21, 2015
Messages
2,061
Reaction score
320
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
You have to run it at a higher percentage as opposed to radion has no mounting kits but you can use ecotech hanging kit arms or slides makes no sense and they cost more
 

flourishofmediocrity

Active Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 25, 2020
Messages
263
Reaction score
316
Location
Snohomish
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I will probably be buying 4 of these when they are available, 3 for my 200G peninsula and 1 for a 50G lagoon. I'm still in the building phase, and I really liked the idea of the coralcare, but was leaning against those because of the weight. I really like that the sky is a panel, with lenses to get that "shimmer", the weight is pretty good, they work with the apex, and they look good. Maybe I'm just falling for the marketing, but these seem like they have everything I want, I am just curious to see a spectrum analysis in a consumer review, but I'm sure they will grow coral.
 

DeepintheReef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 25, 2019
Messages
571
Reaction score
556
Location
Cape Coral
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Saw these at RAP this weekend and they look good. The 24x30 coverage is the rating for SPS heavy tanks. The rep I spoke with stated 36x30 for LPS and softies and they can punch down just as deep. They’re light for their size and about an inch larger on all four sides than the xr30’s so they have some decent coverage (pretty similar in size to the arctic t247 but more robust). The price includes a diffuser as well.

Although Neptune doesn’t have an in-house mounting solution aside from a hanging kit, they work with the gen5 and older style xr30 mounting brackets. They have dual independent fans so if one goes out, the other will still run while you can figure out what to do, but that’s kind of pointless if the light has to be sent in for repair. Unless of course they send a replacement similar to the trident.

They seem fairly easy to integrate into an existing tank and look to be programmed similar to the wav pump. You can set points throughout the day and adjust intensity at each point. It will also come with several presets to choose from.

Looking forward to trying them soon. Will probably have a client set them up on an 8x4x4 in the next few months so we can get some decent par measurements and really see what they’re capable of.

Just posted this in another thread. Got a chance to look at them and talk to the reps this weekend at RAP.

Reefbuilders also put a post up on Friday night. I’m sure there will be more videos and info in the next week as people from RAP post more about them.
 

Devaji

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 27, 2016
Messages
7,155
Reaction score
6,685
Location
Jackson Hole, WY
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
my thoughts... I will not be buying any. my reef breeders photos V2+ is working just fine at a better price point. if I was gifted a pair sure I would try them out. but I am not forking out 1600 for lights that IMHO dont bring anything new to the table that I am aware of.
 
Last edited:

blasterman

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 14, 2019
Messages
1,730
Reaction score
2,018
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Going by the power output a pair of Radions are a better deal and more flexible.

As for "Programming" , please show me how to program my old Radium halides and explain how these worthless features contribute to coral health. Fact is, they dont.

Sorry, but I prefer external PSU bricks. They are vastly more reliable than case integrated supplies.

Somebody just build a 20x10" IC board that has 150watts of royal and 50watts of whatever else the customer wants using Cree.. Put three channels of manual dimming on it. Use a pair of low rpm 120mm fans and call it done. Use interchangeable diffuser panels so reefers can dial in their own shimmer.
 

A worm with high fashion and practical utility: Have you ever kept feather dusters in your reef aquarium?

  • I currently have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 64 36.8%
  • Not currently, but I have had feather dusters in my tank in the past.

    Votes: 59 33.9%
  • I have not had feather dusters, but I hope to in the future.

    Votes: 25 14.4%
  • I have no plans to have feather dusters in my tank.

    Votes: 26 14.9%
  • Other.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
Back
Top