Unsatisfied with G5 Blue Radions

[NuckChorris]

As the title says, I just do not care very much for the spectrum of these lights. I have two XR15’s over a 4ft tank and have added two additional Quanta bars. But the visual spectrum of the Radions I don’t like. And I’ve tinkered with them for several years and tried every template under the sun.

I do like a somewhat blue tank and to be honest I think the cheap Viparapectra’s at the local aquarium shop look more visually appealing. I’ve had these for a few years and they grow coral. But so do a lot of other lights. They also have a tank there with Hydra’s on it that I think is more visually appealing.

Anyone else feel this way about the G5 Blue’s?

 

[Tangdora]

I have g6 pros to give a slightly more white look, I specifically avoided the buying the blues for this exact reason after seeing them over a friends tank. If corals grew just as optimal under white light. I’d crank the white spectrum to 100% and keep the blue as minimal as need to just bring out the luminescence

 

[NuckChorris]

I have g6 pros to give a slightly more white look, I specifically avoided the buying the blues for this exact reason after seeing them over a friends tank. If corals grew just as optimal under white light. I’d crank the white spectrum to 100% and keep the blue as minimal as need to just bring out the luminescence

I like a blue look. Particularly during ramp up and down. But the blue look of these leds I’m just not so much a fan of.

 

[mfinn]

I like a blue look. Particularly during ramp up and down. But the blue look of these leds I’m just not so much a fan of.

It's pretty easy to change the blue settings during the day for a whiter look, and still have the bluer ramp up and down.

 

[NuckChorris]

I like a blue look. Particularly during ramp up and down. But the blue look of these leds I’m just not so much a fan of.

It's pretty easy to change the blue settings during the day for a whiter look, and still have the bluer ramp up and down.

I’ve did all that. What I don’t like is the shade of blue of the Radions.

 

[mfinn]

I’ve did all that. What I don’t like is the shade of blue of the Radions.

Well I guess that's fair. And not a uncommon preference.
Already having a couple XR15's now, they do have some re-sale value.
So picking up the fixture you do like would be offset with selling the Radions.

 

[X-37B]

Yea 2 will look weak.
I love the Radion gen 5 blue running ab+ at 100%..
You need 4 over a 4' tank.
Old 80 with 4.
Current 50 with 3 and a 15 with 1.
Its all relative. They grow coral well and I like the color.
I run Photons and halides on other system and the 3 are in the same room so I have some referemce.
Those are 2 16hds over the 30g and you can see the difference in color.
Any pics of your system?

 

[landlubber]

As the title says, I just do not care very much for the spectrum of these lights. I have two XR15’s over a 4ft tank and have added two additional Quanta bars. But the visual spectrum of the Radions I don’t like. And I’ve tinkered with them for several years and tried every template under the sun.

I do like a somewhat blue tank and to be honest I think the cheap Viparapectra’s at the local aquarium shop look more visually appealing. I’ve had these for a few years and they grow coral. But so do a lot of other lights. They also have a tank there with Hydra’s on it that I think is more visually appealing.

Anyone else feel this way about the G5 Blue’s?

Truthfully, no... I don't feel that way at all lol.
They're definitely spendy but overall, i've been very happy with my XR30's since the day I plugged them in, especially Radion's actinic.
If i'm honest, I have had a seamless experience with every Ecotech product i've bought so far.

 

[get-salty]

its personal preference my man.


Im running (3) xr15 g5 blues over my 4'
I have mines set to more white during peak hr and mostly blue at night.
No issues.

 

[minus9]

Quanta lights is the solution and Luca is coming out with two new panel lights very soon. Spectrum, performance and price beat radions all day long.

 

[gcarroll]

Most people’s complaints with the look of the G5 is the cyan channel. Try turning that channel off and also turned down the blue channel maybe to 50%. I run G5 blues with IMO great success. Everyone’s opinions are subjective on the look of the lights. What isn’t subjective is the reputation that the light works very well.

 

[gcarroll]

Quanta lights is the solution and Luca is coming out with two new panel lights very soon. Spectrum, performance and price beat radions all day long.

Proof? Where are you getting your info?

 

[oreo54]

As the title says, I just do not care very much for the spectrum of these lights. I have two XR15’s over a 4ft tank and have added two additional Quanta bars. But the visual spectrum of the Radions I don’t like. And I’ve tinkered with them for several years and tried every template under the sun.

I do like a somewhat blue tank and to be honest I think the cheap Viparapectra’s at the local aquarium shop look more visually appealing. I’ve had these for a few years and they grow coral. But so do a lot of other lights. They also have a tank there with Hydra’s on it that I think is more visually appealing.

Anyone else feel this way about the G5 Blue’s?

You actually have like 5 types of "blues" here.
Violets only look violet due to a fluke in your eyesight. That far down in the blue and not only are blue cones stimulated but so are red making it look violet or purple.
Cyans blue green as well.
Your whites are also mostly royal blue
There is no "proper" UV at all either.

Point is there is an infinite amount of colors of blue.
A good thing and bad as well.

Couple that with your tank vs someone elses which also affects "looks".
Dirty water ect.

But I definitely hear you and once that dissatisfaction settles in it gets difficult to overcome.


"Possible" viparspectra layout in 2 channels. most barely touch the white.
There is a question if they currently use 2 violets or just 420nm ones.
Likely 9 blue (470), 14 royal blue (450) though.



The difficult part is describing what you don't actually like about the color. Also what kind of settings are the most tolerable.

Sometimes its not even the blue that is the issue.

That said some common "tones" used
Violets of course make your tank "burple".
Too much blue and lack of royal blue runs it into "windex", especially wit hthe cyan
Too much cool white can dull things overall. Best to do the RGB = white trick in that case.

Also like gcarroll mentioned cyan is soo visually bright that it can be overpowering visually.

Let's face facts here just sayiing "I don't like the blue" isn't really leading to any possibe help.
Not without an attempt to try to explain it.
Nest big problem of course is any visuals (photos) will suck. :)

But just for fun with nothing really to go on why not try to boost the other than blue stuff with a decrease in the plain old blue.
In other words no white at all. Add red/lime so as to create white.
Cut down any violets to taste creating a more "blue" look.

There are added things to do like play with the reg blue /cyan but first try the above for fun.
Maybe cut the cyan as well a bit.
Neither of the lights you referenced have cyan and both have green instead of lime (lime was designed to replace inefficient green leds)

Oh other peoples templates probably won't help. That personal thing.

 

[NuckChorris]

As the title says, I just do not care very much for the spectrum of these lights. I have two XR15’s over a 4ft tank and have added two additional Quanta bars. But the visual spectrum of the Radions I don’t like. And I’ve tinkered with them for several years and tried every template under the sun.

I do like a somewhat blue tank and to be honest I think the cheap Viparapectra’s at the local aquarium shop look more visually appealing. I’ve had these for a few years and they grow coral. But so do a lot of other lights. They also have a tank there with Hydra’s on it that I think is more visually appealing.

Anyone else feel this way about the G5 Blue’s?

You actually have like 5 types of "blues" here.
violets only look violet due to a fluke in your eyesight. That far down in the blue and not only re blue cones stimulated so are red making it look violet or purple.
Cyans blue green as well.
Your whites are also mostly blue
There is no UV at all either.

Point is there is an infinite amount of colors of blue.
A good thing and bad as well.

Couple that with your tank vs someone elses which also affects "looks".
Dirty water ect.

But I definitely hear you and once that dissatisfaction settles in it gets difficult to overcome.

"Possible" viparspectra layout in 2 channels. most barely touch the white.
There is a question if they currently use 2 violets or just 420nm ones.
Likely 9 blue (470), 14 royal blue (450) though.



The difficult part is describing what you don't actually like about the color. Also what kind of settings are the most tolerable.

Sometimes its not even the blue that is the issue.

That said some common "tones" used
Violets of course make your tank "burple".
Too much blue and lack of royal blue runs it into "windex", especially wit hthe cyan
Too much cool white can dull things overall. Best to do the RGB = white trick in that case.

Also like gcarroll mentioned cyan is soo visually bright that it can be overpowering visually.

Let's face facts here just sayiing "I don't like the blue" isn't really leading to any possibe help.
Not without an attempt to try to explain it.
Nest big problem of course is any visuals (photos) will suck. :)

But just for fun with nothing really to go on why not try to boost the other than blue stuff with a decrease in the plain old blue.
In other words no white at all. Add red/lime so as to create white.
Cut down any violets to taste creating a more "blue" look.

There are added things to do like play with the reg blue /cyan but first try the above for fun.
Maybe cut the cyan as well a bit.
Neither of the lights you referenced have cyan and both have green instead of lime (lime was designed to replace inefficient green leds)

Oh other peoples templates probably won't help. That personal thing.

The latter part of the day I have UV, Violet, Royal blue, and blue all at 100% and everything else at 0.

I run the quanta’s at 50% for 5hrs a day for the “peak” and the Radions are at 70% at that time. Also during that period I have the above settings but have cyan, red, green and cool white at 15%.

Don’t get me wrong. They grow coral well (although I do think the quanta’s have brought out additional colors). But the blue they give to me isn’t as deep of a blue as some other lights I see. And I do wish the cool white was a warm white.

 

[oreo54]

The latter part of the day I have UV, Violet, Royal blue, and blue all at 100% and everything else at 0.

I run the quanta’s at 50% for 5hrs a day for the “peak” and the Radions are at 70% at that time. Also during that period I have the above settings but have cyan, red, green and cool white at 15%.

Don’t get me wrong. They grow coral well (although I do think the quanta’s have brought out additional colors). But the blue they give to me isn’t as deep of a blue as some other lights I see. And I do wish the cool white was a warm white.

Don't even use the cool white
Increase the lime/red to substitute.
Royal blue is really the deep blue everyone likes.
Cut the violets closest to blue
The "UV" is probably fine.

I do suspect your violet/ UV are part of the issue as well.

As you already realized one can go on forever.

 

[NuckChorris]

The latter part of the day I have UV, Violet, Royal blue, and blue all at 100% and everything else at 0.

I run the quanta’s at 50% for 5hrs a day for the “peak” and the Radions are at 70% at that time. Also during that period I have the above settings but have cyan, red, green and cool white at 15%.

Don’t get me wrong. They grow coral well (although I do think the quanta’s have brought out additional colors). But the blue they give to me isn’t as deep of a blue as some other lights I see. And I do wish the cool white was a warm white.

Don't even use the cool white
Increase the lime/red to substitute.
Royal blue is really the deep blue everyone likes.
Cut the violets closest to blue
The "UV" is probably fine.

I do suspect your violet/ UV are part of the issue as well.

As you already realized one can go on forever.

I just wonder if I cut some of the regular blue back if I’ll lose some growth or be cutting back on a spectrum the corals are using a lot of.

 

[oreo54]

I just wonder if I cut some of the regular blue back if I’ll lose some growth or be cutting back on a spectrum the corals are using a lot of.

The light does that "greater than 100% thing right?
Any violet/reg blue you cut just increase Royal blue.
As to the rest.. Your white doesn't contribute "that much" since a lot of other than rb is green/yellow.
Increasing the lime/red will make up for it a bit.

Well that is a whole argument in itself.

I look at it this way.. What's more important to "you"?
More growth in a tank you don't like
or less growth in a tank you do like?


https://reefs.com/magazine/light-marine-aquarium/
https://reefs.com/magazine/lighting-the-reef-aquarium-spectrum-or-intensity/

 

[NuckChorris]

I just wonder if I cut some of the regular blue back if I’ll lose some growth or be cutting back on a spectrum the corals are using a lot of.

The light does that "greater than 100% thing right?
Any violet/reg blue you cut just increase Royal blue.
As to the rest.. Your white doesn't contribute "that much" since a lot of other than rb is green/yellow.
Increasing the lime/red will make up for it a bit.

Well that is a whole argument in itself.

I look at it this way.. What's more important to "you"?
More growth in a tank you don't like
or less growth in a tank you do like?


https://reefs.com/magazine/light-marine-aquarium/
https://reefs.com/magazine/lighting-the-reef-aquarium-spectrum-or-intensity/

It just lets you take each color to 100%. And has a “schedule” intensity. I have the 4 colors above at 100% and the schedule at 70%.

 

[oreo54]

It just lets you take each color to 100%. And has a “schedule” intensity. I have the 4 colors above at 100% and the schedule at 70%.

So actually one photoperiod is this:

I have UV, Violet, Royal blue, and blue all at 100% and everything else at 0

Which is really UV, Violet, Royal blue, and blue all at 70%

At the "quanta period" you have

have cyan, red, green and cool white at 15%.

Which is really cyan, red, green and cool white at 10.5% ( 70% of 15%)
AND UV, Violet, Royal blue, and blue all at 70%

Am I understanding this right?

So which photoperiod bugs you the most?
For ideas..
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/par-and-photo-period-vs-color.1094325/page-2


note AFAICT a light at 100% but overall 70% is the same as a light overall at 70% but individuals set at 100%
if you get my drift.

It just saves time and effort doing the "overall" thing especially for acclimation since you don't run the risk of major accidental spectrum changes. My outsider opinion of course.

So the overall thing doesn't change by time period so if you wanted to say change the blue colors ratios and not change the output you could set overall at 100% but say now move the "violets" to 70%, the rb to say 100% and the blue to 30% BUT that isn't THAT correct, but possibly close since the EXACT output at 100% of each "color" is unknown. Between the driver current and the different number of leds of each really messes up the simple math.

Easiest (and most practical) is always actual measurements using a par meter.

 

[Bob Weigant]

I might be in the minority but I liked the G5 Blues