Ecotech radions vs ecoxotic panorama pro fixtures

[Thartsockpg]

I know the radions offer more options for adjusting lights, but do they still put out the same light both at 100%.im looking at saving money for a vortech pump.

 

[Saratj1]

The radions put out about a 120w and 7 12" panorama pro's would be the same price and put out around 133w, the 12" panoramas are 19w each. I would just get a radion to work with the vortech pumps.
The panorama pro fixture that is around 400 only has 3 x 19w strips so about half the price and half as powerful as a radion.
There is also a 5 strip fixture for $500, that would be 95w so close, but dollar per watt the panoramas and radions are about the same

 

[Rosesrblu1]

I contemplated the exact same thing. I was just about to order the panorama pro 5 light and decided on the Radions instead. If your saving for a correct pump, the Radion offers the ability to,sync them up. Also, those are both super powerful lights and I am still running at 20%. I felt the Radion offered a larger spread of light as I have a 54g corner tank, which is far from the norm. I have lower light corals in the corners and my higher light ones in the middle. My low light fox coral has been doing great!

Good luck

 

[Thartsockpg]

OK so I'm mixing it up. Its berltween those fixtures and the AI sols.

 

[Crabs]

Sol's r cheaper. Very good lights. As u stated, they don't have nearly as many options but they r about $300 cheaper than the Radions. I love my Radions but other people I know love their Sol's

 

[Crabs]

One other thing while I'm thinking about it. For the life of me, I can't understand why people invest so much money in Radions only to run them at such low intensities. Such a waste of money. I have my Vortechs synced with the Radions but these suckers ain't cheap either. There r so many cost effective alternatives that throwing down an extra 4 or 5 hundy for the combo ur wanting verses a perfect alternative doesn't make a lick of sense

 

[Thartsockpg]

One other thing while I'm thinking about it. For the life of me, I can't understand why people invest so much money in Radions only to run them at such low intensities. Such a waste of money. I have my Vortechs synced with the Radions but these suckers ain't cheap either. There r so many cost effective alternatives that throwing down an extra 4 or 5 hundy for the combo ur wanting verses a perfect alternative doesn't make a lick of sense

That's one reason I'm looking at the AI sols. They are cheaper. I know I won't be using them 100% for a long time just to get corals acclimated. Does anyone know if the AI slow have a spotlight affect. Also how many would I need to cover my 36" tank?

 

[Rosesrblu1]

I am going to bump up the intensity on mine this weekend, but wanted to start slow as I know the lighting at the Lfs where I get my corals is no where near as intense as a Radions. I originally had them at 40%, but they weren't doing as well so I dialed down and will climb slowly. I am sure if I did go with the AI Sol's , I would have happy as well.

 

[Crabs]

Don't get me wrong. The Radion worked perfectly for my tank. I have a Corals display tank that is 24"x 24" x 12". The light perimeter when hanging 10" above the surface is identical to the tanks dimensions. But anymore than 50% intensity starts bleaching corals. If I ever decide to go with a deeper tank, then the extra intensity will come in handy. But I read about people who run anywhere fm 10 - 20% intensity and I'm thinking, buy some stunner strips and save urself $400 or more. I was kinda experimenting when I bought mine. I couldn't get a straight answer fm anybody. Everyone was claiming that there wasn't enough info. on growth to waste money on LED's. I assure anyone interested in LED's. There's enough light for any coral, clams, etc. and Sol's don't appear to have the spotlight effect u were wondering about. My LFS uses them above his coral display tank. He runs his at 90% actinic and 50% white. $300 cheaper than the Radions

 

[Thartsockpg]

Ok great, how many would I need to cover my 36" long tank.

 

[Rosesrblu1]

With the AI Sol lights, you might need 2 fixtures, but if you hung the Radions a bit higher you could most likely get away with 1. The widest part of my tank is about 36", maybe more and I have lower light coral like mushrooms and a fox in the corners. Higher light like scan, favia, torch, and frogspawn toward the middle. If you rationalize it that way, it's basically the same price point for both. Just my opinion. Mine are also not mounted properly, sitting 2" above (have to build something to hang from) and the spread is plenty.

 

[Crabs]

If ur looking at it that way, then a single SOL would work too. Hang it a little higher over the center and increase the intensity. Put ur lower light corals or softies on the outskirts

 

[Thartsockpg]

Yea that's what I will do. Just hang it higher to allow for softies and sps

 

[Crabs]

Smart move. Cost effective

 

[Saratj1]

Why not check out the dimmable taotronics, the ultimate cost effective led, I haven't heard anything bad about them, and at 120w for around $200 you can't beat the price. Just sayin

 

[Thartsockpg]

I'll check them out. Who do you know that has the lights on the forum. I want to look at some build threads.

 

[Saratj1]

Carey has them , mr.x, many others I Bought some for my sisters tank, there are many others just search the forum, just get the dimmable ones they are a little harder to find and a little more expensive but worth it to be able to tune the output and color you like. I went the DIY route and it cost me the same to build myself as one of these watt for watt.

 

[Saratj1]

I would buy these if you were going to go through eBay, this is a reputable seller in the US, and pretty good price.

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com/viewitem?itemId=150859473202&index=2&nav=SEARCH&nid=61004025687