Next Generation LED Lighting

Bblinks · #1 05-03-2011, 09:48 PM

I agree with you to a certain extend. True the diodes are only made by a select fee companies, but what really sells them are the functionality and looks of the fixture. More importantly what will be more suited for each individual reefer's needs. Personally I would pick reeftech over orphek simply because they don't offer the dimmerable option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by southerner2

One of the things that I don't understand about this whole LED thing is the fact that all of the manufacturers are using only a couple different types of diodes......

Orphek may be a smaller company but their only focus is on Coral health and propagation.

They are not rebadging CREE or Luxeon LEDs they are making and producing their own....

The whites are a true 15k. They don't need blue to give the apperance they are 15k plain and simple.

I think this comparison tank says a lot about the power and pop of their LEDs. We all keep dancing around products that are virtually the same no matter what box they are puit in. Sure there will be a little difference based on drivers and voltage settings....but very little.

http://orphek.com/index-8.php

southerner2 · #2 05-03-2011, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cale262

So send me one of your PR156W's and I'll compaire it "side by side" with the other three LED fixtures I own...

I know what you are implying and won't even stoop to that level......

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bblinks

I agree with you to a certain extend. True the diodes are only made by a select fee companies, but what really sells them are the functionality and looks of the fixture. More importantly what will be more suited for each individual reefer's needs. Personally I would pick reeftech over orphek simply because they don't offer the dimmerable option.

I understand the reasoning behind this but IMHO isn't quality light and color asthetics more important than a feature such as dimming? I had dimming features on some of my FW tanks and NEVER used it. I run everything through a DA reef Keeper. Dimmming is for us....not for the corals..... If dimming were that big if a deal then MH would never have been so successful.....

I really like the look of them and have had the opportunity to see the AI and Orphek side by side....over a tank....with corals.... both looked good but I really like the Orphek better even when playing with the color of the AI......

cale262 · #3 05-03-2011, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southerner2

I know what you are implying and won't even stoop to that level......

What???...If you do, why don't you fill me in...?

Wait a minute...is this Michael Ignatieff again???

I joke, I kid...

Anyway, Do you own one of these Orphek fixtures?

Bblinks · #4 05-04-2011, 03:37 AM

Hey Brian. Got any thoughts on the new light?

Quote:

Originally Posted by cale262

What???...If you do, why don't you fill me in...?

Wait a minute...is this Michael Ignatieff again???

I joke, I kid...

Anyway, Do you own one of these Orphek fixtures?

freezetyle · #5 05-04-2011, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bblinks

Hey Brian. Got any thoughts on the new light?

im really interested as well. It looked much different then the drawings and prototypes i have seen

cale262 · #6 05-04-2011, 12:22 PM

Well, I unpacked it when I got home last night...Fedex was not very kind to this package, nothing new there as Fedex was also responsible for the demise of my first PacSun fixture. Both side plates were broken and something was floating around inside the unit...I pulled it apart to find that one of the fans had a piece cracked off of the housing (the floating piece I could hear) This lamp must've had a rough ride despite the 6 large red "fragile" decals pasted to the exterior.

...more to follow...

phi delt reefer · #7 05-04-2011, 02:52 PM

the best way to ship anything fragile is to not mark it fragile from what i find. None of the boxes i receive that are unmarked are ever in bad condition. 1/2 of the fragile ones have crushed corners, holes, rips, etc.

southerner2 · #8 05-04-2011, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cale262

What???...If you do, why don't you fill me in...?

Wait a minute...is this Michael Ignatieff again???

I joke, I kid...

Anyway, Do you own one of these Orphek fixtures?

I don't know what you are talking about with the Michael thing but....whatever.....

I wish I had one of the PR156....I am however running one of their ML7 and am kicking around the idea of a PR156....

I am convinced that no matter what things will change as soon as I buy a new fixture.....

Cale, why don't you buy and test one then I'll take it off your hands for 1/2 price afterwards...

Seriously though everywhere you look people are slamming Orphek and praising AI or all these cheap chinese lights that are made with Generic diodes. I have a guy in our club that is "manufacturing" them himself....from china....they look exactly like other companies lights.... I think there is one or two companies over their making the same fixtures and selling them as custom orders to tons of different people....I showed him the sites and he didn't have anything to say....

cale262 · #9 05-04-2011, 04:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by southerner2

I don't know what you are talking about with the Michael thing but....whatever.....

Sorry, Canadian Joke...

Quote:

I wish I had one of the PR156....I am however running one of their ML7 and am kicking around the idea of a PR156....

I am convinced that no matter what things will change as soon as I buy a new fixture.....

Cale, why don't you buy and test one then I'll take it off your hands for 1/2 price afterwards...

Seriously though everywhere you look people are slamming Orphek and praising AI or all these cheap chinese lights that are made with Generic diodes. I have a guy in our club that is "manufacturing" them himself....from china....they look exactly like other companies lights.... I think there is one or two companies over their making the same fixtures and selling them as custom orders to tons of different people....I showed him the sites and he didn't have anything to say....

Well I'm not interested in slamming Orphek, I don't know allot about them but I do know they are not not controllable/dimmable, so I have no interest in owning one. I understand your statement that the corals/fish don't care about these features, I'm sure there is allot of things they don't care about, without going all PETA here, keeping fish in glass boxes is all about us, thus said, having these features are no different. I like new technology.

abcha0s · #10 05-04-2011, 05:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cale262

I understand your statement that the corals/fish don't care about these features, I'm sure there is allot of things they don't care about, without going all PETA here, keeping fish in glass boxes is all about us, thus said, having these features are no different. I like new technology.

I agree corals don't care. Lights on, lights off, it's all good.

However, I think the fish do care. Non dimmable LEDs come on at full strength with very little ramp up time. If you have enough LED light to keep SPS, that amounts to a big flash. I have my lights running a sunrise and sunset across the tank. The fish are very much aware of what's happening and they adjust their behavior according to the phase of sunlight. In the evening when the lights are dimming, you can see the fish getting ready for the night by securing a spot in the rockwork. There is also a shift across the tank to stay with the light. It's really interesting to watch but more importantly I think it helps to reduce stress and perhaps results in less aggression between fish.

Looking forward to your feedback on the ReefTech.

- Brad