Ecotech Radion PRO VS. GHL MITRAS (My thoughts and experiences)

[Jhuff]

I have purchased six Radion pros for my aquarium. I currently have it set at 14k at 50% light output. In your opinion with an sps dominated aquarium, how high would you gradually raise your light output to? Also is it better to come up with your own lighting program or let ecotech take over my computer and put a program on there for me?

[HurricaneSystem]

I have had great success with the preset Shallow Reef Natural. It is for tanks up to 36" deep I believe. It is just a great preset, your corals will respond wonderfully.

Now for a 180, I would probably start about 55-60% and use that Shallow Reef Natural preset. I think that will do just fine.

After about 3-4 weeks you could probably turn it up another 10% and be just fine for the long haul.

[Jhuff]

Thank you! I have the marineland 72x36x27. I've heard of so many people starting to bleach their corals because of having the intensity too high. I will try that program. I appreciate your help!

[HurricaneSystem]

Anytime! Try that preset and intensity and you will see a huge difference in 4 to 5 days.

[rsaha]

~ Cannot run program on a MAC ☹ YES IT CAN using VM and other methods

I'm sure the Mitras are fantastic but if you have any input to their support of macs it would be great if you could tell them that running a VM is a non-starter for many mac users. Giant pain in the a$$ and enough to put people off. Mitras are a high ticket item and there's lots of people in that demographic that run macs and want nothing at all to do with Windows and VMs.

[AQD_ottawa]

Originally Posted by rsaha

~ Cannot run program on a MAC ☹ YES IT CAN using VM and other methods

I'm sure the Mitras are fantastic but if you have any input to their support of macs it would be great if you could tell them that running a VM is a non-starter for many mac users. Giant pain in the a$$ and enough to put people off. Mitras are a high ticket item and there's lots of people in that demographic that run macs and want nothing at all to do with Windows and VMs.

Your dreams will become reality very soon

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by AQD_ottawa

Your dreams will become reality very soon

Woohoo!
What about the Profilux software? If you ever need a beta tester... lemme know.
Its the one and only reason i have to run Parallels on my mac.

[rsaha]

Originally Posted by AQD_ottawa

Your dreams will become reality very soon

Great to hear!

[AQD_ottawa]

Originally Posted by d2mini

Woohoo!
What about the Profilux software? If you ever need a beta tester... lemme know.
Its the one and only reason i have to run Parallels on my mac.

The browser for Profilux with web cam integration has been out a while now, please go to the support forum for more details.

Ecotech told me yesterday that the reeflink got an awesome review in Europe and RB has done a review also.

The GHL version is in final tuning stages and will integrate all their toys into one basket, its taking time to develop due to having a vast amount of integration with the controller/dosers etc that has over 11,000 variable inputs, so not something that can be rushed. The ProfiLux to Mitras communication card was previewed at macna and the hub for non ProfiLux owners is inches away.

Ecotech had the reeflink on display at Macna.

Both companies are already miles ahead of the game from the competition, where other companies just promise GHL and Ecotech just keep on delivering, and again it will be for the user to decide which camp they decide to sit in.

I need to step out of this thread now my original reason for participating has been covered i believe. So unless I see some miss informed post about either unit (to address fairness to both units). My final comment is - A user looking to make a choice between two products (no matter hat they are) should look at the function list, then read as many user reviews as possible, its user experiences on mass that are your biggest tool to making that final leap. Every product has its plus points and every product will have its negatives, the final choice comes down to which plus's are more appealing to you.

Many thanks to everyone for allowing me to participate in this amazing informative thread, in my research to address the UV conundrum I too learnt a mass of information. If you wish to ask any question directly to me on either unit please drop me a pm.

[shaggss]

Originally Posted by AQD_ottawa

Your dreams will become reality very soon

This is awesome news!!!!

[d2mini]

Originally Posted by AQD_ottawa

The browser for Profilux with web cam integration has been out a while now, please go to the support forum for more details.

Yeah, but the browser doesn't let you do all the programming that the pc software lets you do, correct? I use the browser just to check in remotely.

[luamada]

Originally Posted by ghostman

For a quarantine tank you could get a used sol nano on the selling forum for cheaper. They do not need a controller to adjust white and blue ratios. A used sol would be another good option too, and they are readily available.

Hi Ghostman thank you for the reply. Are they good enough to quarantine corals for whatever time I have to quarantine corals?

[ghostman]

I don't quarantine corals, but it is basically a sol cut in half. It's got some good output and you have to keep the white levels down so as not to burn corals. I use it as a supplemental light towards the back of my tank. It adds a nice little extra blue too.

[madean]

I would strongly advise anyone that is about to purchase anyone of these lights to find a way to view the light in person and not just a YouTube video or a video posted on the web. I swear I was dead set on getting a radion until I saw it in person. Grant it the radions that I viewed were the radions prior to the pro version, but I was really disappointed. To me the "shimmer" looked like a bunch of disco balls bouncing around on the sand, rocks, and coral. To me it looked nothing like the shimmer of a mh set up. I was never able to view the Mitras in person due to its availability, at the time of my light purchase, in stores. I couldn't find a lfs that sold the Mitras let alone one that had it on display. So I personally dropped the whole idea of LEDs, and went with a dimmable ati t5 light. It sucks to change bulbs every 9-12 months, but it's proven. About a month ago I ran into an old fish buddy that I hadn't seen in about 7 years and he had 2 Mitras over his tank. I was extremely impressed with the color rendition and I believe as far as LEDs go, the Mitras has probably the best color rendition of any fixture on the market. There was a very small amount of the "disco" effect going on in the tank. I believe the best color rendition as far as LEDs go is the kessil 350/60 light but it's not really in the same ballpark as far as function as the Mitras. I came really. I came really close to buying the kessil a360, but IMO there was too much shimmer for my liking and it would have been distracting for my viewing of the tank. When I look into my tank I don't want to concentrate or be constantly distracted by the shimmer instead of enjoying what's in the tank. My tank is in my front room semi close to a tv and I don't need a constant flicker going on when I'm watching tv.
What it really comes down to is how you view color. People view color differently. Some don't notice the disco ball effect going on in the tank. And others do. It doesn't bother some and others it bothers. So try to find someone who has these fixtures whether it a store or a private home aquarium and see the light in action. Ask to have the light ramped up and down slowly. If your lucky enough to have a lfs that will do this ask them to walk you through some of the basic functions. I have always thought that stores that are willing to do this tend to get more business and tend to retain more customers for other purchases. Your local petco or petsmart is not going to have these products so don't waists your time there. Heck dig out the phone book and call around to see if lfs even carry these products. I trip to a lfs that is 2 hours away is worth it trust me. Your better off making the trip and finding out if you like the fixture then purchasing one and being unhappy with your purchase.
Well I hope my rant helped someone.

[madean]

After all that rant, I wish I would have gotten the Mitras after seeing it in action at an old friends house. But I couldn't make that $2000 decision without seeing the light in action prior.

[luamada]

that is a great point. To go find it to see it in reality... thank you

[ackwasoldier]

Hi all,

this is my first input into the forum scene so I hope that I cause no major upsets or debacles.

I am thinking of purchasing the mitras 6100 or the radion Pro, I am curious however if there has been any major developments in terms of the mac compatibility? I saw that it was hinted at prior but its kind of a deal breaker for me and I would be pretty devo should I get the fixture and be unable/unwilling to run it (being only a single face in the mac zombie herd).

Also I guess I am looking for some guidance of fixture choice. I have at the moment a 20 gallon tall planted tank (my only experience up to this tank has been a series of nano reefs). I am wondering if the GHL mitras 6100 can be programmed for planted tanks. While I understand that the 6100 is not planted tank specific, i plan to revert back to hard corals next year (in a larger tank) and transfer the light across. My experience at this point has been PC and T5's so far.

If anyone could shed some light (pun intended) that would be great,

cheers.

[AQD_ottawa]

Hi

The Mitras for a long time has been run on Macs with cross over software but all manufacturers are moving away from PC based software to web based, GHL has taken the route to furnish their clients with ProfiLux controllers this option first to run the Mitras through, this option was released this month.

Moving on from that the GHL hub is soon to be launched, this will not require the need to log onto a manufacturers server to control your lights as the Hub will have its own onboard webserver, this of course is a break a away from how other manufacturers do things but the slight down side it takes longer to develop. The upside is you have control over the stability of the connection. Not saying at all others are not stable, instead GHL just prefer to give the user control over their connections.

I would go for the LX6200 non HV then add the HV components if you ever decide to go into Marine, for fresh water planted you do not require the Hyperviolet LED's

[ackwasoldier]

Thank you for the quick and informative reply.
Could you tell me where I could find some info on the GHL hub?

Cheers,

[ackwasoldier]

Also,

I was unaware of a non HV unit (I am down here in AUS). Would I be able to purchase the 6200 HV and just decrease the output?

Thanks

[AQD_ottawa]

when the hub is announced it would be posted on www.aquariumcomputer.com currently there is no pre launch info.

You can purchase an HV version and just not use those channels.

[reefmutt]

I have now seen a friend control his radions from his Iphone...
Just wondering when I will be able to whip out my iPhone and do the same to my Mitras?
No pressure!

[AQD_ottawa]

The Radion APP is awesome same as their web based software.

The GHL version its being worked on right now.

[reefmutt]

Sweet!

[Allentown]

One of the reasons that I went with an apex controlled set-up. I can fully program using a tablet, smart phone or computer.