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

[ackwasoldier]

Please, while I understand some aspects of light I do admit there are some that totally melt my brain. Could someone tell me the difference in the light output of the 6100 hv and the 6200 hv? I know that the led configuration is different (more blues etc) and I read a comparison by Sanjay joshi who quotes a difference in spectral irradiance but is there a difference in par ratings? Is there any research/verified values on the differences or are they simply the colours that the beholder perceives?

If anybody could help a brother out it would be most appreciated.

Cheers.

[reefmutt]

Do you have a link to sanjay's comparison between the 6100 and 6200? I'd love to read it..

Being a layman and not an engineer of any type, I would submit that there is probably a relationship between spectral irradiance and par levels.. A similarity, I think where as one increases, so does the other.. To a certain degree, anyways..

I'm sure Micheal from Aquadigital will have some real data..

I think that par levels have more to do with bulk light output and spectral irradiance has more to do with what the coral perceives as opposed to what we perceive...
Not sure this helps you one tiny bit...

[AQD_ottawa]

the only difference is less re more blue, which fall more into line with the market requirements from Europe to USA, so the 6200HV is the standard supplied model for the USA.

[ackwasoldier]

Hey reef mutt,

The comparison that I was referring to was the equipment review in the advanced aquarist, where he reviews the ecotech radion pro, Mitras 6100 and 6200 and the Aqua illumination hydra. By comparison I meant that he plots the spectral irradiance of both the 6200 HV and the 6100 HV (I hope I didn't make it sound like the review was a side-by-side review of the two models).

In the review he plots the spectral irradiance of the 6100 and 6200 models (while the plots look similar upon closer inspection there appears to be a difference in the scale used of the 'y axis'). And while what you've said is similar to what I think/thought I've been thinking/confused about dana Riddles comment at the very end of the section where she suggests that PAR ratings would be a more proficient means of scale as opposed to the spectral irradiance.

It kind of suggests (to me) that the relationship isn't linear - but I don't really know.

Here's that review mate:

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/8/review



I guess this equates to me saying "I have no idea about the difference between spectral irradiance and PAR - nor their relationship to each other".

What do you reckon Reef mutt? does it read similar to you as well?

Does anyone else have any bright (pun) ideas what she meant?

Cheers

[rtparty]

Spectral plots and PAR do not correlate with each other in any way.

The 6200 has a higher figure on the y-axis because there is more blue light than the 6100.

[bdeibler]

Great article, good read as I am saving up for some radion gen 2's. good to here the pros and the cons from some people that have them.

[reefmutt]

Sorry ackwasoldier... I've already told you more than I know!!

[FlyPenFly]

There is some question as to if PAR is really the best way to measure reef lighting after a certain point.

[AQD_ottawa]

have a read of this
http://www.americanaquariumproducts....FaTm7Aod4R0AAw

[trueblackpercula]

I just wanted to say thanks for the information, I know the thread is kind of old but I was thinking about switching to mitras from my radion.

do have a question are teh mitras pucks easly upgradably and if so how much are they? I was offered a 6100lx hv and i know the 6200lxhv is out
thanks

[AQD_ottawa]

Hi yes you can upgraded easy fit I have a set in stock normal price $300 but have demo set here for $200

[trueblackpercula]

Well that is deffinatly something to think about as it may be cheaper for me just to buy a. New fixture.

[AQD_ottawa]

We also cant warranty second hand electronics something to think about too warranty on new is 2 years

[trueblackpercula]

Wow didn't even think of that. Thanks

[luamada]

Hello I have bought a new Radon Pro and I installed it on my quarantine tank for now. I plugged it into the computer and programmed to come on at 11AM to 11PM, then I put it on the quarantine tank canopy. Now the light comes on 11PM and goes off 11AM
I bought an APEX system and I would like to program the lights through it because I also bought the wireless apex adapter. But I am not sure if the Radiion lights can be programmed with the apex... any idea who I can call to talk to about the radion and the apex together? I appreciate any help Thank you
lu

[reefmutt]

trueblack, here's my 2 cents regarding the two very good led lights; the mitras and the radion pro...

this is coming from a strictly sps nut.... the type of person who spends way too many hours standing over my tank contemplating subtle colour variances in acroporas... yes, i have better things to do, yet i still stand there and stare at my sps....

i have run the mitras over my own tank for over a year and i have installed a pair of pros (g2) over a frag tank on the same system.. i have also seen some pros in action over a couple of other sps tanks..
Both lights have produced great colour and growth for me. But i feel that the pros edge out the mitras in terms of overall performance, especially when ease of use and cost are added to the equation..
I must add that i feel that mh/t5 is still superior for producing the vast and hypnotizing array of colour variance found in acroporas, but sometimes heat and other factors make it difficult to use them.
If you are not a tech/computer person, the radions are MUCH easier to use, set up and program.. and they are slightly less expensive to buy..
I also believe that the 400 and 415 nm leds that are present in the radions but absent in the mitras is a very important consideration..
If GHL were to come out with a new led puck which removed the warmer white leds and replaced them with some real uv, id probably still prefer the mitras, but as the two fixtures are right now, id choose the radion pro g3 over the Mitras 6200hv..
i know some people will say the the 390 to 420nm spectrum is not utilized by the corals for photosynthesis and since humans don't see this area of the spectrum, it isn't really needed but i think that it still plays a role in coral coloration. perhaps this is only the case for acropora..
even if coral don't use this area of light, they must react to it as do humans by producing a change in skin colour.
i have no scientific or engineering background to back this up... it is only my experience that acropora seem to achieve their full colour potential best under mh/t5, but then second on the list would be an led light with a full array of leds which start closer to the 390-400 nm..

having said all this, i want to re state that maybe my uv argument can really only be applied to sps corals and acropora in particular.
If acros are not your holy grail, maybe uv isn't required...

[dattong]

Originally Posted by reefmutt

I also believe that the 400 and 415 nm leds that are present in the radions but absent in the mitras is a very important consideration..
If GHL were to come out with a new led puck which removed the warmer white leds and replaced them with some real uv, id probably still prefer the mitras, but as the two fixtures are right now, id choose the radion pro g3 over the Mitras 6200hv..
i know some people will say the the 390 to 420nm spectrum is not utilized by the corals for photosynthesis and since humans don't see this area of the spectrum, it isn't really needed but i think that it still plays a role in coral coloration. perhaps this is only the case for acropora..
even if coral don't use this area of light, they must react to it as do humans by producing a change in skin colour.
i have no scientific or engineering background to back this up... it is only my experience that acropora seem to achieve their full colour potential best under mh/t5, but then second on the list would be an led light with a full array of leds which start closer to the 390-400 nm..

Me too, I wish that Mitras had UV led in the 400-410nm range. The color of some of my corals was really intense under my other LED fixture which has 405nm UV leds. They lost that intensity being lit under Mitras, but color still looks good though.

[AQD_ottawa]

Originally Posted by dattong

Me too, I wish that Mitras had UV led in the 400-410nm range. The color of some of my corals was really intense under my other LED fixture which has 405nm UV leds. They lost that intensity being lit under Mitras, but color still looks good though.

You are aware UV starts at 380nm going below not up and any slight UV spectrum left is completely negated by water refraction.

Please Google UV spectrum charts.

SPS have defense mechanics against UV also to protect themselves. Another worthy google session

what people get confused with is what is called Hyper violet this is why GHL use the term HV not UV, hyper violet is what makes your coral colour pop. However in this hobby everyone has got used to using the term UV which came from the T5 era. Metal halide is the only lamp that really dives into the UV spectrum but then filtered out by UV lenses.

Both Radion and Mitras seem to have pretty near matching spectrum graphs making them both equal contenders for coral "pop"

[s2nhle]

Thanks for sharing.

[dattong]

Originally Posted by AQD_ottawa

You are aware UV starts at 380nm going below not up and any slight UV spectrum left is completely negated by water refraction.

Please Google UV spectrum charts.

SPS have defense mechanics against UV also to protect themselves. Another worthy google session

what people get confused with is what is called Hyper violet this is why GHL use the term HV not UV, hyper violet is what makes your coral colour pop. However in this hobby everyone has got used to using the term UV which came from the T5 era. Metal halide is the only lamp that really dives into the UV spectrum but then filtered out by UV lenses.

Both Radion and Mitras seem to have pretty near matching spectrum graphs making them both equal contenders for coral "pop"

I merely compared the differences in the colors of my SPS sticks through observation. There's gotta be something different in the spectrum that i'm trying to figure out the right spectrum so I can get that intensity in color back.

[dattong]

By the way, my other led fixture has these uv 405nm leds which appear very dim but i'm sure they have something to do with the color of my SPS.

[trueblackpercula]

Originally Posted by reefmutt

trueblack, here's my 2 cents regarding the two very good led lights; the mitras and the radion pro...

this is coming from a strictly sps nut.... the type of person who spends way too many hours standing over my tank contemplating subtle colour variances in acroporas... yes, i have better things to do, yet i still stand there and stare at my sps....

i have run the mitras over my own tank for over a year and i have installed a pair of pros (g2) over a frag tank on the same system.. i have also seen some pros in action over a couple of other sps tanks..
Both lights have produced great colour and growth for me. But i feel that the pros edge out the mitras in terms of overall performance, especially when ease of use and cost are added to the equation..
I must add that i feel that mh/t5 is still superior for producing the vast and hypnotizing array of colour variance found in acroporas, but sometimes heat and other factors make it difficult to use them.
If you are not a tech/computer person, the radions are MUCH easier to use, set up and program.. and they are slightly less expensive to buy..
I also believe that the 400 and 415 nm leds that are present in the radions but absent in the mitras is a very important consideration..
If GHL were to come out with a new led puck which removed the warmer white leds and replaced them with some real uv, id probably still prefer the mitras, but as the two fixtures are right now, id choose the radion pro g3 over the Mitras 6200hv..
i know some people will say the the 390 to 420nm spectrum is not utilized by the corals for photosynthesis and since humans don't see this area of the spectrum, it isn't really needed but i think that it still plays a role in coral coloration. perhaps this is only the case for acropora..
even if coral don't use this area of light, they must react to it as do humans by producing a change in skin colour.
i have no scientific or engineering background to back this up... it is only my experience that acropora seem to achieve their full colour potential best under mh/t5, but then second on the list would be an led light with a full array of leds which start closer to the 390-400 nm..

having said all this, i want to re state that maybe my uv argument can really only be applied to sps corals and acropora in particular.
If acros are not your holy grail, maybe uv isn't required...

Well thank you for your reply, is there any way you could post a picture or two of the same sps under each fixture as a comparison? I mean chances are I am getting the mitras 100%. But I still would like to see.
Thanks as I am also absesed with sps lol

[trueblackpercula]

Originally Posted by AQD_ottawa

You are aware UV starts at 380nm going below not up and any slight UV spectrum left is completely negated by water refraction.

Please Google UV spectrum charts.

SPS have defense mechanics against UV also to protect themselves. Another worthy google session

what people get confused with is what is called Hyper violet this is why GHL use the term HV not UV, hyper violet is what makes your coral colour pop. However in this hobby everyone has got used to using the term UV which came from the T5 era. Metal halide is the only lamp that really dives into the UV spectrum but then filtered out by UV lenses.

Both Radion and Mitras seem to have pretty near matching spectrum graphs making them both equal contenders for coral "pop"

Thanks for the information and I sent you a pm

[AQD_ottawa]

Just for a point of accuracy I did not pick up on earlier the Mitras has a spectrum that covers 405nm upwards, it was commented earlier it would be nice if Mitras has this, but its had this curve since day one

[AQD_ottawa]

Originally Posted by trueblackpercula

Thanks for the information and I sent you a pm

got it and your in luck will reply tomorrow