LED information PS, vertex, ecotec requested

[epicurus84]

Dear reefcentral,

In a few months i'm hoping to start a 250 gallon reef aquarium.

For this aquarium i need to light an additional 55x27" (i already got some led lighting i'm going to reuse).

But now i need a new light fixutre. Since the "cheaper" US fixtures aren't that much cheaper in the EU they aren't really an option. for the AI units i almost have to pay the same amount as the Vertex.

So i narrowed down my search to tree units.

The Pacific sun hyperion, the Vertex Sr200 or 260, or the ecotech radion. All these units got full spectrum or the option to add other colors.

But now i'm looking for some extra information on why to choose what unit. I've send e-mails to all manufacturers, but i still can't really make a choice.

For me to buy the units the Pacific sun would be the cheapest, then the ecotech, and then the vertex.

I hope people got some nice information about all units here.

[chercm]

Ecotech Marine’s Radion XR30w wins the 2011 Reef Builders LED showdown

[epicurus84]

User voting is barrely a subjective way to go .

[TJQ]

I have the 72" Vertex 260 and the other contenders were the EcoTech, or Maxspect. They all had comparable features, but the Vertex ultimately for me looked the best. It's a simple hanging kit, and a single wire behind the tank with one fixture. The EcoTech might have had a shot if they had really nice hanging kit, but four modules, and trying to figure out how to fabricate a decent hanging kit wasn't worth the bother. I can easily upgrade and add any modules to the Vertex for the long run. The only thing I didn't like was the price.

[socalmonty]

I just hung my 49" Metis Hyperion last week and so far I am really liking the fixture. With ten different LED colors in eight separately controllable channels, it really allows the user to finetune the settings to match your viewing taste. I also like the fact that it includes two UV peaks that many reefers believe are important but are missing from most LED setups. I have found that I have been able to ramp up the intensity on the lamp faster than I expected without any coral bleaching (I'm already at 70%), partly because I was running 400W MHs before and partly because the Hyperion uses non-focused optics. I'm not sure about the Vertex but the Radion uses focused optics so more caution has to be taken when setting them up. I do have three power cords to deal with, one for each LED panel but my fixture is mounted in a built-in canopy so the aesthetics aren't an issue for me. All three are great lamps. You can't go wrong with any of them. Good luck with your decision!

[jamesdawson]

If the PS is the least expensive and the most capable unit with 10 different colors and 8 channel control plus bluetooth connectivity to its awsome internal computer and will work with GHL controller also---I would get the PS Hyperion.

[Jenzifer]

You should go reeftech... i have their 2011 model and it is amazinf 3.3W cree bulbs fully controllable.. 1200 PAR at surface level..no optics...they are releasing the 2012 model next week and I am geting one of the first ones.

it will have Cree white, cool white, red, green and orange LEDS... i dont think you can go wrong with them and they blow every other LED out of the water.

[card_judge]

One of the best points I like with the Radions is it does not have to hang over the tank. I am looking for LEDs to be mounted in a hood and these seem to have the best. My 2 cents.

[Jenzifer]

any of them that have a ceiling hanging kit can be put in a hood..you just treat the hood as the ceiling and shorten the cables to an inch or less