How to value these numbers in aquarium?
This is a good question. At first we thought that we could transport these values to the aquarium tout-court. Than we filled the aquarium, insert the probe and redone the measurements. We fazed but, as we have already said in elsewhere, we’re going to talk about this in another article. Basically, while at 20 cm the result is practically the same, as we progressed, thanks to the glass and the water itself reflecting the light, we found even the double of the values measured in air. Obviously this isn’t a detail that can be standardized, so we think that our method of calculation is the most correct, and the best for the comparison of coverages of different ceiling lights.
Consumption
The measurement of the consumption was made possible thanks to the useful device RCE PM600 that can also measure the Cos(fi) (or power factor). The result is already given in watt.
Here above there’s the maximum power and below the Cos(fi).
The calculus of the absorbed current, that is the power, is the following one:
Ceiling lights Reef Flare S: 65,04 watt. Considering that 17 cm the ceiling light has at the middle 623 μmol m-2 s-1, we can guess that it will have a peak value of 9,58 μmol m-2 s-1 w-1 (PAR per watt).
The value is slightly lower than the declared 70 watt, and allegedly this depends on the system of vents, but it’s higher than what declared on the box, that’s 54 watt.
The comparison with other ceiling lights on the market
Recently we started to use the new Apogee’s Quantum Meter MQ-510.
| Energy | Cost | Consumption | Energy/€ | Energy/w | |
| AI Hydra 32 HD at 17 cm | 560.000 | 430 | 90,50 | 1.303 | 6.190 |
| AI Hydra 32 HD at 37 cm | 563.000 | 430 | 90,50 | 1.310 | 6.224 |
| AI Hydra 32 HD at 57 cm | 463.000 | 430 | 90,50 | 1.076 | 5.112 |
| Aqamai LRM at 17 cm | 643.000 | 465 | 90,88 | 1.382 | 7.071 |
| Aqamai LRM at 37 cm | 722.000 | 465 | 90,88 | 1.552 | 7.941 |
| Aqamai LRM at 57 cm | 616.000 | 465 | 90,88 | 1.326 | 6.783 |
| Aqamai LRS at 17 cm | 276.000 | 289 | 47,59 | 955 | 5.797 |
| Aqamai LRS at 37 cm | 312.000 | 289 | 47,59 | 1.078 | 6.547 |
| Aqamai LRS at 57 cm | 254.000 | 289 | 47,59 | 880 | 5.343 |
| ATI Straton at 17 cm | 2.018.232 | 890 | 211 | 2.268 | 9.565 |
| ATI Straton at 37 cm | 1.409.595 | 890 | 211 | 1.584 | 6.681 |
| ATI Straton at 57 cm | 957.209 | 890 | 211 | 1.076 | 4.537 |
| Cetus 2 at 17 cm | 410.000 | 215 | 60,68 | 1.906 | 6.756 |
| Cetus 2 at 37 cm | 291.000 | 215 | 60,68 | 1.353 | 4.793 |
| Cetus 2 at 57 cm | 174.000 | 215 | 60,68 | 807 | 2.861 |
| Ecotech Marine Radion G5 XR30 Blue at 17 cm | 1.535.561 | 949 | 203 | 1.618 | 7.564 |
| Ecotech Marine Radion G5 XR30 Blue at 37 cm | 1.097.933 | 949 | 203 | 1.157 | 5.409 |
| Ecotech Marine Radion G5 XR30 Blue at 57 cm | 647.940 | 949 | 203 | 683 | 3.192 |
| Orphek OR2 Blue Plus 120 cm at 17 cm | 323.000 | 180 | 54,69 | 1.794 | 5.906 |
| Orphek OR2 Blue Plus 120 cm at 37 cm | 291.000 | 180 | 54,69 | 1.616 | 5.321 |
| Orphek OR2 Blue Plus 120 cm at 57 cm | 259.000 | 180 | 54,69 | 1.438 | 4.736 |
| Orphek OR2 Reef Day Plus 120 cm at 17 cm | 255.000 | 180 | 54,69 | 1.418 | 4.667 |
| Orphek OR2 Reef Day Plus 120 cm at 37 cm | 233.000 | 180 | 54.69 | 1.292 | 4.252 |
| Orphek OR2 Reef Day Plus 120 cm at 57 cm | 225.000 | 180 | 54.69 | 1.251 | 4.117 |
| Philips CoralCare at 17 cm | 1.859.000 | 749 | 190,5 | 2.481 | 9.756 |
| Philips CoralCare at 37 cm | 1.341.000 | 749 | 190,5 | 1.790 | 7.037 |
| Philips CoralCare at 57 cm | 933.000 | 749 | 190,5 | 1.246 | 4.899 |
| Philips CoralCare Gen2 at 17 cm | 1.330.430 | 749 | 168,5 | 1.780 | 7.914 |
| Philips CoralCare Gen2 at 37 cm | 920.277 | 749 | 168,5 | 1.229 | 5.461 |
| Philips CoralCare Gen2 at 57 cm | 631.087 | 749 | 168,5 | 843 | 3.745 |
| Reef Flare S at 17 cm | 332.408 | 300 | 65 | 1.108 | 5.114 |
| Reef Flare S at 37 cm | 248.139 | 300 | 65 | 827 | 3.818 |
| Reef Flare S at 57 cm | 154.652 | 300 | 65 | 516 | 2.379 |
The energy per watt decreases linearly in the different distances, as we expected by a diffused ceiling light, but it’s penalized in its peak value.
Maintenance costs
The ceiling lights Reef Flare S cost 300 euro.
The absorbed power is 65 watt, so the relationship cost/watt is 4,6 euro per watt. For a comparison with the other ceiling lights you can consult the following chart:
| Ceiling light | Price | Consumption | Relationship euro per watt | References |
| Orphek OR2 Blue Plus | 180 USD | 54.7 w | 3,3 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Orphek OR2 Reef Day Plus | 180 USD | 54,7 w | 3,3 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Cetus 2 | 215 € | 60,7 w | 3,5 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Philips Coralcare 2019 | 749 € | 190 w | 3,9 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Maxspect Ethereal | 500 € | 126 w | 4,0 euro per watt | Italian test |
| ATI Straton | 890 € | 211 w | 4,22 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Philips CoralCare GEN2 2020 | 749 € | 168,5 w | 4,44 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Reef Flare S | 300 € | 65 w | 4,6 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Ecotech Marine Radion XR30 G5 Blue | 949 € | 203 w | 4,67 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Radion XR30w G2 PRO | 790 € | 170 w | 4,7 euro per watt | Italian review |
| AI Hydra 32 HD | 430 € | 90,5 w | 4,75 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Radion XR30w G4 PRO | 915 € | 190 w | 4,84 euro per watt | Italian article |
| OceanLed Sunrise 600 | 870 € | 180 w | 4,8 euro per watt | Italian test |
| Orphek Atlantik V4 | 1099 € | 226 w | 4,9 euro per watt | Test |
| Radion XR30w G2 | 690 € | 140 w | 4,9 euro per watt | Italian review |
| Radion XR30w G4 | 760 € | 150 w | 5,1 euro per watt | Italian article |
| Aqamai LRM | 465 € | 87,5 w | 5,1 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Zetlight UFO ZE-8000 | 500 € | 91,5 w | 5,5 euro per watt | Test |
| Aqamai LRS | 289 € | 47,6 w | 6,1 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| CEAB Slide & Led | 2.700 € | 275 w | 9,8 euro per watt | Review |
| Sicce GNC 466 | 1.592 € | 120 w | 13,3 euro per watt | Review |
The ceiling light is very well build, the refinements are really interesting. It’s a heavy ceiling light and it’s very solid. Moreover, seen its heat sinks and the big vent we expect it won’t have any problem with heat. It’s very easy to set and the app is very well done. Easy but complete. Useful that you can always see the temperature. I’d suggest you to set the ceiling light at its maximum, anyway, so that you’ll have its best, with a fast or slow switch on and off, depending on your needs. It’s very easy to use, expecially if you choose their preset programs. The PAR are very distributed, which is strange for a single cluster lamp, with the only problem that if you increase the coverage then the peak values tend to decrease. What that really stands out is the ability to create a very well diffused light, perfect for LPS and soft corals in a nanoreef until 60 cm, more than what the competitors can promise. But with only one of them it would be difficult even to grow simple SPS. The cost per watt is good and the peak PAR per watt are very low. Allegedly it’s similar to the Hydra Prime, even if we didn’t measure it yet. The energy produced is in the average but it can’t compete with other ceiling lights that consume and cost the double or more.
Question and comments, as always, are very welcomed.
For other info you can directly contact the italian distributor Marco D’Ambrosi.
