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.
The comparison with other ceiling lights on the market
Here the data collected in the DaniReef Lab with the Quantum Meter MQ-510 by Apogee. We can do an interesting comparison between the ceiling lights.
| Lamp | Energy | Cost | Power consumption | Energia/€ | Energia/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 | 2.018.000 | 890 | 211 | 2.268 | 9.565 |
| ATI Straton at 37 cm | 1.410.000 | 890 | 211 | 1.584 | 6.681 |
| ATI Straton at 57 cm | 957.000 | 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 | 1.536.000 | 949 | 203 | 1.618 | 7.564 |
| Ecotech Marine Radion G5 XR30 Blue at 37 cm | 1.098.000 | 949 | 203 | 1.157 | 5.409 |
| Ecotech Marine Radion G5 XR30 Blue at 57 cm | 648.000 | 949 | 203 | 683 | 3.192 |
| Orphek iCon at 17 cm | 1.469.000 | 1.350 | 229 | 1.177 | 6.417 |
| Orphek iCon at 37 cm | 1.286.000 | 1.350 | 229 | 1.030 | 5.616 |
| Orphek iCon at 57 cm | 1.156.000 | 1.350 | 229 | 925 | 5.047 |
| 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 | 1.330.000 | 749 | 168,5 | 1.780 | 7.914 |
| Philips CoralCare Gen2 at 37 cm | 920.000 | 749 | 168,5 | 1.229 | 5.461 |
| Philips CoralCare Gen2 at 57 cm | 631.000 | 749 | 168,5 | 843 | 3.745 |
| Reef Flare PRO L Blue at 17 cm | 1.646.000 | 940 | 166 | 1.752 | 9.904 |
| Reef Flare PRO L Blue at 37 cm | 1.338.000 | 940 | 166 | 1.423 | 8.047 |
| Reef Flare PRO L Blue at 57 cm | 922.000 | 940 | 166 | 981 | 5.545 |
For what regards the produced energy per euro we’re in the average of the other tested lamps. The PAR per watt are the highest. No one has never reached 9.904 PAR per Watt at 17 cm. The efficiency is sensational, very close to the Philips CoralCare and the ATI Straton. It’s also very high the energy at every distance, sign of a great coverage with average PAR values pretty high. All these data indicates that these ceiling lights are perfect for aquariums large up until 60 cm, maybe even for 70 cm. But you also have to consider that the corals never go right close to the glass.
Maintenance costs
The Reef Flare PRO L Blue cost 940 euro.
The absorbed power is 166,25 watt, then the cost/watt ratio is about 5,65 euro for each watt. For a comparison with the other ceiling lights you can consult the following chart. Notice that they’re sorted by decreasing efficiency, so the best ones are on top.
| Ceiling light | Price | Power consuption | Euro per watt ratio | 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 | Italilan 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 |
| 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 |
| Reef Flare Pro L Blue | 940 € | 166,25 w | 5,65 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| Orphek iCon | 1.350 € | 229 w | 5,89 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| 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 built, heavy and solid. The improvement compared to the previous Reef Flare S, that we tested some years ago, is incredible. The price, given the performances, isn’t that high, but appropriate to the power that the ceiling light expresses.
The economic efficiency is in the average, but the technical efficiency, that is the PAR per watt, is incredible.
The following chart is the spectral power distribution (SPD) in different depths in oceanic waters.
| 1 m | 5 m | 10 m | 15 m | 20 m | |
| SPD (µmoli/M2/s) | 1640 | 958 | 618 | 436 | 316 |
So at 37 cm of distance the Reef Flare PRO L Blue has 759 µmoli/M2/s, an approximate value of about 8 meters below the sea level. Such a great power!!! It’s even higher if you consider that the glass works as lens.
The values are really good for aquariums until 60/65 cm for breeding SPS or everything else. Obviously if you have demanding SPS you should prefer the central range since the decline of light on the sides. The power expressed is very good, especially on top. Then, increasing the depth, it decreases to reach a better coverage. The ceiling light is 50 cm of length, so it’s perfect for aquariums of 60 cm and multiples. 2 for 120 cm are absolutely perfect.
Questions and comments, as always, are very welcomed.
That’s not all!
As we said in the video, we also tested the Reef Flare PRO L, that has an even higher numer of PAR than the Blue, so stay tuned, because we’re going to talk about it soon…
The Reef Flare PRO L Blue has been used for this test and then returned to the distributor.
