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 re-done 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 coverings of different ceiling lights.
Power consumption
The ceiling light Orphek OR3 Blue Plus has a declared power consumption of 60 watt.
Ceiling light Orphek OR3 Blue Plus: 60 watt. Considering that at 17 cm the ceiling light has a maximum of 680 μmol m-2 s-1, we can say, in perspective, that it will have a peak value of 11,33 μmol m-2 s-1 w-1 (PAR per watt). This value is hardly comparable with other ceiling lights because it remains constant throughout the length.
The comparison with other ceiling lights on the market
These data have been collected through the Quantum Meter MQ-510/MQ-511 by Apogee.
Considering the first celing lights we managed to test we can do an interesting comparison about their produced energy:
| Energy | Cost | Power consumption | Energy/€ | Energy/w | |
| ASF Proten LED Reef Blue at 17 cm | 138.000 | 130 | 27,80 | 1.060 | 4.956 |
| ASF Proten LED Reef Blue at 37 cm | 93.000 | 130 | 27,80 | 718 | 3.357 |
| ASF Proten LED Reef Blue at 57 cm | 60.000 | 130 | 27,80 | 464 | 2.166 |
| 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 OR3 Blue Plus 120 cm at 17 cm | 358.000 | 270 | 60 | 1.327 | 5.973 |
| Orphek OR3 Blue Plus 120 cm at 37 cm | 299.000 | 270 | 60 | 1.107 | 4.981 |
| Orphek OR3 Blue Plus 120 cm at 57 cm | 288.000 | 270 | 60 | 1.070 | 4.814 |
| Orphek OR3 Blue Sky at 17 cm | 318.000 | 200 | 62,04 | 1.590 | 5.129 |
| Orphek OR3 Blue Sky at 37 cm | 221.000 | 200 | 62,04 | 1.103 | 3.449 |
| Orphek OR3 Blue Sky at 57 cm | 206.000 | 200 | 62,04 | 1.027 | 3.211 |
| 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 |
| Orphek OR3 Reef Day Plus 120 cm at 17 cm | 294.000 | 270 | 60 | 1.087 | 4.892 |
| Orphek OR3 Reef Day Plus 120 cm at 37 cm | 261.000 | 270 | 60 | 965 | 4.343 |
| Orphek OR3 Reef Day Plus 120 cm at 57 cm | 253.000 | 270 | 60 | 937 | 4.218 |
| Orphek OR3 UV/Violet 120 cm at 17 cm (italian) | 303.000 | 300 | 60 | 1.012 | 5.058 |
| Orphek OR3 UV/Violet 120 cm at 37 cm | 252.000 | 300 | 60 | 840 | 4.200 |
| Orphek OR3 UV/Violet 120 cm at 57 cm | 235.000 | 300 | 60 | 785 | 3.922 |
| Reef Flare Bar Blue S at 17 cm | 202.000 | 220 | 24,34 | 918 | 8.299 |
| Reef Flare Bar Blue S at 37 cm | 177.000 | 220 | 24,34 | 804 | 7.272 |
| Reef Flare Bar Blue S at 57 cm | 155.000 | 220 | 24,34 | 704 | 6.368 |
With the OR3 Blue Plus we obtain the higher PAR value we’ve ever measured until today. At 57 cm of distance is amazing, more than any other solution, so we want to suggest you to be careful when you speak of these wave lengths in aquarium. Unluckily the price is higher than the other bars, because we switched to the direct purchase through the distributor (in this case the great AGP). Sure now we have a 2 years warranty and a direct maintenance. In any case the performance is amazing, actually the best on the market for efficiency, even better than the Reef Flare.
Mantaining costs
The LED bars Orphek OR3 Blue Plus cost 270 euro. On Orphek’s website they’re sold for 200 dollars. The price seems different, but it doesn’t. Remember that you have to add taxes and duties to the 200 dollars and they’re about 32% of the total, so the price would be 264 dollars, and the difference of 64 dollars would be paid to shipping courier. It’s true that the change between euro and dollars would make you save some money, but consider that if you purchase the bar in Italy the warranty would last two years, otherwise it would be of one year only. In think that the purchase in Italy is more convenient.
The absorbed power is 60 watt, so the cost/watt ratio is almost 4,5 euro per each watt. In order to do a comparison with the other ceiling lights you can refer to this chart:
| Ceiling light | Price | Power consumption | Euro/watt ratio | References |
| Orphek OR3 Blue Sky | 200 USD | 62 w | 3,2 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| 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 |
| Orphek OR3 Reef Day Plus | 270 € | 60 w | 4,5 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB |
| ASF Proten LED Reef Blue 90-120 | 130 € | 27,8 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 |
| Orphek OR3 UV/Violet | 300 € | 60 w | 5 euro per watt | DaniReef LAB – italian |
| 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 |
| Reef Flare Bar Blue S | 220 € | 24,34 w | 9 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 | Italian review |
As we have already occasion to say for the sister OR3 Red Refugium, the LED bar is impeccable, very well build. I really like the extruded borders as well as the refinement. I really like the extruded borders as well as the refinement. There isn’t a programming, that assures a simple modality of use, switched on or off, and you can also assit the ceiling light with other bars to obtain the power you need. You also have to consider the actual PAR you have. In any case if you consider the whole energy you have a more realistic picture. So the bars are perfect for breeding corals, but you have to take the bars you need. Do you need twice the PAR? Use two bars. Do you need four times the PAR? Use four, and so on. What else to ask to a LED bar? According to me, 4 LED bars should let us get 600 PAR in a medium aquarium, and with such a value you can breed Acropora of any complexity.
The cost per watt is in the average, in line with the previous models, also considering VAT and duties, while the PAR per watt we are at a very good level. Better than some Blue ceiling lights of the competitors. What else can we ask to a LED bar?
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