Ecotech Radion LED: Are they worth it?

Craiz · Mar 8, 2014

I have one of the original Vortech pumps and love it. Now I'm considering going LED when I rebuild my tank. Does anyone have experience with the Radio LED units? Much like the Vortech, they are about the most expense way to go. Are they worth it? Are there any LFS in the Puget Sound area with them on display?

mfinn · Mar 8, 2014

I have 4 Radions.
3 are gen 1's and the other is a gen 1 upgraded to the gen 3.
I love them.
The control software on these makes them worth the money you spend.
I'm sure there will be others that want to say that they aren't worth the extra money and in a way they have valid arguments, but not with me.
I'm sold on them.
I believe Barrier Reef sells them.
This is a good time to pickup used gen 1 models.

Craiz · Mar 8, 2014

What is involved with upgrading a gen 1 to a gen 3? Getting a gen1 and upgrading later sounds good. I would have them mounted inside my canopy so the improvements to how they look isn't of any value to me. What is involved in upgrading from gen1 to gen3? What does it cost?

Aquanaut · Mar 8, 2014

Has anyone noticed that Barrier has replaced their radions for the more economical Evergrow style fixtures. Also, their corals couldn't adjust themselves below the radions by bleaching and receding that I saw during my shopping visits. The light spread on the radion seemed narrower than the Evergrow style pucks. I have four of the HELIOS 180 over my 60 x 36 x 27 and enjoy amazing color and growth beyond my Halide and T-5 days. OBD daisy linked them to a adapter sinced to my variable channel port on my APEX. I LOVE MY TECH. Do your homework, see what works for your control.

mfinn · Mar 8, 2014

Craiz said:
What is involved with upgrading a gen 1 to a gen 3? Getting a gen1 and upgrading later sounds good. I would have them mounted inside my canopy so the improvements to how they look isn't of any value to me. What is involved in upgrading from gen1 to gen3? What does it cost?

You have to send the unit to EcoTech. They do that upgrade in house.

They charge $175 for the upgrade.

Chichas01 · Mar 8, 2014

I run 2 gen 1 radions. Never had any issues with them and took my time over several months acclimating the tank to them. You should do that with any LED fixture you decide on. If I didn't use Radion, I'd be looking at the Barrier fixture and AI...AI and Ecotech are now one company btw but they are still making different LED fixtures.

toolz2 · Mar 10, 2014

I have 3 first gen pro's love them and 3 g2's also love them. But they do penetrate better then most think. Just my 2 cents

user 26995 · Mar 10, 2014

I have 4 1st gens. I love them. I would say definitely worth it.

user 26995 · Mar 10, 2014

but i have heard a lot of good things about the evergows. I would check them out too.

saltwaterfishes · Mar 10, 2014

I have 2 gen 1 on my frag tank and 4 gen 2 on my display. They are more compact and lighter than other LEDs which takes up less room in the canopy.. You don't have to daisy link them.

JPG@CFI · Mar 10, 2014

They are money well spent. You can spend a bunch more and get little for it. Buy what think you'll need, and never look back. Evergrows will do you right as well.