Ecotech Radion Gen 5 XR 30 Review – Definitive Guide For 2020

This is the ultimate guide and review of the new Ecotech Radion Gen 5 XR 30 LED lighting for reef tanks. This is one of the most sought after light on the market today and are proving to show amazing results.

Ecotech is known for having some of the best reef tank equipment on the market. The new Radion Gen 5 is proof of what the top of the line lights can provide for features and quality.

The previous 4 versions of Ecotech Radions really showed us how amazing these lights are. Each version was improved and they kept getting better until the new Gen XR 30 arrived.

Improving on the Gen 4 Radions must have been no small feat but somehow Ecotech has done it again. Now the Gen 5 is considered to be the most technologically advanced LED lighting system to ever be introduced into the saltwater aquarium hobby.

It’s been a few years since the Arrival of the Gen 4 Radions and they were considered the gold standard until now the Gen 5 can have that honor. The new Radion Gen 5 is available in both a Pro and Blue models.

 

radion gen 5 xr 30 review

Gen 4 vs Gen 5 Radion – What’s the biggest difference?

 

There are a few noticeable differences between the two models but the biggest change being the LED board itself. Ecotech went with a different design in the Gen 5 models and now has the LED’s spread out and not arranged into individual puck shapes like the previous models.

This new design is something that previous users will need to get used to. The new design is flatter and organized into a single cluster. The advantage of this is you won’t have the heavy concentration of hot spots that the previous models had. The improved spread and color mixing is very apparent.

Check out the increased coverage of the Gen 5. According to Reefbuilders.com:

“Whereas before the Radion XR30 Gen 4 was probably suitable for uniform lighting up to 36 inches (~1 meter) end to end, the new Radion Gen 5 comfortably throws light on a 20 inch by 48 inch area. When we mounted the Radion G5 at the same 18 inch height as our G4 that it replaced, it cast a lot more light at the edges of our four foot wide tank, and we even felt the need to drop it a couple more inches because of how widely it spreads the light output.”

Now that’s impressive!

The new lens design on the Gen 5 uses HEI optics. Hemispherical Edge Illumination provides a significant boost to the overall useable coverage of light. This allows for a 30% drop in PAR hotspots while having a 35% increase in output.

 

Marine Depot Aquarium Supplies

Radion Gen 5 XR 30 Pro Features and Specs:

 

    • New optimized LED placement
    • Uses Hemispherically Edge Illuminating Lens Technology
    • Moonlight Mode
    • New heat fan design
    • Dust protection system
    • Uni-body lower cover
    • Power consumption: 215 watts
    • # LED’s: 24 cool white, 32 royal blue, 16 blue, 4 photo red, 6 green, 4 UV(415), 4 UV(405), 4 violet, 6 warm white, 2 lunar light
    • Dimensions: 11.8″ x 7″ x 1.5″
    • Weight: 4.5 lbs

 

One of the other big improvements of the Gen 5 LED, is the location and quality of the cooling fan. The new fan is designed with a higher amount of blades that run perfectly silent. The fan is positioned on top of the light which allows it to move plenty of air while being effective and efficient. A new heat sinking fan is also included which makes the Gen 5 run cooler than previous models.

 

radion gen 5 xr 30 price

Radion Gen 5 Controllability

Both the Pro and Blue models of the Gen 5 light are fully controllable and have a huge selection of features. The Gen 5 Blue comes with a pre-programmed spectrum that allows you to basically plug and play right out of the box.

The AB+ spectrum setting is a tested setting that will be successful in growing colors and maintaining optimal health and colors. This light will favor the blue sapphire channels more than the other lights do. If you are looking for a light that you don’t need to program and mess with, the Gen 5 Blue is perfect.

The Gen 5 Blue has the following LED’s:

  • 6 cool white, 40 royal blue, 24 blue, 4 lime, 4 UV(415), 4 UV(405), 6 violet, 10 cyan, 2 lunar light

 

The Gen 5 Pro will allow you to control the individual light channels and set them precisely how you like. This is a full spectrum light with a wider variety of LED’s versus the Gen 5 Blue. The Gen 5 Pro has the following LED’s:
  • 24 cool white, 32 royal blue, 16 blue, 4 photo red, 6 green, 4 UV(415), 4 UV(405), 4 violet, 6 warm white, 2 lunar light

 

The Gen 5 Pro light is fully customizable by the user. This is done through the Mobius platform. Mobius is a free app that is used to control the Radion Gen 5 LED and Ecotech Versa pumps. I would expect Ecotech to add more pieces of equipment to this list soon.
The advantage of this is being able to fully control your aquarium lights using your smartphone without the need for a controller. No longer is the Reeflink needed.
This will save you some money as well. With Mobius, you can customize your light’s settings to satisfy the demands of your corals and the overall look of the tank.
I guess one negative aspect of this is the app is the only way to control these lights. You are required to use it. But the setup is easy and the app is simple to use.

Mounting the Radion Gen 5 Lights

 

Mounting these lights to your tank is easy with the RMS mounts. (not included). One important note about mounting. The fan placement on these lights requires the use of a separate bracket which is also sold separately.

The new G5 lights require a specialized G5 X-Bracket/Slider for mounting with Multi-light RMS systems, and an Adapter Kit for mounting with the Single Arm Mount RMS (both sold separately).