Orphek has long been a player in the LED lighting game and with their new Atlantik Compact fixture, they plan to compete in the top tier of high performance reef LED lights. Priced at $749, the Atlantik Compact is aiming to exceed capabilities of the similar high end lights of the same price.
The Atlantik Compact is already hung over my 25g cube that you might remember from my review of the Mame Overflow. It has previously been an LPS-dominated reef but with the new light, my SPS upgrade can begin. I will be comparing growth and color of corals under the Atlantik Compact to a 250w metal halide that is currently installed over my coral grow out tank.
First Impressions:
The light arrived very well packaged; everything was safe and sound when I opened it. I was happy to see that they wrapped up the light in addition to providing plenty of padding. In addition, the box had one of Orphek’s Azure flashlights that everyone has been raving about.
The Atlantik Compact is indeed a beautiful light. When lit, it looks more like a modern work of art than an aquarium light. The build quality looks great and the hanging points seem much more secure than those on many other LED fixtures. Of course, since it has an acrylic body I would suggest handling it carefully. I noticed a bit of flex in the top piece. That is definitely a weak point, which I hope is addressed in the future.
Due to design with substantial heatsinking aluminum, the Atlantik Compact light is hefty. This smaller Atlantik weighs in at seven pounds making it a poor candidate for a tank-mounted system. On the plus side, Orphek is kind enough to include a four-point hanging kit. I was happy with this particular hanging kit because it allowed me to angle the light backward quite easily. This is a feature that you do not see in many of the tank mounts and rails on the market.
Of course, even the Atlantik Compact is overkill on my pint-sized cube. Orphek claims it can easily cover a 30 inch square and that looks to be accurate. Surprisingly, the wide variety of LEDs blends very well producing an even light with very little shimmer.
The manufacturer’s website lists the maximum par at 1450umol, a whopping 350 higher than Ecotech’s claim of 1100 for the Radion XR30w Pro. Needless to say, it is important not to skimp on acclimation periods for this light.
One of the more unique features of this light is the built-in WiFi capability, a feature I would like to see Orphek emphasize a bit more. Orphek’s website lists instructions for setting the light up with an android tablet or phone but they do not have compatibility with Apple products at this time.
It does have some quirks and it took me multiple factory resets to get the light connected with my router. Fortunately, I called Scott Rich and he was happy to walk me through the process. Once connected to your network, controlling the light through the Orphek app is fairly straightforward. I will include more on that in the next article.
As with any new LED light, it will require time to find the optimal settings but I hope to find a good balance between color and growth. Two of the Atlantik Compact’s channels are designed to optimize color while the other two are designed to optimize growth. This seems like a smart plan but it will take some time to determine its efficacy.
In next ninety days, I will run this light through the paces. I will test its performance against the metal halide that has been my standard for the past decade. Will the Atlantik Compact inspire me to finally give up my halides? Check back to find out!
This is a guest contribution from Briana Brasch, owner/operator of Applied Aquatics in Denver Colorado.
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