ATI Straton X LED Reef Light

The ATI Straton X at a glance

The ATI Straton X is a square LED reef light for reef keepers who want high PAR and even coverage without a bulky fixture hanging over the tank. It measures 14.3 x 14.3 inches, is 9 mm (0.35 in) thin, draws up to 150 watts and spreads 100 LEDs in seven colors across the whole panel. ATI rates one fixture for SPS corals across a 34 x 34 inch area and for LPS and soft corals across 40 x 40 inches, so it suits cubes, square tanks and peninsulas, and it scales to longer tanks when you run two or more side by side.

ATI designs and builds the Straton X in Germany. It uses the same flat-panel idea as the Straton Pro, in a thinner square body with a newer generation of LEDs that ATI calls G3. There are no fans: the solid aluminum housing is the heat sink, so the light is silent. Control runs through ATI's Reef Pilot app, which shows live PAR and power readings, and an Overdrive mode lets individual channels run above 100 percent while others are dimmed.

If you are deciding between the Straton X and a puck-style LED, the short version is this: the Straton X trades one concentrated point of light for a wide, soft one. Corals get light from several angles, which reduces shadowing under branching colonies and avoids the hotspot directly below a puck. The trade-off is a larger fixture footprint over the tank, which is why choosing a mount matters more than it does with a small puck.

LED channels: what each color does

The Straton X uses seven LED colors on seven separately adjustable channels. The spectrum leans blue for coral fluorescence and photosynthesis, with cyan white and clean white for brightness and color rendering and a small amount of red for contrast. ATI describes each channel's role like this:

Because every channel is adjustable on its own, the same fixture can run a deep blue look, bright daylight, or anything in between. The Reef Pilot app includes templates from coral farmers as starting points, so you don't have to build a spectrum from scratch. In our video, Cade from Nyos ATI USA explains that the clustered LED layout keeps the color blend even across the tank instead of building one bright spot in the middle.

How many Straton X lights does your tank need?

Plan coverage from your tank's footprint, not its gallon rating. ATI rates one Straton X for SPS corals across 34 x 34 inches and for LPS and soft corals across 40 x 40 inches, with corals up to 36 inches deep. In ATI's measurements, the fixture delivers more than 200 PAR across an 85 cm (about 34 inch) circle and more than 100 PAR across a 100 cm (about 39 inch) circle, both measured 60 cm (24 inches) below the light. Across a 60 x 60 cm square at the same distance, average PAR is 390 at full power.

Using those ratings, here is how many fixtures to plan for common footprints:

These counts assume each light is centered over its section of the tank at the suggested height. Tall rockwork and deep tanks change the picture, so use the app's live PAR readings to confirm what actually reaches your corals. Front-to-back depth matters too: one row of Straton X fixtures covers tanks up to about 34 inches front to back for SPS and 40 inches for LPS.

For long, narrow tanks, it's worth knowing about the Straton Flex Gen 2. Nyos ATI USA recommends the Straton X for square and cube tanks and the Flex for long rectangular tanks of 3 to 6 feet, where one linear fixture can span the full length.

Mounting the Straton X: arm, hanging kit and height

The Straton X ships without mounting hardware, so you'll need one of two mounts:

• ATI Straton X Mounting Arm: attaches to the back glass of a rimless tank and holds the panel out over the water on a slim arm. It's the cleanest choice when you can't or don't want to hang the light from the ceiling.
• ATI Straton X Hanging Kit: stainless steel Y-cables suspend the light from the ceiling for a floating look, with tool-free height adjustment and no hardware on the tank at all.

ATI North America suggests mounting the Straton X 8 to 12 inches above the water, and ATI's German specification sheet gives 25 to 30 cm (10 to 12 inches). Mounting lower increases intensity in the center; mounting higher widens the spread and softens shadows. Start around 10 to 12 inches and fine-tune from there using live PAR readings and how your corals respond. If you run more than one Straton X, mount them all at the same height so the light blends evenly between fixtures.

Because the housing is the heat sink, leave open air above the panel and don't box it into a tight canopy. Passive cooling only works when heat can leave the aluminum.

Reef Pilot app, live PAR and Overdrive

The Straton X connects over Wi-Fi and is controlled from ATI's Reef Pilot app for iOS and Android. In the app you can:

• Build daily schedules with smooth sunrise and sunset transitions
• Set each of the seven channels anywhere from 1 to 100 percent
• Start from templates created by leading coral farmers
• Control several lights individually or as a group
• See live PAR values at different water depths
• See live power consumption

Live PAR is the feature that changes day-to-day use. Instead of guessing what a schedule change does, you can see the PAR it produces at different depths and place corals to match. Live energy readings show exactly what the light draws at any setting, which is useful when you run several fixtures.

Overdrive is ATI's power management. When some channels run below 100 percent, Overdrive lets other channels go above 100 percent using the unused power, without exceeding the fixture's electrical or thermal limits. In practice, you can push the blue channels harder on a blue-heavy schedule than a fixed per-channel cap would allow.

The Straton X runs from the app rather than a reef controller. ATI doesn't list Neptune Apex or other controller integration for it, so plan to run your lighting schedule in Reef Pilot.

Setting up a new Straton X and acclimating corals

Any new high-output light needs a gradual start, especially when you're switching from older LEDs, T5s or metal halides. A stronger or differently distributed light can bleach corals that were happy under the old one, even at a lower wattage.

1. Mount the light at the height you plan to keep, centered over the tank or over its section of a longer tank.
2. Start well below full power, using a Reef Pilot template or a spectrum close to what you ran before.
3. Check live PAR at the depths where your corals sit, and compare it with the light levels they did well under.
4. Raise intensity in small steps over several weeks, checking polyp extension and color before each increase.
5. Move the most light-sensitive corals lower or toward the edges, and give SPS the brightest spots near the top.

Keep alkalinity, calcium and nutrients steady while you ramp up. Corals use more of all three as light increases, so a lighting upgrade often shows up first as a change in consumption.

Straton X vs. Straton Pro Gen 2 vs. Straton Flex Gen 2

ATI makes three flat-panel LED lines. All three are fanless, made in Germany and app-controlled. Here's how they compare on ATI North America's published specifications:

The Straton X is the thinnest and most compact of the three, and its Reef Pilot app adds live PAR and power readings where the ReefTech app used by the Gen 2 lights offers a PAR estimation tool. Pick the Pro Gen 2 if you want one larger panel over a deep rectangular footprint, and the Flex Gen 2 if you want one bar to run the length of a long tank. For most square and cube builds, and for anyone who cares most about how little the light shows over the tank, the Straton X is the better fit.

Straton X vs. EcoTech Radion XR30 G6 Pro

The EcoTech Radion XR30 G6 Pro is the light reef keepers most often cross-shop against the Straton X. Both are 100-LED fixtures aimed at SPS and mixed reefs, but they take very different approaches.

Choose the Straton X if you want soft, multi-angle light from a panel that nearly disappears over the tank, silent fanless operation and live PAR readings in the app. Choose the XR30 G6 Pro if you want a smaller fixture body, EcoTech's wide-angle HEI2 optics and integration with an EcoTech or Neptune Apex setup. Both are strong SPS lights; the right one depends on your tank's shape and the controller setup you already run.

What's in the box and what to add

• In the box: the ATI Straton X fixture in Anthracite Gray and its power supply. ATI North America lists a 6 ft power cord.
• Add a mount: the Straton X Mounting Arm or the Straton X Hanging Kit. One of the two is required.
• Before setup: install the ATI Reef Pilot app on your iOS or Android device and have your Wi-Fi details ready.
• Optional: a PAR meter to cross-check readings when you place corals.

Why buy the ATI Straton X from Top Shelf Aquatics

We've been building reefs since 2012, and we run the gear we sell. Buying your Straton X from us gets you:

• Free FedEx Priority Overnight shipping on aquarium supplies orders of $399 or more, which includes the Straton X
• A price match request right on the product page
• Returns on new, unused supplies in original packaging within 45 days, or 90 days with no restocking or return shipping fees when you add Reef Guard
• Pay over time with Shop Pay Installments, PayPal Pay Later, Klarna or Affirm
• Real reef keepers to talk to, in person at our Winter Park, Florida store or online

Want to see it first? Watch Blaine and Cade from Nyos ATI USA walk through the ATI Straton X, read our guide to SPS coral lighting, PAR and photoperiod, or browse all aquarium lighting and the ATI lighting collection.