Another LED Thread

RobZilla04

RobZilla04

Active member
Finally ready to purchase and as expected I cannot decide. When I woke up I fully expected to choose between the Mars Aqua and the Galaxyhydro. Then browsing a combination of RC, Amazon, and Google and I discovered these...

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/superlux/#reviews

Several likes over the MA and Gh options. One plug vs two. Built in timer and controls. I assume a better spectrum if you trust the description.

For reference here are links to the other two.

https://www.amazon.com/MarsAqua-Dimmable-Aquarium-Freshwater-Saltwater/dp/B017GWDF7E

https://www.amazon.com/Galaxyhydro-55x3w-Dimmable-Spectrum-Aquarium/dp/B00INM0J1M

Any help would be appreciated.

:thumbsup:
 
I knew I could count on you for a quick response. I actually eliminated those from my choices. Several poor reviews and a general lack of solid info has me skeptical.
 
First of all, these LED are not really 165w as they normally claimed.
They runs about 110 to 120w.
But the story did not end there, since I tested LED lights on the market extensively for my own use, I found these LED is about only 50% or less as much PAR output as an old AI Sol Blue (which draws about 80w). That means you are much better off buying a used AI Sol blue with all the programming ability than buying on of this so called black box led.
 
dz6t said:
First of all, these LED are not really 165w as they normally claimed.
They runs about 110 to 120w.
But the story did not end there, since I tested LED lights on the market extensively for my own use, I found these LED is about only 50% or less as much PAR output as an old AI Sol Blue (which draws about 80w). That means you are much better off buying a used AI Sol blue with all the programming ability than buying on of this so called black box led.
Click to expand...

Humbly I will disagree. I have a PAR meter and have used it on a wide variety of led fixtures in our local club. MarsAqua only use about 1.8 or 1.9 watts per led and their PAR is off a bit. But all the others, expensive big name brands and inexpensive Chinese black boxes with just manual dimmers all make more than enough light. I'll put my Reef Breeders Photon V2 or even my 4 year old EverGrow IT2080 up against AI or EcoTech watt for watt anytime. I may not win, but it will be WAY closer than off by 50%. BTW, I've also owned Radions and tested AI's. They are fine lights, but they are not making 100% more PAR... NO WAY!
 
Proof is in the pudding. Each experience for each individual is different, but I too was skeptical about getting the mars units at first. I have to say that over my tank, in the short amount of time I've had them (three months now) my SPS and LPS have done exceptionally well. Great color, excellent polyp extension and very good growth. Of course I'm nutty about water parameters and feeding.

These cheap black @&$? Boxes do work, at least in my short exposure with them. Par, watts per diodes, timer no timer etc.... what ever, they are working for me and at the end of the day, that's all that matters.
 
What I am gathering is they are all relatively equal and everyone has their preference. Although some have features which add a bit to the price, everyone "likes" the fixture they have.

The confusion comes as folks simply express the "pros" of their unit over the competition.
 
what are u growing?

I have ran 2 of the older evergrow IT 2060 (~3yrs back) over frag tank with SPS primarily and it was great as far as color for sps. But one driver burnt up/went bad one one unit so lost the blue channel after about a yr. was pretty much scrwed as no vendor support and coundlnt find a replacement driver

I then went to a used Reef breeder photon v1 48" and did just as well growing and coloing my sps for about 18 months. I eventually sold and went with reefbreeders v2 48" as I wanted the additional colored LED's. Same results. Great colors and results. Still not as much grown as my MH & T-5 over the Display tank tho!

Big advantage of Reef breeder is the customer support if you need it! I haven't yet but they have atleast been around for a few yrs. :-)
 
Mixed reef, mostly softies now and LPS. Would like to get a fixture that can support SPS down the line. Still a noob w/ a 55 only 9 months old. Gonna upgrade to a 90 before the new year.
 
ptreef said:
what are u growing?

I have ran 2 of the older evergrow IT 2060 (~3yrs back) over frag tank with SPS primarily and it was great as far as color for sps. But one driver burnt up/went bad one one unit so lost the blue channel after about a yr. was pretty much scrwed as no vendor support and coundlnt find a replacement driver

I then went to a used Reef breeder photon v1 48" and did just as well growing and coloing my sps for about 18 months. I eventually sold and went with reefbreeders v2 48" as I wanted the additional colored LED's. Same results. Great colors and results. Still not as much grown as my MH & T-5 over the Display tank tho!

Big advantage of Reef breeder is the customer support if you need it! I haven't yet but they have atleast been around for a few yrs. :-)
Click to expand...

I suspect RB might have sold you a driver for your EG fixture. You might have had to do some begging but Logan is a good guy, I think he might have.

And just in case anybody doesn't know it yet, EverGrow is a manufacturer (assembler) in China and sells fixtures. They make fixtures that are somewhat different for Reef Breeders Photons and SuperLux, OceanRevive T247 and ReefRadiance (although nobody here seems to know ReefRadiance even exists).
 
Ron Reefman said:
I suspect RB might have sold you a driver for your EG fixture. Y
Click to expand...

I called them and tried to get a replacement of sorts and they said they didn't have one that would would work.

I am not a LED DIY buff, so left it at that. It sits in basement for backup things or whatnot!
 
RobZilla04 said:
Mixed reef, mostly softies now and LPS. Would like to get a fixture that can support SPS down the line. Still a noob w/ a 55 only 9 months old. Gonna upgrade to a 90 before the new year.
Click to expand...

Rob, if you want a good "budget" light, than I would recommend the ReefBreeders - will simply work, has a very good warranty, and relatively easy to use. A 32" or 48" V1 (cheaper) or V2 will allow you to upgrade to the 90 without changing the light. If the tanks in question have a center brace (55g's almost always do), than skip the 32" V1 Photon - the diode layout will not be conducive to the open top space of the aquarium.
 
zooman72 said:
Rob, if you want a good "budget" light, than I would recommend the ReefBreeders - will simply work, has a very good warranty, and relatively easy to use. A 32" or 48" V1 (cheaper) or V2 will allow you to upgrade to the 90 without changing the light. If the tanks in question have a center brace (55g's almost always do), than skip the 32" V1 Photon - the diode layout will not be conducive to the open top space of the aquarium.
Click to expand...

Thanks, the 90 does have a center brace as well. The stand and canopy construction is nearly complete. Painted them last weekend. I'm now torn between the ReefBreeders SuperLux and Ocean Revive Arctic T247. Again I feel that these are all relatively similar; only a few features different on each fixture.

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/superlux/

http://www.oceanrevivellc.com/goods.php?id=21
 
RobZilla04 said:
Thanks, the 90 does have a center brace as well. The stand and canopy construction is nearly complete. Painted them last weekend. I'm now torn between the ReefBreeders SuperLux and Ocean Revive Arctic T247. Again I feel that these are all relatively similar; only a few features different on each fixture.

https://www.reefbreeders.com/shop/superlux/

http://www.oceanrevivellc.com/goods.php?id=21
Click to expand...

Go with the ReefBreeders fixture - the color rendition will probably be a lot better with 4500K whites than with 10,000K/12,000K whites. You won't even need the red diodes, so I would see if they can be left out and possibly replaced with 495nm cyan diodes...
 
I pulled the trigger on the Viparspectra before leaving work. I want to thank everyone for their responses and opinions. Basically after all the research and comparisons I felt they offered the best value/feature combination.

I'll supplement these with my current AquaticLife Edge for sunrise, sunset, and moonlighting.
 
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