Cheap Black Box help

[Webbed Feet]

Very Helpful

Very Helpful

Those are helpful points. What I see missing however are such things as:

1. What are the service and warranty reputations of the involved companies?
a) service staff can speak English?
b) good service and technical response to customers?
2. Since many of the companies want to send repair parts for do-it-yourself warranty repairs, which units are easy to work on and which ones are difficult to work on?
3. Which are U.L. listed?
a) Save $100 to $400 bucks but burn your house down!
4. Which appear to have shoddy construction?
5. Which ones are rusting out?
6. Which ones have poor fans that are too noisy and suck in moisture?
7. Which ones have good fans with good cooling and well thought out moisture avoidance pathways?

 

[Webbed Feet]

My own review opinions

My own review opinions

Here, I'll contribute an opinion. I've been bouncing around all sorts of black box web sites, and due to this forum, visited SB Reef Lights site. In spite of their Herculean effort to convince the world their product is better, it was their comparison chart implying others were inferior, combined with vague claims of "upgraded" this and "heavier" that, that finally just turned me off. It's like every battery manufacture in the world putting "Heavy Duty" on their battery labels, it no longer means anything especially when there is no standard for what such a claim means.

Kinda too bad, as I liked a good deal of their site information. It ended up a bridge too far for me by the time I'd reviewed the entire site.

 

[Cheapreef]

Here, I'll contribute an opinion. I've been bouncing around all sorts of black box web sites, and due to this forum, visited SB Reef Lights site. In spite of their Herculean effort to convince the world their product is better, it was their comparison chart implying others were inferior, combined with vague claims of "upgraded" this and "heavier" that, that finally just turned me off. It's like every battery manufacture in the world putting "Heavy Duty" on their battery labels, it no longer means anything especially when there is no standard for what such a claim means.

Kinda too bad, as I liked a good deal of their site information. It ended up a bridge too far for me by the time I'd reviewed the entire site.

They are actually one of the better Black Box lights, they have the proper spectrum and UV lights as well for better coral coloration. A bubby bought one and I bought a Popular Grow Wifi, his gives far better coloring IMO. They also give a 2 year warranty and will sell replacemant parts if needed at any time, very responsive to questions when we were wiring to the Apex as well. If I was buying another it would be a SB.

 

[Tangyreefer]

I have been using the black box leds (ma) for about 2.5 years. I have four units and they all use bridgelux leds as someone already said. These leds are some of the cheapest leds which is why the black box is so cheap. The downside is they have a life of only 2 years or less and then burn out their own lenses. Even if upgraded with new fans and thicker heat sinks. 2 done and 2 not done because I couldn't be bothered after doing 2. You either have to buy new units or re-solder every led which is not hard but time consuming. I did try just doing the burnt out ones but then the others that were not done start burning out so you are always chasing your tail. The conclusion is either buy a new unit every 2 years (they are very cheap so still cheaper than changing all your 8x t5's every year) or re-solder every led every 2 years. Also they grow sps very well but the colours are not very bright as the spectrum is not right. Lots of blue but not enough 420-450nm range. Also need some 20k white. I will soon change to radions or hydras as soon as funds are available as I don't want the hassle of always changing the units and I want better colours on my corals and not just high power.

 

[Ron Reefman]

They are actually one of the better Black Box lights, they have the proper spectrum and UV lights as well for better coral coloration.

Just what is "the proper spectrum"? How is their spectrum different than my reef Breeders fixture? And are true UV lights really helpful?

And not just hype from the seller or a user, actual scientific support. IMHO, there is no such thing as the "proper spectrum" but a big range of both spectrum and PAR that is acceptable. Corals are all individuals and come from different depths (so different spectrum and PAR). And corals all can adapt.

I have green zoas that come from just a couple feet deep off a shallow reef flat in the Florida Keys. Eighteen inches down in my tank they are still green and growing. However, at just 4" deep they have morphed into a beautiful azure blue and are growing even faster! And if you play with even a 2 channel fixture (let alone a 6 channel fixture) you can totally change the spectrum. So how is their's right and how is it different or better than every other fixture in the market? The truth is, it's not, it's just a marketing phrase that is pure hype!

That said, I think SB Reef is trying to sell a goof fixture. I don't have any experience with one or know who makes them (I don't think it's EverGrow who makes Reef Breeders, Ocean Revive and Reef Radiance). But they could still be a very well made product. I haven't read any bad reviews and I've read several good ones. So I'll assume it's a good fixture.

However, as Webbed Feet said, their use of adjectives and real lack of supporting evidence on their website made me think,"too much hype, not enough science and all in all sounds just a bit too much like a come on or a cheap con". In fact, they call out other brands for using a 'shotgun' approach to led selection and yet they use colors of leds I wouldn't even consider in a fixture. Their's is the real 'shotgun' approach. It's just too, TOO much BS! That's too bad if they really make a good fixture. Somebody should get them a better marketing specialist to rewrite their website.

 

[Cheapreef]

Just what is "the proper spectrum"? How is their spectrum different than my reef Breeders fixture? And are true UV lights really helpful?

And not just hype from the seller or a user, actual scientific support. IMHO, there is no such thing as the "proper spectrum" but a big range of both spectrum and PAR that is acceptable. Corals are all individuals and come from different depths (so different spectrum and PAR). And corals all can adapt.

I have green zoas that come from just a couple feet deep off a shallow reef flat in the Florida Keys. Eighteen inches down in my tank they are still green and growing. However, at just 4" deep they have morphed into a beautiful azure blue and are growing even faster! And if you play with even a 2 channel fixture (let alone a 6 channel fixture) you can totally change the spectrum. So how is their's right and how is it different or better than every other fixture in the market? The truth is, it's not, it's just a marketing phrase that is pure hype!

That said, I think SB Reef is trying to sell a goof fixture. I don't have any experience with one or know who makes them (I don't think it's EverGrow who makes Reef Breeders, Ocean Revive and Reef Radiance). But they could still be a very well made product. I haven't read any bad reviews and I've read several good ones. So I'll assume it's a good fixture.

However, as Webbed Feet said, their use of adjectives and real lack of supporting evidence on their website made me think,"too much hype, not enough science and all in all sounds just a bit too much like a come on or a cheap con". In fact, they call out other brands for using a 'shotgun' approach to led selection and yet they use colors of leds I wouldn't even consider in a fixture. Their's is the real 'shotgun' approach. It's just too, TOO much BS! That's too bad if they really make a good fixture. Somebody should get them a better marketing specialist to rewrite their website.

Lol Ron your taking this personally, I didn't say anything about your RB lights. Just stating my opinon based on seeing one of these over a tank similar to mine for the past year, IMO it's a better light as it produces better coloring and growth. If you reread my post I said "ONE" of the better lights, a bonus is also with the 2 year warranty and parts availability.
So you don't like his advertising that's fine, but he will answer all questions and emails quick speaks english (that was one of Webbed feet's concerns) plus he's in the US.
I know Reef Breeders are as well, I have no experience with them so I have never said anything about them. That's all you.

 

[Ron Reefman]

I'm not taking it personal at all, I just like to see honesty. And I don't mind a good discussion.

I don't have any problem with their fixtures, just their over the top BS marketing hype. I think they lose business because their claims are so over the top. They call out lots of other brands and say their's are better... with phony facts. I just don't care for BS advertising.

You can say whatever you want about Reef Breeders, I won't be offended. I didn't make them, I just use them.

And you didn't tell me what the perfect spectrum is that they use? You quoted their claim, not me. :beer:

 

[Cheapreef]

And you didn't tell me what the perfect spectrum is that they use? You quoted their claim, not me. :beer:

I actually said proper, I never quoted them and I also added in my reply IMO.
I'm going by what I can see between the one I have which is pretty standard like the Mars etc just with Wifi and moon lighting.
I should have worded it as "better" IMO, more pleasing to my eyes and by he looks of his corals then too. :beer:

 

[wrestler21x]

I was just updateing my post to show how the galaxy hydro were working for the me. I am getting a ton of brown alge now any ideas

Sent from my LGMS631 using Tapatalk

 

[Ron Reefman]

I was just updateing my post to show how the galaxy hydro were working for the me. I am getting a ton of brown alge now any ideas?

I don't mean to be too basic here, but I don't know your comfort or knowledge level with light or leds. So don't take my basic info here the wrong way. :beer:

New system? How long has it been running?
Various algae blooms are possible during the first 6 months until things stabilize.

Do you have red leds? Do you know the K rating of your white leds? What ratio of white channel to blue channel are you running?
The red leds and warmer white leds (they are warmer looking because they have more red in the mix of red, green, blue) can help algae grow. I used black electrical tape and covered the red leds on my old 2 channel fixtures. And most 2 channel led systems (most black boxes) have a 50:50 of white and blue. Most reefers run the blue at 2 or 3 times the power as the white. Some even do 4 times or more.