Mars Aqua Chinese LED review (Ebay)

[spkennyva]

I have two of the 165W fixtures over my standard 40B. I've had these lights running for over 1 year. The lights are mounted inside a canopy, which restricts the height above the water to only 2.5 inches. I've had serious issues with burning corals. I've tried numerous times to increase the intensity of these lights, but even with the smallest increase I still see burning. My tank is mostly SPS and zoas. Montipora are the most sensitive to the light and easiest burnt. Acropora are also sensitive, but not quite as bad. Right now, I'm running both channels at their minimum settings. Options that I'm considering: 1) modify the canopy to mount the lights higher (8 inches above the water), 2) remove the optics, 3) both 1 & 2, or 4) augment the led with some T5s that I have to provide more uniform coverage.

My objective is to get better color and growth out of my acropora.

 

[paullondon]

1) What size tank do you have (LxWxD)?
2) How many fixtures are you running?
3) What wattage are your fixtures (do you have a link to the exact light)?
4) How far above the water are the lights mounted?

Hi spkennyva
My tank is 45 gallons, I'm using one fixture MarsAqua 300W, I used wrought iron suports on the wall and chandelier chain to hang the fixture above the tank at about 16 inches but initially was 24. With chain and sports it's very easy to move it up and down and you don't have to touch the fixture when you take the canopy off... that's just my setup.

 

[Swope2bc]

I have two of the 165W fixtures over my standard 40B. I've had these lights running for over 1 year. The lights are mounted inside a canopy, which restricts the height above the water to only 2.5 inches. I've had serious issues with burning corals. I've tried numerous times to increase the intensity of these lights, but even with the smallest increase I still see burning. My tank is mostly SPS and zoas. Montipora are the most sensitive to the light and easiest burnt. Acropora are also sensitive, but not quite as bad. Right now, I'm running both channels at their minimum settings. Options that I'm considering: 1) modify the canopy to mount the lights higher (8 inches above the water), 2) remove the optics, 3) both 1 & 2, or 4) augment the led with some T5s that I have to provide more uniform coverage.



My objective is to get better color and growth out of my acropora.

First, I think 2 of these on a 40b is ALOT! This may be part of your trouble... Removing the optics will help a lot as this will disperse the intensity. I would aim for at least the 8", more if you can get it. They are great lights, but in a tank as short as the 40b the get tons of light straight to the bottom. Hopefully your able to remedy your burning trouble.

 

[garygonzales]

i was thinking the same ......about having two fixtures on a 40b...wow

 

[Bpb]

I think two fixtures is great for a 40b...just without the optics

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

2 is fine for a 40b but definitely 8-10 inches off the water. Keep the optics it prevents a lot of what I feel is light pollution, however I like open top tanks.

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

Oh and I swapped out 13 leds. 9 royal blue and 4 true violet. It's looking good, the white channel looks much better and the violets make the blue channel pleasing to my eyes

 

[spkennyva]

2 is fine for a 40b but definitely 8-10 inches off the water. Keep the optics it prevents a lot of what I feel is light pollution, however I like open top tanks.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Yeah, these lights are VERY powerful.

DrawnToBeaches,

My plan to the modify the canopy so that the lights can sit on top. This way there should not be a lot of stray light entering the room. Given this, do you still suggest keeping the optics?

 

[Bpb]

Keep them if you can get the lights 8-12" off the water. They'll enable you to run them at lower power to save energy, led, and driver life.

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

Yeah keep the optics

 

[Swope2bc]

Thanks everyone for the feedback. Yeah, these lights are VERY powerful.



DrawnToBeaches,



My plan to the modify the canopy so that the lights can sit on top. This way there should not be a lot of stray light entering the room. Given this, do you still suggest keeping the optics?

Keeping the optics will creat more pinpoint light into the tank, this is great for deep tanks. In your 40b its not at all necessary. As mentioned before, keeping them will allow you to run them at lower power though. With two units you certainly do not need more spread, so if you can keep the optics, without burning your corals, then do. Given your trouble burning corals even at the very lowest power setting consider their removal.

Step one, raise the lights. IF and only if your corals are still being burnt -
Step two, remove optics.

Have fun no matter what though [emoji3]

 

[garygonzales]

Oh and I swapped out 13 leds. 9 royal blue and 4 true violet. It's looking good, the white channel looks much better and the violets make the blue channel pleasing to my eyes

cool...thought you wanted more purple.lol...glad its looking good....

 

[DrawnToBeaches]

Lol funny story they sent me 30 violet and 10 royal it was supposed to be the other way around didn't notice till I installed a "rb"

 

[gottalikesharks]

Great thread lots of good info. I am in the process of building my first reef tank and could use a little help. It is a 120 gallon (60" x 18" x 24") from the water line to the top of the sand base is about 22", I also have a wood canopy that I built that the light will actually sit on top of that is about 9" above the water line. I plan on starting out with easy to care for corals, but as I get more experience move up to a few SPS. Here are the lights I bought. http://www.ebay.com/itm/3PCS-165W-L...2632359&tpos=top&ttype=coupon&talgo=undefined

Should I leave the optics on or remove them? Also do you like to use the glass canopies or run open top?

Thanks, Dave

 

[garygonzales]

run an open top ...

 

[d-man]

Cover tank with mesh to prevent jumpers. And there WILL be jumpers

 

[Swope2bc]

Open top and keep optics if using 3

 

[paullondon]

Great thread lots of good info. I am in the process of building my first reef tank and could use a little help. It is a 120 gallon (60" x 18" x 24") from the water line to the top of the sand base is about 22", I also have a wood canopy that I built that the light will actually sit on top of that is about 9" above the water line. I plan on starting out with easy to care for corals, but as I get more experience move up to a few SPS. Here are the lights I bought. http://www.ebay.com/itm/3PCS-165W-L...2632359&tpos=top&ttype=coupon&talgo=undefined

Should I leave the optics on or remove them? Also do you like to use the glass canopies or run open top?

Thanks, Dave

All my clowns eventually jumped and died on the carpet and the last royal gramma did the same, I installed a simple mosquito mesh and everything is perfect now...

 

[Swope2bc]

All my clowns eventually jumped and died on the carpet and the last royal gramma did the same, I installed a simple mosquito mesh and everything is perfect now...

100% Agreed! Open top with a mesh cover!!! I built my own screen and used 1/4" clear mesh. Cost me $20 for the screen and frame material.

 

[gottalikesharks]

Seems pretty unanimous to run open top with screen cover, so I ordered some 1/4" clear mesh and frame material.

Thanks for the help!!! Keep the good advice coming!