Mars Aqua Chinese LED review (Ebay)
- Thread starter Atomic081
- Start date
iced98lx
New member
So I'm in the middle of swapping out my Mars Aqua boards for SB Reef Lights retrofit boards and decided to do some back to back PAR measurements since a friend lent me his Apogee MQ-210. (Thanks to BRS I don't think these are really mis-represented numbers either frankly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hUkufXBb3I)
Set up of test:
1 fixture hanging 13 inches above the water
No other lights on for the tank
Measured directly under the center of the light at 6/14/24 inches deep
Both channels on all fixtures were at 100%
Removed the fixture, replaced the board, re-hung the fixture reproduced the test.
I later reproduced both the SBReef numbers with a 2nd fixture I swapped and the Mars Aqua numbers with a fixture I had not yet swapped.
return pump and MP-40's running (again, thanks BRS)
All I can say is while PAR isn't the end all be all (and I'll probably still run the SB boards because I like their diode selection much better) I was disappointed at the sand bed numbers. I expected higher numbers from SB Just based on lenses alone.
Again, these are Mars Aqua boxes vs the same boxes/powersupplies etc retro fitted with SB Retrofit boards, not SB fixtures they sell.
Set up of test:
1 fixture hanging 13 inches above the water
No other lights on for the tank
Measured directly under the center of the light at 6/14/24 inches deep
Both channels on all fixtures were at 100%
Removed the fixture, replaced the board, re-hung the fixture reproduced the test.
I later reproduced both the SBReef numbers with a 2nd fixture I swapped and the Mars Aqua numbers with a fixture I had not yet swapped.
return pump and MP-40's running (again, thanks BRS)
All I can say is while PAR isn't the end all be all (and I'll probably still run the SB boards because I like their diode selection much better) I was disappointed at the sand bed numbers. I expected higher numbers from SB Just based on lenses alone.
Again, these are Mars Aqua boxes vs the same boxes/powersupplies etc retro fitted with SB Retrofit boards, not SB fixtures they sell.
ffoott
New member
I received my 300w unit yesterday. Loved it!
Here's the thing:
When I went to bed, I turned it off on the dimmers, leaving the main switches on. The lights closed.
This morning I woke up to the blue lights ON...when I went to check what had happened, I realized that the dimmer was indeed off, but the blue light had turned back on by itself. The white lights continues off, but the blue never does unless I turn off the power button.
Any thoughts?
Here's the thing:
When I went to bed, I turned it off on the dimmers, leaving the main switches on. The lights closed.
This morning I woke up to the blue lights ON...when I went to check what had happened, I realized that the dimmer was indeed off, but the blue light had turned back on by itself. The white lights continues off, but the blue never does unless I turn off the power button.
Any thoughts?
This looks like an awesome deal: http://www.ebay.com/itm/182511132506
I can do w/o wifi at this price.
I can do w/o wifi at this price.
Can it be true???
At that price...even to Mauritius
Hmm, he has 0 feedback. New seller with an unbeatable price. I'd be a bit worried. Has anyone purchased from him yet?
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steallife904
New member
if you are looking for similar but better lights I have a post up in the for sale section. I have 4 different led units. 2 reef breeders photon 16s (1 brand new) and 2 Evo ts100 (just like the reef breeders). both fully programmable and has a remote. Shoot me a PM if interested.
I might bite on this just to see. Wouldnt be the worst waste of money ever right? :lolspin:
steallife904
New member
I just sent you a PM, if you did not get my response just send me a PM with your email or phone number and I will either email you or text. thank you
Ordered a couple. Estimated delivery the 13th. He shows as a US seller & ships from FL. Which is believable as the description is quite good, detailed compared to a lot of the other listings which are clearly written by someone in China. Might just be a new seller/account trying to quickly get feedback. Worst case I file a complaint & get a refund, for this price it's worth taking that chance. I'll keep everyone updated when it ships & arrives.
On another note, I bought different style light from another seller rated at 216w, 72x3w (not a standard black box). Remote didn't work, opened it up & saw the driver was rated for 32w total (16w per ch). It was dimmer than my $13 24w sump screw in type led. Immediately returned it.
Using my old Orbit marine on that tank now at 100%. Going to miss having a ramp timer so I'll start cutting back on the ramping sunrise/sunset times in an attempt to minimize the stress of the new lights sudden on/off. One think I like about this black box is having a plug for each ch. which I will put on their own timer.
On another note, I bought different style light from another seller rated at 216w, 72x3w (not a standard black box). Remote didn't work, opened it up & saw the driver was rated for 32w total (16w per ch). It was dimmer than my $13 24w sump screw in type led. Immediately returned it.
Using my old Orbit marine on that tank now at 100%. Going to miss having a ramp timer so I'll start cutting back on the ramping sunrise/sunset times in an attempt to minimize the stress of the new lights sudden on/off. One think I like about this black box is having a plug for each ch. which I will put on their own timer.
Has anyone disassembled one of these lights and mounted the parts in a hood? I wonder if everything is held together with a pc board or similar or if everything is screwed into a case? I have more length and width than the lights need but not the height needed, especially with the plugs being mounted on top. Wonder if I can change their orientation and remove about. 25 inch in height by removing the case and light cover?
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
