Despite the BML fixture arriving Friday, I went to visit the parents this weekend and finally got to open the box this afternoon.
The first thing I noticed was that the box is sized to the fixture, with a pocket at each end holding the wires and driver while protecting the fixture itself. On the inside of the box is this:
Now that shows a company is behind their product.
Here is what came:
Light strip, driver, mounting hardware, and dimmer.
As I started examining things I noticed a few details that I really like:
1) The driver is separate from the fixture. This means I don't have to mount the driver in the hood, exposed to the moist air all the time.
2) The connector between the strip and the driver has an O-ring! With the sealed fixture, that means the delicate electrical connections are sealed from the elements. No more rusty electronics.
3) The dimmer plugs into the driver. No fancy connections needed. Plus the cord on the dimmer means you can run it outside the stand while the driver stays mounted under the tank. In my case, I tucked it behind the tank but up on the stand within easy reach.
Ok, enough geek speak. On with the pictures.
New fixture installed in the frame:
And what every one has been waiting for....
Before:
After:
Despite it being much more blue, I like the change. The new LED is a definite improvement over what I built. Even though it has violet, green and red LEDs (like mine did), the diffuser they employ significantly reduces the disco effect that I suffered from last time. With the T5s on, it disappears entirely.
For now, I have the LEDs at 50% and will step the lights on and off in 15 minute increments. If the remaining corals finally start recovering, I might start rebuilding. Time will tell.
