What LEDs Should I Buy?

[mari.harutunian]

I'm looking for something with enough par to support some easy acros and clams in the future. It needs to have a timer and preferably have some settings for light schedules already programmed. I looked at the ocean revive light which is really cheap but it only has a 2' cover area. I need 3' of cover. Not a big fan of led bars though...

 

 

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[Bruleyii]

I've been happy with my IT series. I've had 2 IT2040's and one IT2080. Fairly cheap and programable.

[AlanM]

I'd likely buy this.  It would easily cover 3 feet with enough light to grow anything on the sandbed for $300 bucks.

 

https://sbreeflights.com/sbox-reef-lights/4-sbox-pro-32-timer.html

[mari.harutunian]

I've been happy with my IT series. I've had 2 IT2040's and one IT2080. Fairly cheap and programable.

Do you know if these are for sale anymore? It says out of stock..

 

 

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[Bruleyii]

Do you know if these are for sale anymore? It says out of stock..

 

 

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Every once and a while I've seen a few group buys on them. I know there are a few vendors around here that sell them. I can't remember off the top of my head who the vendor was that put together the group buy. I also saw a used one not too long ago in the for sale section. That might still be around.

[mari.harutunian]

I'd likely buy this. It would easily cover 3 feet with enough light to grow anything on the sandbed for $300 bucks.

 

https://sbreeflights.com/sbox-reef-lights/4-sbox-pro-32-timer.html

Oh wow you may have me convinced. If I were to buy this light, it would be the one and only light upgrade I would ever put on my tank though...

 

 

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[Jeskay14]

I don't know how much you have to spend but if I were you I would look into the kessil ap700 or 2 kessil360we. They are awesome lights and with the ap700 you can program through your phone! I own one and it's amazing. Also has a great shimmer!

 

 

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[mari.harutunian]

 

 

If those were $300 I'd buy them in a heartbeat.. but I can't afford that.

 

 

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Edited December 21, 2016 by mari.harutunian

[Jeskay14]

I understand I couldn't afford it either... I ended up finding an unbeatable deal and couldn't resist! So if you looking at around $300 you could always look at black boxes. I've heard some good things about them!

 

 

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[Jeskay14]

And you can always just buy a timer from Walmart for like $5

 

 

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[mari.harutunian]

What exactly is "black box"? It's not a brand is it? The sbox pro in the link above calls itself a black box.

 

 

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[TonyB13]

I am contemplating the reefbreeders , best thing is the sales person logan answers the phone and he is right here in the us, has everything you need plus two year warranty and i haven't found anything negative on the company or the lights

 

https://www.reefbreeders.com/

[AlanM]

The LED "black boxes" are a generic term for a bunch of Chinese made LED clones of each other.  They've been around for about 4 years now.  It's a nicer term than sh*tbox which is what some call them.  

 

Some are better than others, but all share some of the same parts.  What differentiates some brands from others is the possibility of warranty support, which emitters they use, which drivers they use, and build quality.  What looks the same on the outside might not be the same on the inside.  Most use a combination of Bridgelux and Epistar emitters which are lesser quality than the Cree and Phillips that more expensive brands would use (they put out less light for the same electrical consumption and often have inferior optics which degrade faster), but they're much cheaper.

 

The site I linked to gets most of their lights drop-shipped right from factories in China to you, but the guy who runs it, Mike Herman, provides domestic warranty support out of Pensacola, FL and customizes the individual emitters to give a more appropriate spectrum (according to him) than the more generic ones that just clone off each other.  

 

The ReefBreeders ones are the original "mainstream" black box lights to have domestic US support and wide distribution here.  They're functionally similar to the Mars Aqua and other lights you might find on ebay for really cheap, but Logan stands behind his ReefBreeder lights and so does Mike for his sBox lights.  

 

So the price difference between these more costly "black boxes" and the no-name ones on ebay is from a more detailed build from more reputable factories in China plus the cost of providing US customer service and repairs to cover the 2yr warranties.

 

Marco used to do the same for ERC-sold black boxes here at WAMAS, but as far as I know they got out of that product line a couple of years ago. 

[zygote2k]

There are several good, used lights here on the forums for less than the $300 you're talking about spending....

[mari.harutunian]

There are several good, used lights here on the forums for less than the $300 you're talking about spending....

Like the al hydras?

 

 

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[GOSKN5]

Yes those hydras are nice lights... I was close to buying them haha.. talked myself out of it because I don't really need them

 

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[mari.harutunian]

Yes those hydras are nice lights... I was close to buying them haha.. talked myself out of it because I don't really need them

 

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Think I'd need both for a 3' wide tank?

 

 

 

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[GOSKN5]

Yes.. they will cover roughly 2x2.. but it is better to overlap with LEDs..

 

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[mari.harutunian]

Yes.. they will cover roughly 2x2.. but it is better to overlap with LEDs..

 

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Thanks

 

 

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