Experiences with Reefbar Pro lights?

syrupeverything · 04/02/2016, 08:56 PM

Hi,

Does anyone here have experience using Reefbar Pro lights on a reef tank? I found some posts about the regular Reefbar lights and using their actinics for supplemental lighting, but has anyone tried to use the Pro's as primary lights? The company makes the following claim about the 48" 50/50 cool white/royal blue:

"Two of these bars can very easily become your Primary Lighting for a larger tank. A common goal for ideal lighting in a reef tank is about 90-120 (mms) at the top of your sand and two bars will give 120 at 24 inches."

Can anyone confirm or deny this claim?

Link to the webpage:

https://www.21ledusa.com/aquarium_le.../rbp505048.htm

Thanks in advance!

whosurcaddie · 04/03/2016, 05:29 PM

Its cheap junk. You could have a full spectrum generic black box for less than what he's charging.

I purchased two of these lights just so you know. I was wanting to use them to supplement the lights I already had. These came in and the wires were exposed and half of the lenses had popped off. I had to pull the light apart reattach the lenses and rewire the unit before ever using it.

His claim that two of these lights could be your only light source is just false there's not enough spread with just two to keep corals healthy. 4 of them over a 120 would do it but then you've spent almost $500.

Have you looked at the new photon 48 V2 looks promising with quality led's.

nathan1986 · 04/03/2016, 05:38 PM

I have one of the reefbar pro lights on a mr aqua 12g long aquarium... i cant keep zoas happy with it, half the time they are closed up. The light grows algae very well tho haha also the power supply is junk. The power supply that came with the light hummed really loud when dimming the lights. They sent me a larger replacement power supply, it doesnt hum but randomly it will strobe the lights on and off rapidly. Like whosurcaddie said the black box would be a much better alternate route for cheaper lighting. I have all 3 he suggested actually, except my photon 48 is the model that just got replaced. The photon 48 is an amazing light for the price, grows anything you can imagine and reefbreeders has great customer service. The black box led also is a decent light, have one on a biocube 29g it also grows anything pretty well.

syrupeverything · 04/04/2016, 10:06 AM

Ok, thanks for the replies. I kind of figured they were too good to be true for that price. I'll stay away from the Reefbars and keep looking. I have looked at the Photons but they still seem a little pricey at the moment. I'm in Canada so with exchange rate and shipping I'll likely be paying over $900 for one of the 48" V2. One of the things that appealed to me about the Reefbars was being able to get a couple now and maybe adding more bars in the future. Obviously it would be ideal to save up and get a high end light, but my previous light just bit the dust so I need a replacement fast and I don't have tons of extra money at the moment. My tank is 48"L x 18"W x 24"D, and some of the reviews have people using the 48 on bigger tanks and still being happy with them. Would I be able to get away with a smaller one of the Photon V2? Say a 36" or maybe even a 24" just to get the lights back on. Then next month supplement with something else like say a couple of Aquaray bars?

These black boxes you both mention are very intriguing, but I'm not sure I know what you mean. Are you talking about something like this?:

https://www.amazon.ca/Roleadro-55x3w.../dp/B00INM0J1M

I'm also no slouch when it comes to building things, and my roommate is a journeyman electrician, so DIY is another good option, with the downside being it will probably take longer to get the lights back on than I would like. Can you recommend any good DIY sites?

Sorry I seem like such a noob when it comes to LED's, last time I invested in lights LED's were still in their infancy, and I went with T5's. There are so many more options and info about them now, I've been doing tons of research but it's a lot to take in in one weekend, and nothing beats talking to people with actual experience with them.

Hydrocynus · 07/19/2017, 07:18 PM

I have luck with chinese blackbox. Get the US vendor for marsaqua. Ship it near the border and pick it up from a US mailbox thats what i did, even with CAD-usd conversion it still cheaper. I got 2 on a 5x18x24 tank. Will purchase a 3rd one in the future. You can grow sps mid tank level.

I just use on/off digitial timer instead of ramp up/down dimmer.

04/02/2016, 08:56 PM	#1
syrupeverything Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 6	Experiences with Reefbar Pro lights? Hi, Does anyone here have experience using Reefbar Pro lights on a reef tank? I found some posts about the regular Reefbar lights and using their actinics for supplemental lighting, but has anyone tried to use the Pro's as primary lights? The company makes the following claim about the 48" 50/50 cool white/royal blue: "Two of these bars can very easily become your Primary Lighting for a larger tank. A common goal for ideal lighting in a reef tank is about 90-120 (mms) at the top of your sand and two bars will give 120 at 24 inches." Can anyone confirm or deny this claim? Link to the webpage: https://www.21ledusa.com/aquarium_le.../rbp505048.htm Thanks in advance!

04/03/2016, 05:29 PM	#2
whosurcaddie Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 2,354	Its cheap junk. You could have a full spectrum generic black box for less than what he's charging. I purchased two of these lights just so you know. I was wanting to use them to supplement the lights I already had. These came in and the wires were exposed and half of the lenses had popped off. I had to pull the light apart reattach the lenses and rewire the unit before ever using it. His claim that two of these lights could be your only light source is just false there's not enough spread with just two to keep corals healthy. 4 of them over a 120 would do it but then you've spent almost $500. Have you looked at the new photon 48 V2 looks promising with quality led's.

04/03/2016, 05:38 PM	#3
nathan1986 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,365	I have one of the reefbar pro lights on a mr aqua 12g long aquarium... i cant keep zoas happy with it, half the time they are closed up. The light grows algae very well tho haha also the power supply is junk. The power supply that came with the light hummed really loud when dimming the lights. They sent me a larger replacement power supply, it doesnt hum but randomly it will strobe the lights on and off rapidly. Like whosurcaddie said the black box would be a much better alternate route for cheaper lighting. I have all 3 he suggested actually, except my photon 48 is the model that just got replaced. The photon 48 is an amazing light for the price, grows anything you can imagine and reefbreeders has great customer service. The black box led also is a decent light, have one on a biocube 29g it also grows anything pretty well.

04/04/2016, 10:06 AM	#4
syrupeverything Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2016 Posts: 6	Ok, thanks for the replies. I kind of figured they were too good to be true for that price. I'll stay away from the Reefbars and keep looking. I have looked at the Photons but they still seem a little pricey at the moment. I'm in Canada so with exchange rate and shipping I'll likely be paying over $900 for one of the 48" V2. One of the things that appealed to me about the Reefbars was being able to get a couple now and maybe adding more bars in the future. Obviously it would be ideal to save up and get a high end light, but my previous light just bit the dust so I need a replacement fast and I don't have tons of extra money at the moment. My tank is 48"L x 18"W x 24"D, and some of the reviews have people using the 48 on bigger tanks and still being happy with them. Would I be able to get away with a smaller one of the Photon V2? Say a 36" or maybe even a 24" just to get the lights back on. Then next month supplement with something else like say a couple of Aquaray bars? These black boxes you both mention are very intriguing, but I'm not sure I know what you mean. Are you talking about something like this?: https://www.amazon.ca/Roleadro-55x3w.../dp/B00INM0J1M I'm also no slouch when it comes to building things, and my roommate is a journeyman electrician, so DIY is another good option, with the downside being it will probably take longer to get the lights back on than I would like. Can you recommend any good DIY sites? Sorry I seem like such a noob when it comes to LED's, last time I invested in lights LED's were still in their infancy, and I went with T5's. There are so many more options and info about them now, I've been doing tons of research but it's a lot to take in in one weekend, and nothing beats talking to people with actual experience with them.

07/19/2017, 07:18 PM	#5
Hydrocynus Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Posts: 12	I have luck with chinese blackbox. Get the US vendor for marsaqua. Ship it near the border and pick it up from a US mailbox thats what i did, even with CAD-usd conversion it still cheaper. I got 2 on a 5x18x24 tank. Will purchase a 3rd one in the future. You can grow sps mid tank level. I just use on/off digitial timer instead of ramp up/down dimmer.