Thoughts on Viparspectra??

McPuff · 04/14/2018, 12:06 PM

I've got a 300DD and looking to reduce the number of fixtures. Currently I've got 7 over my tank (3 AI sol blue, 4 rapidled onyx). I was looking for something 24-30" so that I could simply put 3 units over the tank and light it adequately.

Does anyone have the Viparspectra 300W over their tank? It doesn't look like these can be daisy chained which could be a little annoying. But otherwise, they look pretty simple and do the basics (sunrise/sunset) which is all I really want out of a light... well, and coverage of course. :0)

Trying to keep the cost reasonable. There don't seem to be many options for a light that fits my preferences. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

mcgyvr · 04/15/2018, 07:40 AM

yep.. They are just fine.. Just like any other "Black box" led.. Cheap/reliable enough/works just fine..

RobZilla04 · 04/15/2018, 09:23 AM

Unless there is a newer model mine do not do sunrise/sunset. They don't have a ramping feature, just intensity for Ch1 and Ch2 plus built in timers for each.

I have the 165w reef model.

cone9 · 04/15/2018, 11:31 AM

How is the penetration? My reef is 35Hex at 24" deep.

I have had 250w MH from the get-go - mostly Iwasaki or various brands of 10,000K. How do these LEDs compare to 250w MH?

RobZilla04 · 04/15/2018, 12:57 PM

I don't have numbers for you but they are plenty effective above my 90g. Clams softies and LPS down low and I only run about 50-60% blue and 10% white.

Uncle99 · 04/15/2018, 02:43 PM

Yup, no sunrise,set, and independent.
I love mine, 24 inches deep, in addition to softies and LPS keeping 4 SPS and 3 clams and only running at 60%
Metal halide still and maybe always will have better intensity punch than LED, but the trade off is heat and cost.
Love my VISPARSPECTRA, have two, but the 165w versions.
The only thing I didn't like was the timer....gets off by a few seconds a month....

McPuff · 04/16/2018, 08:28 AM

Hmm, no sunrise/sunset... that's unfortunate. Well, I'm in no rush as I do have lighting fixtures that work just fine. Just want to eliminate some of the clutter. Thanks all!

mcgyvr · 04/16/2018, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by McPuff

Hmm, no sunrise/sunset... that's unfortunate.

But you can have the blue channel come on before the white channel and really no one needs sunrise/sunset.. There is no real proof its beneficial to the coral at all.. Just that it makes us humans happy..

McPuff · 04/16/2018, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

But you can have the blue channel come on before the white channel and really no one needs sunrise/sunset.. There is no real proof its beneficial to the coral at all.. Just that it makes us humans happy..

No, I agree there is no benefit to the coral. But there is benefit to me. :0) It's really the only LED "special feature" that I do enjoy. I suppose you could argue that it also benefits the fish to some extent as there are no sudden changes in conditions that may stress them. But otherwise, it's purely for my own benefit.

rfgonzo · 04/16/2018, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cone9

How is the penetration? My reef is 35Hex at 24" deep.

I have had 250w MH from the get-go - mostly Iwasaki or various brands of 10,000K. How do these LEDs compare to 250w MH?

I'm happy with penetration with the Viparspectra 165W on a 30'' deep tank. I get between 100 and 122 par on my Apogee MQ-200 par meter on my 210 gallon at the bottom of tank, depending if i'm directly under the lights or off to the side. Tank only has a 1 to 2'' sandbed. The lights are set 9'' above water and CH1 is at 30% and CH2 is at 15%.

Daddyrawg · 09/19/2018, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

Yup, no sunrise,set, and independent.
I love mine, 24 inches deep, in addition to softies and LPS keeping 4 SPS and 3 clams and only running at 60%
Metal halide still and maybe always will have better intensity punch than LED, but the trade off is heat and cost.
Love my VISPARSPECTRA, have two, but the 165w versions.
The only thing I didn't like was the timer....gets off by a few seconds a month....

They get Hot even with the fans on em? SHould I consider installing fans on sides of my canopy ?

Uncle99 · 09/19/2018, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

They get Hot even with the fans on em? SHould I consider installing fans on sides of my canopy ?

Mine don't get hot cause they hang, no canopy.
I would ventilate your canopy for sure, heat and humidity is not great for any electronics, but with a couple of fans, this would not be a problem.

I have a canopy, but never used it. Just not my thing, I need easy access and like to keep the exchange of gases going good to keep my PH around 8.1.

I have zero complaints with these lights. Well manufactured. Don't use gizmos, line to keep everything consistent and stable including lights.

Daddyrawg · 09/20/2018, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

Mine don't get hot cause they hang, no canopy.
I would ventilate your canopy for sure, heat and humidity is not great for any electronics, but with a couple of fans, this would not be a problem.

I have a canopy, but never used it. Just not my thing, I need easy access and like to keep the exchange of gases going good to keep my PH around 8.1.

I have zero complaints with these lights. Well manufactured. Don't use gizmos, line to keep everything consistent and stable including lights.

so even though the lights come with fans, i should still add fans?..im placing holes on top for ventilation for sure

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Uncle99 · 09/20/2018, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

so even though the lights come with fans, i should still add fans?..im placing holes on top for ventilation for sure

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

The fans serve the light well when hung, which is the design.

Any ventilation into the canopy is an asset.

The canopy fans provide a lot of ventilation.

It is the precise reason I no longer use the canopy top, stuck in a humid environment would decrease the equipments life significantly, everything under the hood is affected by the salty humidity.

Just my take though........

Daddyrawg · 09/20/2018, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Uncle99

The fans serve the light well when hung, which is the design.

Any ventilation into the canopy is an asset.

The canopy fans provide a lot of ventilation.

It is the precise reason I no longer use the canopy top, stuck in a humid environment would decrease the equipments life significantly, everything under the hood is affected by the salty humidity.

Just my take though........

ok Im thinking for my 90 gal 2 (3.5") fans in the back... and some holes in the top of canopy..sound ok?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

cvrle1 · 09/20/2018, 11:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

ok Im thinking for my 90 gal 2 (3.5") fans in the back... and some holes in the top of canopy..sound ok?

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

In theory it should be ok, but there are variables at play that make it a bit of guessing game. Only sure way is to try it and see. if you feel that there isnt enough air flow, add more fans. I am not a fan (no pun intended) of using these types of lights inside canopy, at least not without modifications. Some folks did take them all out of black box casing and then installed them in the canopy. That worked well as they could control heat with extra fans.

Fonchy · 09/19/2020, 01:14 PM

I have 2 on top of my canopy, 2 300w that run blue at 90% fro 6a to 10p and whites At 30% 7a to 9p. Easy to set up

04/14/2018, 12:06 PM	#1
McPuff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,735	Thoughts on Viparspectra?? I've got a 300DD and looking to reduce the number of fixtures. Currently I've got 7 over my tank (3 AI sol blue, 4 rapidled onyx). I was looking for something 24-30" so that I could simply put 3 units over the tank and light it adequately. Does anyone have the Viparspectra 300W over their tank? It doesn't look like these can be daisy chained which could be a little annoying. But otherwise, they look pretty simple and do the basics (sunrise/sunset) which is all I really want out of a light... well, and coverage of course. :0) Trying to keep the cost reasonable. There don't seem to be many options for a light that fits my preferences. Please let me know your thoughts. Thanks!

04/15/2018, 07:40 AM	#2
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	yep.. They are just fine.. Just like any other "Black box" led.. Cheap/reliable enough/works just fine.. __________________ Who me?

04/15/2018, 09:23 AM	#3
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	Unless there is a newer model mine do not do sunrise/sunset. They don't have a ramping feature, just intensity for Ch1 and Ch2 plus built in timers for each. I have the 165w reef model. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

04/15/2018, 11:31 AM	#4
cone9 Premium Member Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: OHIO Posts: 784	How is the penetration? My reef is 35Hex at 24" deep. I have had 250w MH from the get-go - mostly Iwasaki or various brands of 10,000K. How do these LEDs compare to 250w MH? __________________ “…They're such an aggressive creature, all you'd have to do is stick a dead cow on the end of the hook. It's the T. rex of the ocean." Dr. Steve O'Shea on the prospect of luring in a giant squid Current Tank Info: 35 Hex, 250w , 2x28w 03 actinics, BakPak 2R, Southdown DSB, 45# gulf View LR(5-21-2001), SG 1.026, Temp 80

04/15/2018, 12:57 PM	#5
RobZilla04 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: St. Augustine, FL Posts: 1,857	I don't have numbers for you but they are plenty effective above my 90g. Clams softies and LPS down low and I only run about 50-60% blue and 10% white. __________________ 90g Mixed Reef

04/15/2018, 02:43 PM	#6
Uncle99 Crab Free Zone Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 2,906	Yup, no sunrise,set, and independent. I love mine, 24 inches deep, in addition to softies and LPS keeping 4 SPS and 3 clams and only running at 60% Metal halide still and maybe always will have better intensity punch than LED, but the trade off is heat and cost. Love my VISPARSPECTRA, have two, but the 165w versions. The only thing I didn't like was the timer....gets off by a few seconds a month....

04/16/2018, 08:28 AM	#7
McPuff Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Michigan Posts: 1,735	Hmm, no sunrise/sunset... that's unfortunate. Well, I'm in no rush as I do have lighting fixtures that work just fine. Just want to eliminate some of the clutter. Thanks all!

09/19/2020, 01:14 PM	#17
Fonchy Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Goldston, NC Posts: 571	Light I have 2 on top of my canopy, 2 300w that run blue at 90% fro 6a to 10p and whites At 30% 7a to 9p. Easy to set up __________________ A stupid question is a question not asked. Everyone is my friend but there are 2 people in this world that I despice the most: Murphy and Bill Current Tank Info: Starting again with a 180 galReef