chinese led lights

[bhazard451]

It looks like the the twilight lights are 10% off this week. That's a really good deal for a light with controller.

[darimont]

Just put an order in with Lyn. I'm looking forward to testing these out.

biecacka,
If the timer goes out, you can open it up and just bypass it until they send you out a new controller.

[biecacka]

Simon is convinced I need 2 lights but I think I need 3 as well. He says the spread in them is amazing but I have a 6ft tank w braces on it every 2 fr
Corey

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by darimont

Just put an order in with Lyn. I'm looking forward to testing these out.

biecacka,
If the timer goes out, you can open it up and just bypass it until they send you out a new controller.

I'll be comparing these directly along with the Apollo Reef Led Solarbrite fixture. I would have included the Nova A4 but I took mine apart already to build a DIY light out of it. The Apollo should be better, as they use higher quality actual Bridgelux leds, but I want to see how they both compare together.

Does anyone have a PAR meter I could borrow for a week, or know where I can rent one or get one cheap?

[darimont]

Originally Posted by biecacka

Simon is convinced I need 2 lights but I think I need 3 as well. He says the spread in them is amazing but I have a 6ft tank w braces on it every 2 fr
Corey

I also have a 6 footer. I just order 2 lights with the 90 degree beam to start with. My tank is a Marineland with only 1 center brace so I think 3 wouldn't work for me because the 3rd would be over the brace and cause a shadow. If 2 don't do it I'll order 2 more. When I get them I'll let you know how they cover.

[biecacka]

I need the 60* optics due to my 30inch tall tank. Are ppl using the dimmers? Wonder w a tank my height if no dimmer is really ok. Most my corals are near bottom and the light would be 36-38 inches off bottom of my tank. A few corals would be 14-18 inches away so maybe no dimmer is needed.
Who knows, it's a lot of no to process
Corey

[Chicago]

ok.. so here is the update on the 180 watt 3 channel.. the cost is around 250.00 without shipping.. added cost due to additional 30 leds, and aluminum housing.. i will post link.. in otherwords this unit will be around 315.00 delivered

[Mr Neon]

Originally Posted by bhazard451

It looks like the the twilight lights are 10% off this week. That's a really good deal for a light with controller.

Bhazard..the Twilight fixture your ordered, what did you decide for your ratio and leds? I see the 10% off on the site and I am real tempted to order with Simon. I like my d120 but I really wanted a controller for my tank.

[wright4941]

Any growth pic updates from those that have been using these lights for an extended period of time out there??

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by Mr Neon

Bhazard..the Twilight fixture your ordered, what did you decide for your ratio and leds? I see the 10% off on the site and I am real tempted to order with Simon. I like my d120 but I really wanted a controller for my tank.

LED Quantity 55pcs 3W bridgelux/epistar LEDs
optics 60 degree
spectrum ratio blue460nm:white14000k:red630nm:green515nm: orange610nm:violet400nm=34:15:1:2:2:1
control channels: Three channels, one for moonlight; the 2 other control daylight

It might be a bit bluer than I'd like, so I might have to lower the blue intensity a bit.

[Mr Neon]

Originally Posted by bhazard451

LED Quantity 55pcs 3W bridgelux/epistar LEDs
optics 60 degree
spectrum ratio blue460nm:white14000k:red630nm:green515nm: orange610nm:violet400nm=34:15:1:2:2:1
control channels: Three channels, one for moonlight; the 2 other control daylight
It might be a bit bluer than I'd like, so I might have to lower the blue intensity a bit.

I may go that ratio as well but minus the red and green. The only other option I got from Simon was 6500k and 10k white instead of 14k. I have the 14k now on my d120 13 pieces/11 blue and it is much bluer. I do have my blue channel turned down just to even it out. I may swapped out the leds from Sam to see how it looks before I order one from Twilight. I should have them in Tuesday.

[AcroBluz]

Originally Posted by darimont

I also have a 6 footer. I just order 2 lights with the 90 degree beam to start with. My tank is a Marineland with only 1 center brace so I think 3 wouldn't work for me because the 3rd would be over the brace and cause a shadow. If 2 don't do it I'll order 2 more. When I get them I'll let you know how they cover.

Here is what 2 d120's looked like on my 5ft tank. I think they have plenty of spread if they are not blocked by a brace

[bhazard451]

This is what a DIY Cree XT-E, Luxeon ES, Bridgelux Nova A4 looks like. I'm still cleaning it up to look acceptable, as it looks like a nightmare due to all the small strands needed for leds so close together. Took a few hours and I still have to wire the drivers in. The Nova's old optics and shield fit perfectly and screws in. It looks just like the Nova from the outside, so you cant see the mess inside.

[AcroBluz]

Bhazard that is awesome work

[bhazard451]

Its basically a 3-4ft DIY fixture condensed into a 1ft one. I don't think there will be many shadows or spotlighting with this.

At near 180 watts, this thing will destroy any commercial fixture on the market. It's like putting 2 and a half AI Sols into one fixture for the same price as one of them... less even. I think I'm gonna call it the "Super-Nova A4" lol. It might be too bright, so I'd have to adjust intensity over time. Funny thing is... it's still 200 watts less than the 250MH/T5 combo I was running originally.

I really want to finish it soon, but I haven't had the time I need. There's never enough hours in the day.

[AcroBluz]

So is it going to be apex controllable by time you have completed it?

[A_CoupleClowns]

Originally Posted by bhazard451

I thought the Nova A4 was really good quality. I tried a d120 without optics and wasn't as impressed. The Nova heatsink is nice.

Next I'm trying the twilight group light with built in controller. Those supposedly have heatsinks, and you can ask for an aluminum housing. No one has gotten one yet to confirm the quality.

Thanks I was hoping you would chime in bhazard.

So with my tank being 21 inches deep would I go no optics? What if the light is going to be in a hood above the water a bit, 90degree optics?

Thanks again!

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by AcroBluz

So is it going to be apex controllable by time you have completed it?

Yes. The drivers are meanwells so they will be controlled by the Apex.

Clowns, if you are in a canopy, and the lights are only going to be a few inches above the water, you don't need optics. Use optics when higher than 6" up off the water, or for an open tank.

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by A_CoupleClowns

Thanks I was hoping you would chime in bhazard.

So with my tank being 21 inches deep would I go no optics? What if the light is going to be in a hood above the water a bit, 90degree optics?

Thanks again!

If your tank in 21 inches tall and you want your LED's at least 4" above the surface than your talking about 25" from the substrate to the LED's. With 90 degree lenses this would mean each would have a spread of 50" on the substrate. With 60 degree lenses you would have a spread of 29" from each LEd at the substrate. With a color mix of Whites and Blues you do want several LED's striking the same point on the surface to minimize color shadowing. I personly would not go with the 60 degree lenses for that reason but would pick the 90 degree lenses.

[TropTrea]

Originally Posted by AcroBluz

Here is what 2 d120's looked like on my 5ft tank. I think they have plenty of spread if they are not blocked by a brace

In your picture your lights are very high over the tank. If your tank is 24" tall it looks like the lights are almost 24" over the tank. If you lower than to 6" above the tank where many people put there lights to minimize loss is the tank still evenly lighted throughout?

[mlott132]

Now you guys have me worried about the lights I purchased. I went with two Twilight fixtures fitted with 60 degree optics for my 21 inch high tank. Should I try to contact Lyn and get this changed to 90? I was thinking of hanging these about 6 inches above the water if that makes a difference.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by mlott132

Now you guys have me worried about the lights I purchased. I went with two Twilight fixtures fitted with 60 degree optics for my 21 inch high tank. Should I try to contact Lyn and get this changed to 90? I was thinking of hanging these about 6 inches above the water if that makes a difference.

Shouldn't be anything wrong with it. You can always hang them a bit higher to spread them out a bit more if you don't like the spread.

[mlott132]

Are the optics glued in place? Just wondering how hard it would be to change them out.

[Hoity]

Originally Posted by bhazard451

I know what lights you are talking about. I wouldn't suggest getting them. They won't confirm which bin of Crees they are using, so they might not be true Crees.

If you start going over $300+ per light for a chinese fixture, you're better off buying a commercial fixture in the US with a better warranty.

Thanks for the feedback, I did find the same light on on a US website for $650, I was quoted $350 & $60 for a remote controller that will control all the lights, ie you can program 2 lights with the one remote. I thought that was impressive but not sure what happens if it fails.

[AcroBluz]

Originally Posted by TropTrea

In your picture your lights are very high over the tank. If your tank is 24" tall it looks like the lights are almost 24" over the tank. If you lower than to 6" above the tank where many people put there lights to minimize loss is the tank still evenly lighted throughout?

That picture is a bit misleading. That tank is only 12" high with the lights mounted 12" above the surface of the water. So of the tank was 24" tall and the lights sat 6" above the tank, I would believe the spread would be close to what is seen here. Unfortunately, this tank was sold before my move or I could play with the height to show spread