chinese led lights

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by Snausy

Now I'm waffling between the red/green fixtures...three A8(more expensive but maybe more customizable) and a couple of those 48" cree fixtures with some purple added in.

ARGH! I want these to last 50,000 hrs(or whatever) I don't want to be unhappy and change them in a year. This is driving me crazy. I have a 1 year old and I only have so much money to throw at my tank. My wife will kill me if I start talking lights again next year.

I have the red/green/uv one over my tank right now.

If you don't need/want moonlights, it is cheaper from here, and they are in the US.

http://reefbreeders.com/value_led_fixtures.html

d120 reefbreeders - no optics, red, green, uv.. closer to the tank. 5"-6".



Nova A4, 1:1 ratio with 90 degree optics (much whiter), 10-12" in height

[Flame Angel]

Hard to tell with the height of the light and different angle and distance.

They do look very similar to others that look the same.

The jury is still out on needing red, violet etc.

If they do the job you would be crazy to not get them. Just the savings alone is enough to make you want to jump. But if your going to have issues... tread lightly and carefully.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by Flame Angel

Hard to tell with the height of the light and different angle and distance.

They do look very similar to others that look the same.

The jury is still out on needing red, violet etc.

If they do the job you would be crazy to not get them. Just the savings alone is enough to make you want to jump. But if your going to have issues... tread lightly and carefully.

I prefer optics. Placing the d120 at the height of the Nova shoots light all over the room and practically blinds you. D120 works much better closer to the water or in a canopy.

Violet is beneficial. Red/Green helps the oranges and reds pop more in my clowns and zoas over standard cw:rb, but I don't think it will affect growth.

I've been running these leds for over a month now, and my clams are always out, and have grown a bit. My coral has grown slightly too. So far so good. I like them way more than my old 250w MH fixture with T5s. Heat is also no longer an issue, which is a huge plus now.

[Snausy]

Originally Posted by bhazard451

I prefer optics. Placing the d120 at the height of the Nova shoots light all over the room and practically blinds you. D120 works much better closer to the water or in a canopy.

Violet is beneficial. Red/Green helps the oranges and reds pop more in my clowns and zoas over standard cw:rb, but I don't think it will affect growth.

I've been running these leds for over a month now, and my clams are always out, and have grown a bit. My coral has grown slightly too. So far so good. I like them way more than my old 250w MH fixture with T5s. Heat is also no longer an issue, which is a huge plus now.

Well because my tank is a FOWLR it's ALL about the color for me. My fish are very colorful and the better they look, the better my tank looks. The rest is just liverock with coraline algae.

I'll be using optics for sure. 60degree on the inside rows and 90 or 120 degree on the outside. I suppose if I can get her to put the reds and greens on a seperate dimmer I can play with it. Your pics are much appreciated but having no optics on the d120 makes it hard to tell what I'm going to get if I use them.

I'm also a bit nervous about the "disco" effect.

[maroonman]

Originally Posted by Snausy

Maroonman I'm really looking forward to seeing some pictures of your new fixture. It's the same one that I have my sights set on. I'd like to see how the color looks with the reds and greens at different levels.

I don't think I can pull the trigger on 4 or those for my 300g until I see some pictures. I'm terrified of buyers remorse.

THANKS!

Snausy,
I'm affraid mine won't be any help. My tank is still in the cyceling mode. So no colors to pop in my tank. I just ment I will post pic of the fixture & how well I think it is or is not built. Sorry to misled you.
I was mistaking About the delivery date.. She sent me a date of the 27th.. But that was the actual date it will be done and boxed up to ship. So I have to wait and see when It will arive. She did say 4-5 days delivery time.

[Snausy]

Well shoot, maybe I'll just pull the trigger and be the guy to start posting pics. That's ok maroonman all is well, I'm sure you will love it.

A couple others in this thread say how great they look but didn't post pictures.

[cmabrey75]

Has anyone had any issues with these lights?

[ihigh]

my eyes burn from the lights..thats all! @__@

[ghrorick]

Finally got my a6s last night. They have two extra powerconnectors on the opposite ends so you have the two for the powercords on one end and two to hook another light to. I didn't think it would matter to have the extra hookups, but I do like not having to try and run the extra cords down and around to plug in. I will post pics tonight. The violets are very strong, think I should have gone with 4 and 4uv, and fewer whites (which I was figuring when I ordered it, but all and all its not bad, I would just perfer more blue). One question I have is I had my metal halides on for 5 hrs a day, can I keep the leds at that and expect the same amount of growth or do I need to increase the time?

[cmantis]

So what DIY ratio would you recommend? Would one of these be enough for a 40g breeder?

Originally Posted by bhazard451

Looks like Sam and Evergrow are having a sale. This would save around $20ish per fixture.

DIY WEEK
Time: July 1st-July 7th
Extra cost for DIY Ratio: FREE (No need to pay 14USD/pc in one week)

Note:
1. Orders must be paid from July 1st to July 7th
2. Lights will be made and ship on July 9th-July 10th
3. More discount -- Cost for Violet 440nm: 0.5USD/pc, UV: 1.2USD/pc

[fetta]

i have a d120 am i able to order some different color led and then solder them in, and if so i saw someone say they ordered some violets, where can you order just some spare led's

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by ghrorick

One question I have is I had my metal halides on for 5 hrs a day, can I keep the leds at that and expect the same amount of growth or do I need to increase the time?

I used to run halides for 6 hours, because the tank temp would get too high if I ran it any longer. I can run the leds 10-12 hours with no heat issue now.

I follow the seasonal table on my Apex, so the light is on for 10-12 hours or so with no issues.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by fetta

i have a d120 am i able to order some different color led and then solder them in, and if so i saw someone say they ordered some violets, where can you order just some spare led's

Ask to buy spare leds when you place the order. This way if you want to change some out, you have the extra to solder in.

Or you can just have them customize the ratio you want

[fetta]

thing is i already have the light, i bought about a month ago off of amazon. of course before i stumbled on this thread

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by fetta

thing is i already have the light, i bought about a month ago off of amazon. of course before i stumbled on this thread

You have to look for 3w Bridgelux leds not mounted on star boards then. If they are, like the rapidled violets, you need to desolder the led "legs" from the star board.

[Mr Neon]

Talked to Sam..it appears my d120 came through by mistake without the 4 violets. Although it looks real blue and bright, I really wanted the violets as well.

I guess at this moment it is just a wait and see how they handle it. I will sell it to anyone that wants it for the price I paid and I can then order another one.

17 whites/11 blues - dimmer 1
27 blues - dimmer 2

Comes with hanging kit as well.

$182.00 was the cost. Brand new.

[fetta]

how do i get ahold of sam

[Genius]

All, Thanks for the education. I've read through this thread and am still kinda confused....and have a major headache.

I just upgraded to a 120 (48x24x24) and am getting rid of my T5 and going with LED. I'm currently keeping a mixed reef with a little bit of everything. Could someone (bhazard?) tell me EXACTLY what to get? The lights will be in a soon to be built custom canopy so they can be as close or far from the tank as I want them. I was thinking that 2 d120's would work, only concern is that I'm missing allot of coverage from front to back assuming I mount them horizontally. Do I need to go with Optics, if so how much? An answer from the pro's would would save my head from exploding!

[ghrorick]

Here is pics of the nova a6s on my 120 gal along with the new connecters to connect 2 lights together. The whites in the pic are only on about 50%. Please excuse the wire the lights are hanging from, it is all I had at the time.

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by ghrorick

Here is pics of the nova a6s on my 120 gal along with the new connecters to connect 2 lights together. The whites in the pic are only on about 50%. Please excuse the wire the lights are hanging from, it is all I had at the time.

Looks pretty sweet. How are you liking them?

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by Genius

All, Thanks for the education. I've read through this thread and am still kinda confused....and have a major headache.

I just upgraded to a 120 (48x24x24) and am getting rid of my T5 and going with LED. I'm currently keeping a mixed reef with a little bit of everything. Could someone (bhazard?) tell me EXACTLY what to get? The lights will be in a soon to be built custom canopy so they can be as close or far from the tank as I want them. I was thinking that 2 d120's would work, only concern is that I'm missing allot of coverage from front to back assuming I mount them horizontally. Do I need to go with Optics, if so how much? An answer from the pro's would would save my head from exploding!

2 d120s, in a canopy, no optics, with 4 violets per fixture.

I like the added color pop of 2 red/green/cyan, but it isn't needed. Multiple colors of white (like cool white, warm white, neutral white) are a much better option.

[ghrorick]

I like them. I think I should have gone with 4 violets and 4 uv, more blue and less white, but all and all as long as the corals like them I will like them. The center brace casts a huge shadow over the middle of the tank, which at first made me nervous on whether or not 3 a4s would cover a 180 gallon (6x2x2). I am betting since it is basically beams that the center brace kills the light in that area (also the 180 is acrylic so no black center brace). That being said I think I am going to go with 3 d120s above the 180 instead. I was thinking though that I will get the fixture they have listed with 2 violets, 2uv, 17 white and the rest blue and royal blue, although that idea will probably change about 20 times between now and the time I actually get around to ordering.

[Mr Neon]

Originally Posted by Mr Neon

Talked to Sam..it appears my d120 came through by mistake without the 4 violets. Although it looks real blue and bright, I really wanted the violets as well.

I guess at this moment it is just a wait and see how they handle it. I will sell it to anyone that wants it for the price I paid and I can then order another one.

17 whites/11 blues - dimmer 1
27 blues - dimmer 2

Comes with hanging kit as well.

$182.00 was the cost. Brand new.

Guess i was mistaken about the violet LED's. I was so convinced that they would have a purple tint to them that when Sam send me a pic of the actual d120 with violet leds, mine were more blue or all blue. I realized as well as Sam letting me know that I ordered the 440nm instead of the 420nm. The 440nm violets are more bluer but just a bit dimmer than the regular blues. Hence last night just running the blues, I got a cool blue/purple looking tint in the tank. I turned the dimmer down to almost nothing and I could finally see a slight difference in the led's to distinguish the 4 violets from the blues.

Anyhoo..all is well again and the lights are good!

[bhazard451]

Originally Posted by ghrorick

I like them. I think I should have gone with 4 violets and 4 uv, more blue and less white, but all and all as long as the corals like them I will like them. The center brace casts a huge shadow over the middle of the tank, which at first made me nervous on whether or not 3 a4s would cover a 180 gallon (6x2x2). I am betting since it is basically beams that the center brace kills the light in that area (also the 180 is acrylic so no black center brace). That being said I think I am going to go with 3 d120s above the 180 instead. I was thinking though that I will get the fixture they have listed with 2 violets, 2uv, 17 white and the rest blue and royal blue, although that idea will probably change about 20 times between now and the time I actually get around to ordering.

They're having a sale the week of July 1st so you wont have to pay too much extra for the violets and custom ratio. I like both fixtures. It all depends on the tank.

[ghrorick]

bhazard, do you like the d120s with the red and greens better or is basically a toss up? I am putting these over my zoa/poly tank (180gallon) and since I will not be doing any upgrading/modifing of the lights I thought the d120s would be a better bet than the novas. I saw your fixture with the reds and greens and thought that maybe they could help the zoas out even more with color.