Best high-ish range light for Mixed reef?

[jx.reef]

In what way is it still just a black box?

I consider “black box” lights the more budget options typically from China. I personally don’t have any problems with them and actually like my ocean revive (going strong for 5 yrs). The reef breeder is just an Evergrow that’s had some modifications.

 

[Bpb]

I consider “black box” lights the more budget options typically from China. I personally don’t have any problems with them and actually like my ocean revive (going strong for 5 yrs). The reef breeder is just an Evergrow that’s had some modifications.

Is a Shelby cobra just a focus with some modifications...I guess it’s true if you get specific enough. Just doesn’t tell the whole story though.

 

[jx.reef]

Is a Shelby cobra just a focus with some modifications...I guess it’s true if you get specific enough. Just doesn’t tell the whole story though.

Fair point, I think I should’ve been more specific. It’s a rebranded Evergrow IT5012.

You can see that it’s pretty much the same unit.

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[Bpb]

Fair point, I think I should’ve been more specific. It’s a rebranded Evergrow IT5012.

You can see that it’s pretty much the same unit.

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Oh it is absolutely the same unit. No disagreement there. It is a heavily upgraded much better made unit than your classic Mars aqua black boxes. Improvements on the level of many higher end offerings, just without the same level of software (which is a largely unnecessary feature to me). I see your point with it being an evergrow product, I just don’t think that necessarily speaks negatively of it.

 

[mattzang]

i've never owned kessils, but i've seen them on tanks. i do own 2 of the reefi duo extremes and they don't seem like similar lights at all. the kessils have that kessil shimmer, the reefis don't seem to have much shimmer at all. even my ai primes i had on my old tank had a lot more shimmer than the reefis

if you're interested in the reefi check out dana riddle's review on them. they seem like a great value for what you get and it's not at the cost of being pretty decently well built

 

[jx.reef]

Oh it is absolutely the same unit. No disagreement there. It is a heavily upgraded much better made unit than your classic Mars aqua black boxes. Improvements on the level of many higher end offerings, just without the same level of software (which is a largely unnecessary feature to me). I see your point with it being an evergrow product, I just don’t think that necessarily speaks negatively of it.

No doubt it’s a solid light - that’s why I recommended it to the OP lol

 

[duberii]

i've never owned kessils, but i've seen them on tanks. i do own 2 of the reefi duo extremes and they don't seem like similar lights at all. the kessils have that kessil shimmer, the reefis don't seem to have much shimmer at all. even my ai primes i had on my old tank had a lot more shimmer than the reefis

if you're interested in the reefi check out dana riddle's review on them. they seem like a great value for what you get and it's not at the cost of being pretty decently well built

The shimmer is usually only seen with point light sources- the kessil and even the AI seems to have the LEDs packed close enough together to produce a shimmer effect, whereas something like a blackbox or the reefi duo has it a bit more spread out. I don't mind the lack of shimmer- I'd rather save a couple hundred and get the reefi. I went and talked to the owner of my LFS, and he suggested I look at the new red sea lights- it sounds like they may be over my budget though, since I'd need 2.

 

[mattzang]

i wasn't making a negative comment, just saying the reefis don't have much shimmer. it's still there, i think it's just enough to make the tank look chaotic, but not so much it's distracting

reefis are still point light sources, just not as densely packed as something like a kessil

 

[duberii]

i wasn't making a negative comment, just saying the reefis don't have much shimmer. it's still there, i think it's just enough to make the tank look chaotic, but not so much it's distracting

reefis are still point light sources, just not as densely packed as something like a kessil

Some people adore the shimmer- it certainly can be a positive or a negative to some. I think it's just another thing to consider when buying a light.
I mean each LED is a point light source, but the effect point sources have are kind of canceled out when they're as spaced out as they are in the reefi types of fixtures.

 

[Spare time]

With a budget of $400, I’d go with the reef breeder photons. I don’t think the primes or kessils will have enough power for a 40 breeder. I run an xr30 on a 20 gallon at 75% intensity so I don’t think you can go overkill as long as tank parameters match the PAR.

Kessils can handle a 40 gallon and so can the AI. Obvsiouly two fixtures would be needed to have the best spread.

 

[duberii]

Does anybody have any information about reefi as a brand? The owner of my LFS was trying to figure out how he could order them, but it doesn't seem like they have information about where they're based on their website.

 

[Spare time]

I personally would do two kessil 160we lights. They have an 18x18 spread each.

However, you can definitely find cheaper lights.

 

[Spare time]

Does anybody have any information about reefi as a brand? The owner of my LFS was trying to figure out how he could order them, but it doesn't seem like they have information about where they're based on their website.

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I just received two ReeFi LED lights for testing purposes. This company has been around for a while, but it is new to me, and I'm impressed with the thoughtful design. There are 72 LEDs in the array including cool white, warm white, amber, lime, blue, royal blue, violet, 420nm and 400nm, each on...

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[mattzang]

reefis are made in georgia i believe and the owner is in oregon

@danlu_gt is the owner

 

[duberii]

I personally would do two kessil 160we lights. They have an 18x18 spread each.

However, you can definitely find cheaper lights.

If my LFS can't get the reefi, this seems like a good option. From my understanding, the difference between these and the a360x is just that the x is thinner and is brighter- seems like a waste of $100 to get the x in that case since I don't care about either of those deficits.

 

[duberii]

reefis are made in georgia i believe and the owner is in oregon

@danlu_gt is the owner

Thank you! I'll report back to my LFS with that- I wonder if they're planning on selling directly to customers exclusively or if they will distribute them to retailers as well? Maybe I can get my LFS to keep them in stock if so - If they can legitimately compare to something like a kessil for $100 cheaper (more than that with the preorder discount) that really is amazing.

 

[Spare time]

If my LFS can't get the reefi, this seems like a good option. From my understanding, the difference between these and the a360x is just that the x is thinner and is brighter- seems like a waste of $100 to get the x in that case since I don't care about either of those deficits.

Kessils will have more distinguished white caustic bans, less color separation, and I think better even spread. However The Reef fi lights look pretty nice and I don't think you will have any problem using them

 

[Bpb]

There is a direct negative correlation between intensity of caustics and overall coverage. The fewer points of origin, the harder the shimmer. The more points, less shimmer.

 

[Spare time]

There is a direct negative correlation between intensity of caustics and overall coverage. The fewer points of origin, the harder the shimmer. The more points, less shimmer.

I believe in the case of coverage and par it is more complicated. For example, the kessil a360x has a much more even coverage than let say the reef breeders on a 24x24 inch area.

Also, coverage has much to do with lense design. My ocean revives have more points of origin, but worse spread than the kessil a360x.

 

[Fishfinder]

I love my reef breeders. You could get one way under budget and still have $400 to spend on coral. Mine grow amazing