Black box led lights
- Thread starter noob reefer
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Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
I've been running Mars Aqua units over my 125 now since 2015. In 2019 I changed all the diodes and added UV to them.
I can grow anything I wish, but most of the time I'm limited by my budget.
I can grow anything I wish, but most of the time I'm limited by my budget.
Porpoise Hork
Well-Known Member
Some people love and swear by them. Others hate them and feel they are the worst thing to run.
Either way they have been proven to grow coral from softies to sps dominated tanks. The thing to look for is how much actual power draw they pull. Even though most specify 165w, they actually pull closer to 100-125w. You want to fund some that pull at least 120w at full power. The MARS lights are pretty solid, reliable and don't have many bad reviews. They do pull a fairly consistently 120w draw where others like Viaspectra for example can change from batch to batch depending on the LEDs they have available at the time. So if you do want to run them, just be sure to test the total power draw with the lights at 100% to be sure they are the good wattage lamps.
Either way they have been proven to grow coral from softies to sps dominated tanks. The thing to look for is how much actual power draw they pull. Even though most specify 165w, they actually pull closer to 100-125w. You want to fund some that pull at least 120w at full power. The MARS lights are pretty solid, reliable and don't have many bad reviews. They do pull a fairly consistently 120w draw where others like Viaspectra for example can change from batch to batch depending on the LEDs they have available at the time. So if you do want to run them, just be sure to test the total power draw with the lights at 100% to be sure they are the good wattage lamps.
Gernader
Reefing is a never-ending addiction...
Reef Tank 365
Tampa Bay Reef Keepers
Hospitality Award
I’m using Mars Aqua 165W for my 29g reef tank. My softies, LPS, and SPS corals are growing nicely. Best of all, they give you a 3 year warranty (I think) in case something goes wrong.
noob reefer
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wow thanks for the info, thats awesome i was actually looking at the VIPARSPECTRA at 1st but its looking like more people are using MARS and happy
noob reefer
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hmm 3yrs warranty is pretty good for the price of this unit, gets another ✔
noob reefer
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that looks amazing, is it easy to change uv?I've been running Mars Aqua units over my 125 now since 2015. In 2019 I changed all the diodes and added UV to them.
I can grow anything I wish, but most of the time I'm limited by my budget.
My friend I got into reefing bought a viparspectra 165 watt. I got him a rainbow bta and he almost killed it. It ran away to the side of the tank and I was like well it most not be high enough par.
He has a 40g breeder. It was about 10 inches above the water.
It was freaking 500 par on his sand bed. It was sooo high par that the bta was running away from the light.
My Hydra 32 12 inch above at 120%ish was only 250 par about 4 Inches below the water.
His $85 black box best my $366 Hydra when it comes to par levels.
arturoo1977
Active Member
Just this morning I was watching a BRS video about this black box lights, very complete review. Look for it, I dont have the link on hand...sorry
I've been running Mars Aqua units over my 125 now since 2015. In 2019 I changed all the diodes and added UV to them.
I can grow anything I wish, but most of the time I'm limited by my budget.
Aw poor thing lol. That tank looks awesome
arturoo1977
Active Member
Found it...
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
Most of the growth was without UV, but changing them is easy if you can soldier.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
There's been many discussions about this video and it's comparisons to more expensive light fixtures. The only thing that I had a beef about this video was the whole "fire" story.
I personally talked with Greg Carrol about this at reefapalooza in Chicago and he said it was not a fire, but smoke. The unit he witnessed this happen to wasn't a black box that has been sold for now since the early 2010's, but a completely different design and the manufacturer stopped making them back then. For those of us that know this, BRS's video and information in it was incorrect and deceptive.
Long before I even considered buying a black box, I researched anything and everything I could about them, including any reports of failures and more importantly, fires across many forums and the entire internet. Not one substantiated claim of one catching fire I could find.
Not a "fan boy" of these lights, but more importantly I'm just a hobbyist that advocates open and free discussion about any and all products that could potentially cause a catastrophic failure, especially a fire, that are fully documented and shared to everyone. That's what we all should be doing.
Nereaga
Community Member
I have run black boxes for about 4 months on a setup. Decent colors, growth; corals seemed happy. A lot of algae growth, IMO.
Switched to a Radion 5 weeks ago. Way better colors. Way less algae growth. I have more growth in 5 weeks at 35% intensity with the Radion than 4 months of the black boxes...
You get what you pay for. Black boxes will grow corals if you are on a budget.
Switched to a Radion 5 weeks ago. Way better colors. Way less algae growth. I have more growth in 5 weeks at 35% intensity with the Radion than 4 months of the black boxes...
You get what you pay for. Black boxes will grow corals if you are on a budget.
Flippers4pups
Fins up since 1993
That's awesome! Do you have any comparison pictures to share?
noob reefer
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amazing,My DT under Visparspectra 165w 26 months now
any faults in the 26 months?
anything that your not happy with?
