Black box led lights

mandi29221 · Jan 3, 2020

I run 2 aqua mars 14inches from top of water. I grow algae. Seriously i say this with all respect they are crap to me. They are 2yrs old ive have algae issues ever since. Cant grow anything my anemone is alive but its went though hell. I run my lights on blue at 10%. Cant wait to by radions personally go for the better lights.

Uncle99 · Jan 4, 2020

None
Happy with their performance.
Simple in form, just two channels, hard to go wrong..
If you like tons of control, Ramps, moonlights, and special effects, this is not the light for you.
Corals just want light, intense and providing the right spectrum.

SoggyNW · Jan 4, 2020

I'm running a viparSpectra 300w over my 40 breeder and my SPS are all growing. However I might swap some diodes soon, the blue is like Windex.

FactoryKTMmotocross46 · Jan 4, 2020

I was using galaxyhydro 165w but they werent available recently so I got a arknoah brand which is exactly the same. I have more pics on the build thread. The blues are 100% and the whites around 60%, tuned with par meter. 4x T5 blue plus supplemental. The only negative I have is how super focused the beams are, I can have 500par and 2 inches away only 150. However, I can't afford not to buy them, lol.

noob reefer · Jan 4, 2020

Uncle99 said:
None
Happy with their performance.
Simple in form, just two channels, hard to go wrong..
If you like tons of control, Ramps, moonlights, and special effects, this is not the light for you.
Corals just want light, intense and providing the right spectrum.

do you have the timer version?
but yeah i def want what the corals are more happy with in the new tank,

so not fussed about the controls

think im closer and closer to buying black box every minute haha hmm

sde1500 · Jan 4, 2020

mandi29221 said:
I run 2 aqua mars 14inches from top of water. I grow algae. Seriously i say this with all respect they are crap to me. They are 2yrs old ive have algae issues ever since. Cant grow anything my anemone is alive but its went though hell. I run my lights on blue at 10%. Cant wait to by radions personally go for the better lights.

Corals utilize a lot in the blue spectrum. I can’t say I’d blame the light if you’re barely running blues.

happyhourhero · Jan 4, 2020

Have used SB reef lights for about 4 years now. Have been happy with them and haven’t had any issues at all. I have ordered a photon v2+ tho which gets in Monday and I am thrilled to be getting rid of 5 cords.

Skynyrd Fish · Jan 4, 2020

An LFS by me runs ocean revive T247’s. They have great looking sps. The owner also has told me two of his main sps suppliers use these lights on their tanks. Check them out.

Nicholas Dushynsky · Jan 4, 2020

Uncle99 said:
My DT under Visparspectra 165w 26 months now

Great looking tank can I ask what height your lights are and what settings please. This is mine 9 inches above and 35 blue 3 white. Over 3 years on the same light now

Wolf89 · Jan 4, 2020

mandi29221 said:
I run 2 aqua mars 14inches from top of water. I grow algae. Seriously i say this with all respect they are crap to me. They are 2yrs old ive have algae issues ever since. Cant grow anything my anemone is alive but its went though hell. I run my lights on blue at 10%. Cant wait to by radions personally go for the better lights.

You ARE growing algae and your corals are not happy because of the fact you have so little blue!! You should have your blues at 60-100% and your white at have or lower of your blues! Trust me, algae prefers white lights and this is the root cause of your problem.

pscheel2 · Jan 4, 2020

Skynyrd Fish said:
An LFS by me runs ocean revive T247’s. They have great looking sps. The owner also has told me two of his main sps suppliers use these lights on their tanks. Check them out.

They are out of business now. They were pretty good lights

S2G · Jan 4, 2020

Uncle99 said:
My DT under Visparspectra 165w 26 months now

That looks good. What intensities are you using?

JoeJoesonoma · Jan 4, 2020

Ive been using a pair of Mars Aqua 165w for about 3 yrs. These lights are great for someone on a budget. I just started growing sps in my tank and ive had no issues. Later i incorporated a 4ft dual t5 ho to take care of shadowing. But overall very satisfied

AquaBiomics · Jan 4, 2020

Flippers4pups said:
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.

Well said. FWIW I've bought over 20 BB leds, and some have been in operation for over 5 yrs. Various no-name brands. I've experienced 3 dimmer failures (after about 5 yrs) and no other problems. Certainly no fire or smoke.

Multra · Jan 4, 2020

Wolf89 said:
You ARE growing algae and your corals are not happy because of the fact you have so little blue!! You should have your blues at 60-100% and your white at have or lower of your blues! Trust me, algae prefers white lights and this is the root cause of your problem.

That and it looks like there are 2 puffers in there, they are nitrate factories.