Cheap black box vs more expensive LED's question

[its.jojo]

I think the fire issue is overblown. There are too many black boxes runing with no issues. Just my take on it.

I agree. I didn’t do much research before I purchased my black boxes a few years ago. But really, how many actually caught on fire? Lol

I’ve since changed to kessils and more recently t5 + Kessils. Mostly because I like the shimmer of the kessils vs black boxes.

 

[hart24601]

Sadly the link doesn’t work anymore in my signature, r2r must have deleted it, but I won the 2014 (I think it was) acro growout here and it was using mostly black boxes for the majority of the contest. There were no lighting restrictions, mh t5 led all welcome and my black boxes won. Just goes to show it’s not a big deal.

 

[djray77]

I agree. I didn’t do much research before I purchased my black boxes a few years ago. But really, how many actually caught on fire? Lol

I’ve since changed to kessils and more recently t5 + Kessils. Mostly because I like the shimmer of the kessils vs black boxes.

I agree the kessil shimmer is pretty awesome. I do like my t5/kessil combo I just wish it was giving me thriving corals like the black boxes lol!

 

[djray77]

Sadly the link doesn’t work anymore in my signature, r2r must have deleted it, but I won the 2014 (I think it was) acro growout here and it was using mostly black boxes for the majority of the contest. There were no lighting restrictions, mh t5 led all welcome and my black boxes won. Just goes to show it’s not a big deal.

Wow thats awesome! Congrats on winning. I may really think about selling this higher end stuff and putting it in corals LOL!

 

[its.jojo]

Sadly the link doesn’t work anymore in my signature, r2r must have deleted it, but I won the 2014 (I think it was) acro growout here and it was using mostly black boxes for the majority of the contest. There were no lighting restrictions, mh t5 led all welcome and my black boxes won. Just goes to show it’s not a big deal.

I bet I could grow coral if only I’d stop changing everything in my system. (Execpt water. I never change water! Lol)

 

[sawdonkey]

I'm really believe that the big 800 dollar lights is just hype and a marketing scam lol! "you need these lights to grow sps crap" lol. I feel fooled in a way.

I don’t think many people think that way. I think most people are well aware that you can grow a sexy tank full of SPS with cheap lights. There are quite a few examples of that. I had 5 Ocean Revives and I paid $160 each. I had them for three years or so and grew out a 220 gallon tank full of SPS. I did have issues with power supplies, burned out fans, and burned out LEDs, but I got good at fixing them.

On my current build, I have Orpheks and I bought them because I wanted to see my tank under a broader range of colors, see it ramp up in the morning and down in the evening, and because they cover a wide area, and they are easily controllable if I want to adjust the color/brightness to snap a quick pic. I’m well aware that I could have success with cheap lights....but I wanted this extra stuff. I also didn’t want to work on my lights like I did with my old ones....but I still didn’t accomplish that, which is a whole different story.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

This was my tank grown u der viparspectra led black box I know I've only got montipora digi but it does grow it and I think quite well.

just dont let phosphates bottom out sps don't like it. The light will be 3yrs old in dec.

 

[its.jojo]

What about form factor? Kessils have a neat looking and different form factor. Radions look like black boxes to me. Lol.

 

[djray77]

Here another couple of pics. same coral, you can see where I cut the frag as its growing back in the center. I know its hard to tell in the blue lights.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

This was my tank grown u der viparspectra led black box I know I've only got montipora digi but it does grow it and I think quite well.

just dont let phosphates bottom out sps don't like it. The light will be 3yrs old in dec.

I admit I dont like the aesthetics of it. So I changed that with a little diy so it's a floating mount

 

[djray77]

Thats a great idea! using a TV mount for it. Nice setup!

 

[Ento-Reefer]

I am using a Reef Breeders photon V2 over my 29g and it is growing sps well. It is a step up from the black boxes but not as pricey as AI or Radion. This is my second photon fixture and I think they are great.

 

[justingraham]

Dj Ray

If your tanks are right next to each other just connect the sumps or make it one sump and use two return pumps to feed each tank

This way you have the same water

Lights are a key component in how a coral looks but I think parameters are more important
Phosphates most def nitrates second there is some thoughts on potassium also
Take a look into the zeovit or aquaforest systems the corals look great but you are keeping the corals right on the edge of failure with zero phosphates and nitrates to get those colors opposed to something like triton where to me it seems like the corals look healthier and although not as fluorescent a deeper color

 

[justingraham]

I just don’t think you can say that it’s 100% the lights that are making the coral look better to you when there are so many other variables

But whatever you decide you should be happy because you are growing corals that look good so who cares what grows them

 

[its.jojo]

I admit I dont like the aesthetics of it. So I changed that with a little diy so it's a floating mount

Can you share exactly which tv mount you are using. Perhaps a link? I’ve done something like this but had to modify one with welding etc... looks like that wasn’t necessary with the unit you have.

 

[sarcophytonIndy]

I have used a couple different LED's while in the hobby. Why does it seem I have the best results with the Chinese black boxes? I currently have 2 tanks set up side by side, one with the T5 Hybrid & A360x's (I just switched to Kessil from XR15g4) and the other tank has the black boxes. The tank with the Black boxes is thriving, the polyp extension and colors are so much better than the other tank. Is there more to this than just the lighting? I wanted to get other peoples experiences with similar lighting and if they have had great luck with the cheap lights over the more expensive lights? Could it be all a "name brand" thing? Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.
Just an FYI, I run both tanks exactly the same or very close as far as all my parameters.

New tank vs. old tank could make a big difference. Try swapping the lights between the two tanks and see if you still prefer the cheaper lights.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Thats a great idea! using a TV mount for it. Nice setup!

Thanks.

 

[lpsouth1978]

I used black boxes when I set up my 40b. They did a great job and everything was quite happy under them. I did however change to AI because I HATED he disco ball effect the black box produced. There was a TON of color separation and it was very distracting. The AI, Radion and especially Kessil lights reduce and/or remove this effect entirely.

 

[Flippers4pups]

This is my only concern, they catch my house on fire. I watched the BRS video on these and they were saying that the components are very cheap (I already knew this) and they can catch on fire which is scary. So is there a higher quality black box with better-made components?

The black box that they were discussing in that video was a Chinese manufacturer that stopped making light fixtures many , many years ago. It was constructed completely differently than the current black box design. The hobbyist that saw this happen reported "smoke", not a fire. I understand that where smoke there is fire mentality, but BRS had their facts wrong on that.

I spent a considerable amount of time researching black boxes before buying them. I couldn't find one instance on the internet of one catching on fire. Not one.

Brs's video on these was slanted against these, as they aren't sold by them.

The whole "UL" listed components lacking in these is a moot point. Most if not all overseas made electronics have "CE" certification. "UL" is only in the states. "CE" is world wide. Grab any electrical device in your home and see if it's marked with a "CE" mark. Guarantee most are.

 

[djray77]

I love the BRS videos don't get me wrong, but I sometimes wonder if the videos are a little skewed to what they sell? Not to go off-topic but I still wonder why they don't sell fritz products.