Cheap black box vs more expensive LED's question

[Flippers4pups]

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.

The videos are definitely slanted towards marketing for selling what they sell. Makes sense right?

Don't get me wrong I have nothing against BRS and I purchase from them frequently, but even with their educational videos they are a business and trying to promote what they sell. Nothing wrong with that. And as with anybody that does videos, there's always going to be times where facts are a little foggy or incorrect.

 

[NShirke]

I used mars aqua before switching to Radions. I had blues on 80%, whilst white/red/green on 20%. It rapidly caused algae bloom in my tank, causing me switch to Radion.

 

[Flippers4pups]

I used mars aqua before switching to Radions. I had blues on 80%, whilst white/red/green on 20%. It rapidly caused algae bloom in my tank, causing me switch to Radion.

Respectfully, sounds like a water parameter issue.

 

[NShirke]

Totally not disagreeing! Yes, definitely it’s also related to water parameter. But moving away from black box light to Radion have reduced algae growth rate.

 

[Cory]

I used mars aqua before switching to Radions. I had blues on 80%, whilst white/red/green on 20%. It rapidly caused algae bloom in my tank, causing me switch to Radion.

Its the red leds. Green algae love red leds. Not surprising as the opposite of red is green. I can grow a rediculous amount of hair algae on an ats screen with just red leds.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

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.

This is the mount I used,

I powder coated it to make it similar to the wall. And due to having an intank filter box, I had to extend it by making an aluminium plate to pick up the mounts and centre it over my rock scape. I spaced them off with 20mm threaded spacers to clear the fan. I then had to drill the end hole to rotate it pointing downwards. I Have a fabrication department at work and could have just made one but for the price it's a no brainer really. Also I could have left it black and moved the tank backwards to save a bit of hastle but I don't mind a challenge.
As you can see from the photo I have made a wood effect vinyl, covered perspex box to stop light spill and hide the light , I also spaced that off with little pillars that screw into the screw holes on the covers, this allows the vents to be clear.

 

[S2G]

Yep, you can get the same results with black boxes as with Radions. But reefing this days is 99% about "LOOK AT WHAT I HAVE, ITS EXPENSIVE" and 1% about corals.

 

[S2G]

Tbh I think it's all in our head and bragging rights. I love the clean look of kessils but there's no way I'm spending that on lights. I'd love to have their refugium light as well but there's no way im spending that when a ufo will do the same if not better. To each their own, but I think we've become too latest the greatest oriented.

 

[djray77]

I dunno, pics dont lie.

 

[Bryce M.]

I dunno, pics dont lie.

Hey! if you sell your brand name lights for more black boxes give me a message! I need new lights for a 150!

 

[djray77]

Hey! if you sell your brand name lights for more black boxes give me a message! I need new lights for a 150!

I will for sure, and I'll have a aqualife T5 fixture for sale also

 

[DesertReefT4r]

Look at these 2 corals for example, which looks better to you guys? These are the same coral BTW.

IMO the second one looks better with the different color contrast.

 

[Backreefing]

Big brand LEDs do out perform black box LEDs in almost every way , buttttt Black box LEDs are powerful and affordable ( that is hard to beat ). Black boxes do have problems . Big brands like radon$ and ke$$ell$ Are way to much $$ for me . I have children, so $2,000 for a couple of lights bahaha.
I currently run a black box with t5s front and back IMO this is affordable and effective.
BTW I’m switching to metal halide/ t5 combined. I gotten them on the cheap .

 

[djray77]

IMO the second one looks better with the different color contrast.

The black box wins another vote lol!

 

[djray77]

Big brand LEDs do out perform black box LEDs in almost every way , buttttt Black box LEDs are powerful and affordable ( that is hard to beat ). Black boxes do have problems . Big brands like radon$ and ke$$ell$ Are way to much $$ for me . I have children, so $2,000 for a couple of lights bahaha.
I currently run a black box with t5s front and back IMO this is affordable and effective.
BTW I’m switching to metal halide/ t5 combined. I gotten them on the cheap .

I guess I feel fooled because I bought Radion XR30G4's a couple of years ago and was thinking to myself, I'm gonna be able to grow anything, the SPS is gonna be growing like weeds. To my disappointment, it didn't happen after spending 2k on lights. So then I tried the XR15G4's with diffusers and thought maybe these will be better, nope I was wrong. So I have just come to terms with I cannot operate the radion lights how they should be lol!! Let me try the Kessil's as they seem simple set and forget type of light. Meanwhile, the black box tank is growing at twice the rate lol.

 

[Dkeller_nc]

I guess I feel fooled because I bought Radion XR30G4's a couple of years ago and was thinking to myself, I'm gonna be able to grow anything, the SPS is gonna be growing like weeds. To my disappointment, it didn't happen after spending 2k on lights. So then I tried the XR15G4's with diffusers and thought maybe these will be better, nope I was wrong. So I have just come to terms with I cannot operate the radion lights how they should be lol!! Let me try the Kessil's as they seem simple set and forget type of light. Meanwhile, the black box tank is growing at twice the rate lol.

I think this might be the issue. That's not a criticism of you at all - lots and lots of reefers (especially new ones) may think that lots of high quality equipment = immediate success. That's definitely not the case. Tank husbandry plays a far greater role, and one can grow even very sensitive corals with an adequate amount of light from a T5HO fixture, a skimmer, a heater, and a couple of flow pumps.

 

[Mono]

We all know BRS is a business and they are marketing certain products but they do a decent job of representing the issues they present. For example, they did give a shout out to black boxes in their latest Best of 2019 Lighting Video.

I don't run any high end LEDs like most people solely because of the price. BUT I would also like the technology to settle down a little before I drop the big bucks. I don't want to drop $2000 and regret it 6 months later when the "new" chips come out. I'm patiently waiting for the day for LED's to become as boring as T5s.

I went with ATI T5's on one tank and a less well-known Black Boxes on the other. I was a little disappointed with the build quality of the black boxes. If I were to do it again, I would buy a more popular black box brand.

I think the T5's are a little more cost effective on a larger tank. For example, 2' tube costs basically the same as a 5' tube. And if I had a smaller tank where I just needed 1 puck I might go with a Kessil or a Radion but the cost quickly adds up with larger tanks.

I've been thinking about putting together a light rack with retrofit T5's to supplement my black boxes and possibly adding some LED Bars to my T5's.

 

[djray77]

Has anyone heard/tried these lights? they look like a nice sleeker design?

 

[Backreefing]

There is two problems with black box LEDs , the manufacturer could step up. But not at this time.
1 the hot spot dead center can be as much as 700+ par and 200 a few inches away
2 the rainbow affect
If black boxes came with the LEDs grouped behind large lenses that would solve 1 and 2 at what $50-75 more bucks ?
Plus black boxes tend to have just one color on the blue channel ( like 460,470 nm) .
But radons wew that price.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

It’s like comparing a regular Walmart speaker to a Bose sound system. Apples to oranges . Will both do their job? Yeah absolutely . Can you tell and see the difference ? Oh yeah , you bet !