Nothing exactly specific question wise at the moment- but I’m that’ll change! I’m planning FOWLR to start for a bit then moving into softies and maybe some LPS a ways out. I’m sure I’ll have some questions as far as rock suppliers go, specific fish, and I do plan to drill my own tank .
www.reef2reef.com
I’m working on a 90g display. No exact plan for livestock yet- lots of ideas though. I’m trying to plan ahead as best I can, I really do not want to upgrade and rebuy things. Lights are the biggest struggle for me right now. Having a hard time wrapping my brain around why on earth LED fixtures cost so darn much.
www.reef2reef.com
I understand the sticker shock there. I myself bought a couple of Chinese black box LEDs off of Amazon (ViparSpectra 165w). Two of them with hanging kits were just about the the same price of one A.I. prime or Hydra, one X15, or one kessil puck. They definitely grow LPS in the lower 1/3 of tank and SPS in the upper reaches. They unfortunately are very direct light and leave alot of shadowing, and apart from on/off timers and intensity they aren't controllable. I now need to either wait till I have funds for upgrades or add in a couple retro kits of dimmable t5's for better diffuse light and a more natural lighting schedule than on and off at set intensity.I’m working on a 90g display. No exact plan for livestock yet- lots of ideas though. I’m trying to plan ahead as best I can, I really do not want to upgrade and rebuy things. Lights are the biggest struggle for me right now. Having a hard time wrapping my brain around why on earth LED fixtures cost so darn much.
here’s my build thread:
Build Thread - 90g Build in Montana
So, it was suggested I start a build thread for my setup. This is going to likely be a thread that doesn’t get added to often for now, but as the project progresses I will add to it. Progress will be slow, somewhat by design and somewhat by default. I am not one that typically just tosses things...
www.reef2reef.com
Yeah, I want to be able to control them aside from on/off. I don’t need WiFi (though the idea is fun), but to be able to ramp the fixtures would be ideal. I’ve been looking at the ocean revived and they seem to have a bit more controllability without being overly fancy.
Thanks for this! The Noopsyche are catchy for sure. I’ve been seeing the reviews for these. I really like the Hydras but $800 is a tough pill to swallow. So these might just be a good compromise.A few other less expensive options that receive good reviews here on R2R are the Noopsyche and the Photon V2. Both these options come with more controllability than standard black boxes and a nicer price tag than big name brands.
Here is a link to @Manose study of black box lights. A lot of good information here and conducted scientifically, not just anecdotally.
The real Black Box light study
Some things that I have learned in reef keeping is the expense involved. One of the most important and most expensive things we purchase is our lights, and having many options to consider from such brands as Kessil,Radion,AI,Geisman and a few others. These are the big boys in the lighting...
