smatfarm LED questions

[ajiisss]

Hello I was looking at the smatfarm LEDs. I have few questions about it.

1) Can I connect it to my KASA power switch and use the switch to control on off timings? Like I don't want to use the timers built into it.
That way I can control the on off time with app.

2) When power is lost will the channel settings reset it self? or only time and date is resetted?

3) How does it compare to NIcrew LED light . Nicrew hyper reef seems to have more good reviews than smatfarm yet forums mentions smatfarm is superior.

4) Also what is an ideal setting on each channel for the light for LPS & softies only if any one using it?(can share if you SPS as well)

Could any one help?

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

I've owned nicrews and currently use smat farm. IME smat farm hands down. The nicrew can drop some decent par for the 150w model. Down side is that control is lacking, only can adjust white or blue channel and you need a separate controller for timer function. More reviews for nicrew because its been around longer.

Smat farm has built in timer w/ ramp up & ramp down. Also more individual channel control, IIRC you can control 6 channels total.

Search, there are mega threads for both lights here for more info.

My settings are below for max brightness in sunlight on schedule for 'mix' mode and I use 2x of the smat farm in an hybrid T5 application on a 4 ft tank. I also have a single over a 24x24 cube. I use the timer instead of an outlet switch to power off overnight.

 

[ajiisss]

I've owned nicrews and currently use smat farm. IME smat farm hands down. The nicrew can drop some decent par for the 150w model. Down side is that control is lacking, only can adjust white or blue channel and you need a separate controller for timer function. More reviews for nicrew because its been around longer.

Smat farm has built in timer w/ ramp up & ramp down. Also more individual channel control, IIRC you can control 6 channels total.

Search, there are mega threads for both lights here for more info.

My settings are below for max brightness in sunlight on schedule for 'mix' mode and I use 2x of the smat farm in an hybrid T5 application on a 4 ft tank. I also have a single over a 24x24 cube. I use the timer instead of an outlet switch to power off overnight.

Thankyou for the settings. follow up question. Will the settings remain same even if the light lose power from source ? Can i overiride the timers? say I want to turn it on when I want it outside the timer ?

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

No, on the timer for the smat farm. It wont 'loose' settings when power is lost but its designed to use the internal timer. Thus you have to set it up to practically use it with their internal timer to use it anyway. You cant just do one setting and forget it.

If you want to control off and on from a outlet use the nicrew. But then you wont get ramping or multiple channel control. The nicrew in its basic form is a on/off light, true set it and forget it.

 

[ajiisss]

No, on the timer for the smat farm. It wont 'loose' settings when power is lost but its designed to use the internal timer. Thus you have to set it up to practically use it with their internal timer to use it anyway. You cant just do one setting and forget it.

If you want to control off and on from a outlet use the nicrew. But then you wont get ramping or multiple channel control. The nicrew in its basic form is a on/off light, true set it and forget it.

THankyou ! which light is visually good when turned on?

 

[piranhaman00]

You cannot control smatfarm with on/off. Every time it is turned back on it cycled through each channel 0-100%. There is no reason to not use the timer function, works very well and it the whole point of using LEDs

 

[ajiisss]

You cannot control smatfarm with on/off. Every time it is turned back on it cycled through each channel 0-100%. There is no reason to not use the timer function, works very well and it the whole point of using LEDs

SO lets say you have guest and you want to show him the tank how do you turn it on?

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

SO lets say you have guest and you want to show him the tank how do you turn it on?

Manually going to sunrise setting.

 

[Lbrdsoxfan]

THankyou ! which light is visually good when turned on?

I prefer the smat farm. I'm into shimmer.

 

[piranhaman00]

SO lets say you have guest and you want to show him the tank how do you turn it on?

If your lights are naturally in an off cycle your guest misses out, I would make a light cycle (day and night) and stick to it

 

[ajiisss]

If your lights are naturally in an off cycle your guest misses out, I would make a light cycle (day and night) and stick to it

What I found is if you chose the mode "instant" it can be turned off and on using a power switch . Yes it does cycle through all the lights during a power on but that's only for few seconds

 

[OrchidMiss]

There is a "dimmer" setting. I have mine set to turn lights up to my optimal photography settings, rather than using it as a dimmer. Works really well if you do it that way. You could also use this to "turn on" when you want to show off the tank.

 

[ajiisss]

There is a "dimmer" setting. I have mine set to turn lights up to my optimal photography settings, rather than using it as a dimmer. Works really well if you do it that way. You could also use this to "turn on" when you want to show off the tank.

Yes I think they renamed it as "instant"

 

[OrchidMiss]

Yes I think they renamed it as "instant"

Sounds like enough other people had the same idea I did then lol
Mine still says dimmer