New Line of Marineland LEDs?

tjgr34

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I've been looking around at Marineland's LED strips and it seems like they recently released a new line of lights. I've listed some characteristics below, but hope that someone else can provide more details.

Marineland Reef Capable LED Gen. 1:

LED Wattage: ?
Controls: Rocker switch (Blue, Blue and White, Off)

Marineland Reef Capable LED Gen. 2:

LED Wattage: 1 Watt?
Controls: Separate Blue and White Channels w/ independent timers.
Lumens (24-36"): 1670

Marineland Reef LED Gen. 1:

LED Wattage: 1 watt
Controls: Separate Blue and White Channels w/ independent timers
Lumens (24-36"): 2720
"20% brighter than previous models!"





 

zesty

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yeah, don't expect to grow any corals. The 1w leds just aren't powerful enough.
 
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tjgr34

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yeah, don't expect to grow any corals. The 1w leds just aren't powerful enough.

I've seen this sentiment a lot and have found it incorrect through personal experience. My dad has been running the first generation Reef Capable LEDs on a 150 show tank (72 x 18 x 29) and then a 150 cube (36 x 36 x 26?) and has had good success with softies and LPS (frogspawn) in the bottom third of the tank. However, he's also got a Monti. cap. in the top third of the cube that isn't dying, but definitely isn't thriving.

I'm not looking for opinions on the lights' merits, but was hoping someone could help with information about changes between models or share their own experiences with them.
 

zesty

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Fair enough. I don't have any experience other than with the white one I had over my cichlid tank a while back.
 

hybridazn

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I've had a couple of the reef capable fixtures and I wouldn't use them unless I am growing softies/ some assorted zoas. I compare these fixtures to a 2 bulb t5 fixture as for performance and features.
 
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tjgr34

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I've had a couple of the reef capable fixtures and I wouldn't use them unless I am growing softies/ some assorted zoas. I compare these fixtures to a 2 bulb t5 fixture as for performance and features.

Thanks for the input. Do you know anything about the new model?
 

clam

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Ive been using the 36"for 6 months along with a 2 bulb t5 with ati purple plus and blue plus bulbs, and is doing excellent with softies, lps, and clams, and does ok with sps, real good for montis, slow growth for the one acro i have
 

ReefLEDLights

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If you want to replicate a deep reef or FOWLR they may be OK.

Dated 1 watt LEDs are to be polite inefficient and produce much more heat per lumin/par/lux.

DaytimeLUX.jpg


This chart was done by Fossa and Nilsen in the Modern Coral Reef Aquarium Vol 1.

100000 Lux is close to what a 400 watt MH offers our reef tanks.

I seriously doubt these lights are close to even a 175 watt MH.

Yes these numbers can be confusing but so is their Lumins claim...What is the PAR at 12", 24" and 36"...This is usefulk as its recommended to have at least 100 PAR on the sand bed.

I like 200 for clams and anemones.

Bill
 

OceanRevive

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I had a unit before I completely swapped out of MH & t5 for all leds. It was over a small tank (45g) and in less than a year the legs and power plug rusted away and failed. Then I bought EverGrow and OceanRevive fixtures and found how good an inexpensive led fixture can be. Then I started working for OR.
 
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tjgr34

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ReefLEDLights- thanks for that nifty chart and the handy comparisons. Do you know anything about the changes that Marineland has made between the older "dated" Reef Capable model and the newer Reef LED model?

It was over a small tank (45g) and in less than a year the legs and power plug rusted away and failed.
Did you have your fixture over open water or a lid? This seems like a common problem with these lights. I was hoping that maybe Marineland had done something to address the issue in the new model, and that someone on this thread could confirm new features.

I found the following on the DFS product page that suggest they may have done so; "Push and twist DC Jack into DC Socket to ensure water resistant connection." This suggests that they've at least upgraded to a water resistant plug.
 

ReefLEDLights

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@ReefLEDLights- thanks for that nifty chart and the handy comparisons. Do you know anything about the changes that Marineland has made between the older "dated" Reef Capable model and the newer Reef LED model?

My Apologies I dont follow product changes in Chinese LED Manufacturers. The 1 and 3 watt LEDs that most Chinese companies vary greatly in spectrum, quality and intensity.

For the best lighting I would only recommend the latest 5 and 3 watt Cree or Luxion LEDs. I really like that Cree bins their LEDs for Spectrum as well as intensity so you can choose whats optimal for the Reef.

Bill
 
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tjgr34

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I really like that Cree bins their LEDs for Spectrum as well as intensity so you can choose whats optimal for the Reef.
What is binning? Also, I'm not refuting the idea that Crees or Luxions offer much better performance than whatever brand Marineland is using. I was more hoping to find information on what exactly that brand is and what changes have been made to the new fixture.
 

ReefLEDLights

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What is binning? Also, I'm not refuting the idea that Crees or Luxions offer much better performance than whatever brand Marineland is using. I was more hoping to find information on what exactly that brand is and what changes have been made to the new fixture.

There are 28 Different Colour Variations and 5 Intensity Variations of the Cree Cool White. Choosing the best ones matters. Major manufacturers either by their volume or desire to cut costs usually do not choose specific Bins of LEDs. Take this one step lower and companies producing knockoff bridgelux LEDs do not specify the exact intensity or colour of any given production run of LEDs...ONLY Cool White...

If your looking for a budget fixture that will last at least a year I would purchase one from a company that honors its warranty. Also research the reputation of any fixture before purchase.

LEDs offer more choices than MH or T5 but in the end you normally get what you pay for and wind up spending more in the long run if you go cheap.

Bill
 
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tjgr34

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There are 28 Different Colour Variations and 5 Intensity Variations of the Cree Cool White
I'm still not clear on what binning is. Does it just mean that they sort through the LEDs that are nominally the same (e.g. Cool White) and subdivide them by more subtle color and intensity characteristics before marketing the LEDs?

And, again, I'm not looking for advice one which fixture to choose. I don't mean to be rude about this, but my goal for the thread is to figure out what changes Marineland has made to their new model. People on this board seem to hate Marineland lights so much that they can't have an objective discussion about features and metrics, though. It's kind of sad.
 

ReefLEDLights

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I'm still not clear on what binning is. Does it just mean that they sort through the LEDs that are nominally the same (e.g. Cool White) and subdivide them by more subtle color and intensity characteristics before marketing the LEDs?

And, again, I'm not looking for advice one which fixture to choose. I don't mean to be rude about this, but my goal for the thread is to figure out what changes Marineland has made to their new model. People on this board seem to hate Marineland lights so much that they can't have an objective discussion about features and metrics, though. It's kind of sad.

Looks Matter

Here is a pic of two different Cree Cool Whites.

0cc23e3b-622a-4f84-9d48-b1281463f251_zps7c6e3584.png


Not that there is any thing wrong with using a more Yellow White LED as long as you compensate with more <470nm and accept possible nuisance algae preference to this spectrum.

I cannot comment personally on Marineland fixtures as given their reputation I would not gamble my corals on them. Never purchased one but did inspect one and had to ask...This is UL????

Take this a step further, I have a Red Carpet Anemone and would not trust a "Value" Chinese Imports Spectrum to provide it with proper lighting.

Just remember most posts on the internet offer sparse metrics. Especially when it comes to LED Lighting.

The proof is in the pudding and I have yet to see an established long term reef using Marineland LEDs. Their changes from my consumer perspective are moot as I would want to see their lights long term over an established reef first.

A lot post on good growth with X LED costing less than $200 but I have yet to see a Basketball or even a Chicago Soft Ball size colony under these lights.

Just My Opinion

Bill
 
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tjgr34

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Here is a pic of two different Cree Cool Whites.

Whoa! That's crazy. What makes them produce such different colors? Is it just a bunch of small differences in material composition within a given batch? Along that same line, is the difference between "Premium" and "Regular" that premium is closer to the originally intended output wavelength?
 

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