Are Chinese LED's bad/inferior?
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Peng
Active Member
Maxspect are Chinese. Are they inferior? I've had the Ebay boxes and I don't like them as much. They can definitely grow soft and LPS, and some acros but I wouldn't use them for an SPS dominant tank.
roberthu526
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The only reason people choose these black boxes are not because they are made in China but because they are dirt cheap comparing to the major brands. For a 5 feet tank I would have to spend over one grand to cover the whole tank with radios or kessil. But with the black box I can get it done withing $400. Yes l can't program it or control it over apex. But I don't want spend a fortune if I don't have to. It is just an added option for me. Bottom line is, it grows coral just fine and the colors look great. That's all it matters to me.
Dana Riddle
2500 Club Member
I can't speak about all Chinese LED luminaires but I saw some really nice SPS corals growing with very good coloration in tanks of a Seattle shop a while back. They were running these at 50% power to prevent bleaching issues.
I have used chinese black box before and they are quite good actually. Nothing much to complain even though it was manually dim with on/off function. Just for fun I built an arduino controller with no issue at all. Dimming works wonderfully and at 0% it totally shut off. I am using all chinese component for my current lighting for 48" and love it. They have improved in terms of build quality and controllability.
Dana Riddle
2500 Club Member
Beautiful Donovan!I have used chinese black box before and they are quite good actually. Nothing much to complain even though it was manually dim with on/off function. Just for fun I built an arduino controller with no issue at all. Dimming works wonderfully and at 0% it totally shut off. I am using all chinese component for my current lighting for 48" and love it. They have improved in terms of build quality and controllability.
Whewww, what a relief. Thanks Dana!
DH-Reef
Community Member
You can buy the DSLR with the money that you saved on the lights.I could really use a DSLR. The pics vary wildly for the same tank untouched.
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DH-Reef
Community Member
Interesting read, the "debate" of the inferiority of Chinese LEDs. After 4 years, I wonder if the folks that were planted so firmly on one side or the other, have adjusted their opinions. I started with "black box" LEDs and am still using them now, two 165w two-channel Viperspectras, dimmable with on/off timers (for each channel). I only have LPS, softies and a couple of BTAs, but these lights have performed really well. I am upgrading to Crees, 6-channels and the ability to do sunrise/sunset programming, but they will still be Chinese, Aqua Sanrise Plus R120 (Reef Breeders).
I looked into the Ecotech and AI, but just couldn't justify spending 3 times the money for similar performance and controllability. I'm also a former Marine, so I didn't feel like I had to spend triple the money to be patriotic either (I also run Jebao for return and water movement).
I looked into the Ecotech and AI, but just couldn't justify spending 3 times the money for similar performance and controllability. I'm also a former Marine, so I didn't feel like I had to spend triple the money to be patriotic either (I also run Jebao for return and water movement).
wooglins
Community Member
I have been using wifi programmable Reef Radience clones for 3 years. Both lost between 2 and 5 leds of the 55 total per unit. I am now in the process of replacing them with 16" wifi SBoxes. I moved for 250 watt Halide/VHO fixture that ran 10k XM's and actinic VHO. I would never go back to the crazy expensive bulb replacements, etc. Growth and color of all corals Soft, LPS, and SPS improved under the LED setup.
The black box lights have come a long way. Three years ago there were only a few choices if you wanted a top tier experience on the units, now there are many great choices. Bridgelux has been replaced with Epistar in the premium boxes, and color selection for the LED's used have been optimized by many suppliers. Cree is more powerful but you get more LED's in black box units. I know for a fact that with the SBox units you will kill your corals if you run them full tilt, even after acclimation in standard depth tanks. They are that bright. I am sure the same is true of Cree based setups. True Epistar LED's are far greater quality diodes than the Bridgelux units we used to find in nearly all older black box applications. Epistar is a high quality led manufactured in Taiwan.
The question is one of cost. I spend less than I did on bulb replacements and get new fixtures every 3 years now. Three years from now if my Sbox's are no longer cutting it I am certain there will be a better option and a similar low cost. There is also the amazing benefit of 20 minute ramping schedules which creates a very nice experience for both fish and corals and looks great to the humans viewing.
The black box lights have come a long way. Three years ago there were only a few choices if you wanted a top tier experience on the units, now there are many great choices. Bridgelux has been replaced with Epistar in the premium boxes, and color selection for the LED's used have been optimized by many suppliers. Cree is more powerful but you get more LED's in black box units. I know for a fact that with the SBox units you will kill your corals if you run them full tilt, even after acclimation in standard depth tanks. They are that bright. I am sure the same is true of Cree based setups. True Epistar LED's are far greater quality diodes than the Bridgelux units we used to find in nearly all older black box applications. Epistar is a high quality led manufactured in Taiwan.
The question is one of cost. I spend less than I did on bulb replacements and get new fixtures every 3 years now. Three years from now if my Sbox's are no longer cutting it I am certain there will be a better option and a similar low cost. There is also the amazing benefit of 20 minute ramping schedules which creates a very nice experience for both fish and corals and looks great to the humans viewing.
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SPSREEFS
Active Member
I have had the same reefbreeders fixture for almost 4 years. ZERO PROBLEMS!!! And I have grown 1 inch frags of SPS corals into large colonies with them. Many fixtures on ebay are the same fixture and work just fine!
I would love to try the new Orphek Atlantik V4. Beautiful fixture and I am curious as to the LEDs and different wavelengths.
However, a 24" fixture for 999.00????? No way man!!! Thats crazy nutts!!!
The Reefbreeders has huge heatsinks, silent fans, and is packed full of leds from one end to the other. This give excellent coverage. I am not a fan of puck led set ups. And with this many leds who needs Cree???
My fixture runs cool at 45% and grows Acropora like crazy. Almost 4 years with same fixture, no burn outs, runs like a champ and cool as a cucumber.....
I would love to try the new Orphek Atlantik V4. Beautiful fixture and I am curious as to the LEDs and different wavelengths.
However, a 24" fixture for 999.00????? No way man!!! Thats crazy nutts!!!
The Reefbreeders has huge heatsinks, silent fans, and is packed full of leds from one end to the other. This give excellent coverage. I am not a fan of puck led set ups. And with this many leds who needs Cree???
My fixture runs cool at 45% and grows Acropora like crazy. Almost 4 years with same fixture, no burn outs, runs like a champ and cool as a cucumber.....
Girthrockwel
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I started going through this thread but it's just too much. What would be a good budget light for a 75 gallon LPS and softie tank?
wooglins
Community Member
SuperBox 16 x2
Reefphd
Active Member
I know this is an old thread, but I ran into it while researching other experience with LED lights like Radions and inexpensive Chinese units.
My family moved to our new house and I had to tear down my Reef. When we got to the new Home, I decided to upgrade my lights.
I now run two Radion XR15 on my 24 x 24 x 48 Aquarium. I’ve had decent results with these lights, but not great results. A year prior, I had the tank setup with two Chinese boxes and I had amazing results. I would’ve gone with the XR30’s, but didn’t have $1600 to spend on lights.
Now, the argument I’ve read on here is that the Chinese boxes won’t last longer than 2-4 years, while the Radions should last 5-6 years.
I could purchase 5x’s more Chinese boxes and get better light penetration for the $1600 I would have to spend on Radions.
Also, people brag about controlling the lights from their phone. I literally set the lights on a schedule one time and never change it.
Regardless, it’s the animals that will tell you what they like. Here’s some pictures from my current tank with Radions and then my old Reef with the Chinese lights.
Radions
Chinese Lights
After one year with Chinese lights
My family moved to our new house and I had to tear down my Reef. When we got to the new Home, I decided to upgrade my lights.
I now run two Radion XR15 on my 24 x 24 x 48 Aquarium. I’ve had decent results with these lights, but not great results. A year prior, I had the tank setup with two Chinese boxes and I had amazing results. I would’ve gone with the XR30’s, but didn’t have $1600 to spend on lights.
Now, the argument I’ve read on here is that the Chinese boxes won’t last longer than 2-4 years, while the Radions should last 5-6 years.
I could purchase 5x’s more Chinese boxes and get better light penetration for the $1600 I would have to spend on Radions.
Also, people brag about controlling the lights from their phone. I literally set the lights on a schedule one time and never change it.
Regardless, it’s the animals that will tell you what they like. Here’s some pictures from my current tank with Radions and then my old Reef with the Chinese lights.
Radions
Chinese Lights
After one year with Chinese lights
Sea MunnKey
Valuable Member
Sorry don't mean to hijack this thread and I'm curious if there's anything like a Chinese made equivalent to the ReefBrites LED's out there at all? Thank you
Possibly something like these.
http://www.aquariumspecialty.com/biotek-marine-btm5ho-dimmable-20k-uv-led-retrofit-t5-lamp
They caught my eye as being a dimmable LED T5 drop in replacement bulb.
Sea MunnKey
Valuable Member
Thanks Porpoise Hork ... much affordable and the money saved can go towards a new coral addition ... lol
No problem.
Information on them is rather limited, but they do look promising as long as the color spectrum and PAR is at least equal to T5's
Information on them is rather limited, but they do look promising as long as the color spectrum and PAR is at least equal to T5's
Ryan115
Well-Known Member
SPSREEFS
Active Member
I have had the reefbreeders 32 inch fixture for 4 years. Not a single problem!! I believe having the LEDs speed across the entire area makes a huge difference. It runs at 32 percent Max and is 11 inches above the water surface. The tank is covered with 1/2 acrylic tops too. Completely covered. They grow acropora excellent. Get them on eBay now for 150.00!!
Sent from my XT1575 using REEF2REEF mobile app
Sent from my XT1575 using REEF2REEF mobile app
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