Chinese black box LED

[Team-Nano-reef]

I have a bio cube 14 with a cheapie 165w as it states led light about 12 inches above the water surface. Whites and colors at 40% the blues at 60%. Everything is doing pretty well my question is what is everyone’s opinion on them. Are they over kill? It works for my budget now but am hoping to upgrade to a more quality light soon. Sorry for the quality of the picture.

 

[Ron Reefman]

There is nothing wrong with the light you get from most black box led fixtures.

Just what do you hope to gain by switching to a "more quality" fixture? As far as everything in your tank, you won't really be getting anything that improves quality for the fish or corals. If it's the look of the fixture, the color control for your enjoyment or sunrise/sunset for your enjoyment, OK. But none of those will make any difference to the life inside the tank.

 

[Webslinger]

+1

 

[Phildago]

There is nothing wrong with the light you get from most black box led fixtures.

Just what do you hope to gain by switching to a "more quality" fixture? As far as everything in your tank, you won't really be getting anything that improves quality for the fish or corals. If it's the look of the fixture, the color control for your enjoyment or sunrise/sunset for your enjoyment, OK. But none of those will make any difference to the life inside the tank.

For me, a quality light would consist of a light with a good balance of leds and color. For example, a little red never hurts for making red and orange fish look great and UV definitely helps with the color pop in corals.

Some lights don't include red, so you lose out on that color. Other lights include too much and can cause algae growth.

Black boxes never have UV.

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

I have had black boxes since 2013, I have never liked an $800 light well enough to buy but I really like the radion g5 blues. My tank has always done well with black boxes. I did check them with a par meter and I added 4 T5's a couple years ago.

 

[Team-Nano-reef]

I have had black boxes since 2013, I have never liked an $800 light well enough to buy but I really like the radion g5 blues. My tank has always done well with black boxes. I did check them with a par meter and I added 4 T5's a couple years ago.

i Appreciate the feedback. It is a small system so maybe my total light cycle could be an issue I run the whole system blues and whites for a total of 6 hours. I don’t want algae problems maybe I should try and add some time overall for the “daylight” part of the cycle.

 

[Team-Nano-reef]

For me, a quality light would consist of a light with a good balance of leds and color. For example, a little red never hurts for making red and orange fish look great and UV definitely helps with the color pop in corals.

Some lights don't include red, so you lose out on that color. Other lights include too much and can cause algae growth.

Black boxes never have UV.

Maybe that’s what I’m missing is the UV light to get the full spectrum. Everything looks great but I will agree the change won’t be huge everything falls on water quality and the quality of coral.

 

[Porpoise Hork]

For me, a quality light would consist of a light with a good balance of leds and color. For example, a little red never hurts for making red and orange fish look great and UV definitely helps with the color pop in corals.

Some lights don't include red, so you lose out on that color. Other lights include too much and can cause algae growth.

Black boxes never have UV.

Some models do have UV LED diodes in them, most however do not. I believe the Mars Aqua 165w and Vipaspectra lights do but they only have 2 in the entire fixture. But then the same goes for AI Hydra 26's only having two UV diodes per fixture.

OP, what you need to look for are lights that specifically state they have violet 420nm LED's in them.

 

[gm5150]

That 165W may be overkill on that size of a tank IMO.
I would suggest a Kessil 160W TUNA BLUE or AI Prime.
With a Kessil, it's hard to mess up any balance in the light spectrum, it's a set it and forget it type system and that's a huge plus in my book.

Even this light may be up your ally:
P80 Marine
Or the
Pixie 30 Marine

 

[oreo54]

Maybe that’s what I’m missing is the UV light to get the full spectrum. Everything looks great....................

sooo.. what do you think is "missing"? And why do you think something is missing?

The black box is disproportionately large for your nano.. both physical and wattage wise (though w/ dimming not really an issue)

Depending a few factors a 59W AI Prime might be "good enough"..

 

[Team-Nano-reef]

sooo.. what do you think is "missing"? And why do you think something is missing?

The black box is disproportionately large for your nano.. both physical and wattage wise (though w/ dimming not really an issue)

Depending a few factors a 59W AI Prime might be "good enough"..

I guess I’m being critical cause of the size of the light taking away from the overall look. But you can’t beat the price and bonus I can dim the lights. Sometimes it’s hard what you see in the shops and on the internet to be totally content with your light.

 

[grisha]

I wish my spectra 165 had sunrise/sunset feature. Otherwise, good budget lights

 

[Phildago]

Some models do have UV LED diodes in them, most however do not. I believe the Mars Aqua 165w and Vipaspectra lights do but they only have 2 in the entire fixture. But then the same goes for AI Hydra 26's only having two UV diodes per fixture.

OP, what you need to look for are lights that specifically state they have violet 420nm LED's in them.

Violet. Not ultra violet though. Violet looks good, but ultraviolet is another level that none of them have.

The thing with ultra violet is that the human eye cannot see ultraviolet light well, if at all, so when the corals fluoresce under good ultra violet light it gives a great pop effect since there is much greater contrast with the surroundings.

For example, if you crank up the violet light the corals fluoresce but everything in the tank is glowing purple. With ultra violet light the tank would appear dark, but the corals would shine bright.

Ultraviolet is great for aesthetic purposes for this reason.

 

[Dana Riddle]

I have an Evergreen black box that generates some UV, mainly due to spillover into that range from the violet diodes. You'll get enough red from the 'white' LEDs and I've never really understood why many LED fixtures have additional red.
Bottom line - if your light generates enough photons, you're happy with the options the light offers, and your corals are growing, no need to upgrade.

 

[Phildago]

I have an Evergreen black box that generates some UV, mainly due to spillover into that range from the violet diodes. You'll get enough red from the 'white' LEDs and I've never really understood why many LED fixtures have additional red.
Bottom line - if your light generates enough photons, you're happy with the options the light offers, and your corals are growing, no need to upgrade.

I agree 100% with the no need. I only mention the uv and red for aesthetic and control.

I found that without any red diodes my maroon clowns looked purplish/black when my whites were appropriately low to not wash out colors of coral. While the tank was washed in blue purple.

These additions have allowed me to accentuate the colors I needed. I don't think it's necessary at all, but for my display I'd never do without these functions.

However for a frag tank, a black box would likely be my go to. Great power for price for surr

 

[Dana Riddle]

I agree 100% with the no need. I only mention the uv and red for aesthetic and control.

I found that without any red diodes my maroon clowns looked purplish/black when my whites were appropriately low to not wash out colors of coral. While the tank was washed in blue purple.

These additions have allowed me to accentuate the colors I needed. I don't think it's necessary at all, but for my display I'd never do without these functions.

However for a frag tank, a black box would likely be my go to. Great power for price for surr

I should have said no additional red needed for corals' photosynthesis. Yes, you are correct - light for fish display is a different matter. Your post made me think I should clarify.

 

[Phildago]

I should have said no additional red needed for corals' photosynthesis. Yes, you are correct - light for fish display is a different matter. Your post made me think I should clarify.

Oh yes, thank you. I should've been more clear then.

 

[Multra]

They will burn down your house and every house in a 2 mile radius! You need 4 gen5 radions above that tank!

 

[Dana Riddle]

They will burn down your house and every house in a 2 mile radius! You need 4 gen5 radions above that tank!

I appreciate your sense of humor! I started a thread about fires started by black boxes and asked for experiences and photos. There were several responses stating the boxes were smoking, but no photos of burned boxes. Smoke doesn't necessarily mean fire as a a resistor or LED going south can create a *small* cloud of stinky 'burning electrical' odor. I'm skeptical since I haven't seen any concrete evidence but could change my mind.
Jack Kent recently sent me a paper concerning do's and don'ts with LEDs. I will try to review that paper and write a synopsis or post a link to it if possible.

 

[BigRed78]

My Black boxes have both red and uv LEDs on them. Not violate ultra violate. Some blackboxes do have them. Mine are light time tunnle.