Lights which one is better

[ZombieEngineer]

I find it interesting that in some areas like lighting anything from amazon or China is considered "cheap" by many people. But then you turn around and look at dosing pumps and Kamoer is highly recommended brand, that comes from china.

China has a small number of reputable brands that have a good enough track record and enough local use that warranties can actually be fulfilled and quality is close enough to American made products that someone on a budget might consider them. Reefing examples include Kamoer, Bubble Magus, NooPsyche, ReefBreeders, some Jebao, etc.

The problem with no name amazon equipment is they are very often lower quality reverse engineered attempts at a more reputable brands design and more often than not if something goes wrong after 30 days, you are **** outta luck because chinese companies pass warranty onto the distributor. If the chineae brand isn't large enough to have local repair and warranty centers, they will just ignore your warranty claim and do nothing for you.

 

[Dburr1014]

Noopsyche and reef breeders both Chinese

Reefbreeders do have a warrenty. Just sayin.

 

[Pntbll687]

China has a small number of reputable brands that have a good enough track record and enough local use that warranties can actually be fulfilled and quality is close enough to American made products that someone on a budget might consider them. Reefing examples include Kamoer, Bubble Magus, NooPsyche, ReefBreeders, some Jebao, etc.

The problem with no name amazon equipment is they are very often lower quality reverse engineered attempts at a more reputable brands design and more often than not if something goes wrong after 30 days, you are **** outta luck because chinese companies pass warranty onto the distributor. If the chineae brand isn't large enough to have local repair and warranty centers, they will just ignore your warranty claim and do nothing for you.

I agree that some are cheaply made and warranties are non existent.

But the buyer knows there is no warranty going into this. There's no warranty listed on the nicrew page on amazon. People just have to weigh the options, is no warranty worth the price savings??

$949 for an xr30pro, or buy 5 Noopsyches K7V3? I'm pretty sure someone could get the same spread and par and save money buying multiple Noopsyche than a single Radion.

My point is not to bash the high end lights! Hell, I run a kessil ap700 over my frag tank (traded 20 frags for it).

I just don't see a warranty filling in the gap in price from Noopsyche/Nicrew to radion/AI. I know the more expensive lights have apps built in and what not, but again that doesn't add hundreds of dollars of value to a light.

Personally, I'd be willing to buy Nicrew lights, knowing that I'm out of luck if anything happens. Am I gonna be more ticked if my $200 amazon light craps out after 15 months, or my $949 radion???

 

[nereefpat]

I have two Nicrew 150w on my 60 breeder and they are insane. The par is nuts and they come with mounts for 200 dollars. Customer support was not difficult by any means and the controller for them is only 45 dollars. No they dont have bells and whistles but they dont feel cheap by any means and have the power to grow anything.

Nicrew has been making pretty decent lights for freshwater planted tanks for years. I wouldn't be afraid to try that brand for a reef, if I needed something cheap.

 

[Tuan’s Reef]

buy cheap , buy twice, or 3 times. These light will work fine for starters , then you'll want some customize your settings which these will prove to be frustrating at best. If you are just want to dip your toes and see if this hobby for you , then that might make sense.

 

[X-37B]

That's cool.

My point was more that people knock Smatfar/Nicrew lights as "cheap", but the premium branded light at $250ea has issues with melting lenses.

Watts are watts and as long as the other light's can match spectrum, they are a legit offering. The warranty period of some premium branded lights could be a deciding factor, but most of these lights will last a year no problem (which is the standard warranty offered by others).

And if the OP is looking at a nicrew 150w light, he/she would probaby be looking at xr30/hydra64/sky or multiples of hydra32/xr15 to get the coverage they need. The price difference and savings may be worth the lack of warranty.

Personally, I'm a generation (maybe 2) behind the times. I recently switch out my metal halide and power compact fixture for some kessil360we with t5 hybrid. I got them used off of facebook. I knew I was buying used and anything could happen to them in only a few days. I could have bought the nicrew lights and got at least a 30 day warranty period from amazon.

I find it interesting that in some areas like lighting anything from amazon or China is considered "cheap" by many people. But then you turn around and look at dosing pumps and Kamoer is highly recommended brand, that comes from china.

I also use a $40 Nicrew classic on my 45 frags fuge sump. It grows macro and coralline algae very well. I also use the fuge to bring real live rock thats dead back to life
Its the best $40 I have spent in a long time in this hobby.

 

[Bucs20fan]

Nicrew has been making pretty decent lights for freshwater planted tanks for years. I wouldn't be afraid to try that brand for a reef, if I needed something cheap.

It’s worked wonderfully, got an acro Mille that’s doubled in size in a month from then sitting in over 400 par.

 

[FMF0331]

just some mushrooms and enemies and stuff like that

I would love to plop a few of my enemies in my tank.
Good luck with the lights

 

[anthonygf]

In the range you're looking at, I would get 2 Viparspectra 165W models. Lots of folks have success with those lights.

Those Viparspectra's are a good choice. I had the 300W over my 46 gallon bowfront 7 years ago. I know that is overkill, the light was a wide as the tank which is what I wanted. Then I got 2 Kessil A360W on a great sale to try out. Not much difference in light output. Their (Vipar) customer service is the best, I dropped my remote in the water the first day I set it up. I called the company and was willing to buy a remote, I even told them I dropped it in the tank and they sent me a new remote free. Can't beat that!

 

[Dbichler]

Yes, but they are reasonably high quality for being so. They at least still use good diodes and have a decent track record on R2R for growing coral well. I personally use Radions and wouldn't get either but if I was on a strict budget I might consider those chinese lights.

I use 6 noopsyche I was just saying not all Chinese lights are bad my previous lights were the first reefbreeders

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

In the range you're looking at, I would get 2 Viparspectra 165W models. Lots of folks have success with those lights.

This is the light I was going to suggest as well if you're set on LEDs. Another option is a 4 bulb T5 fixture.

 

[MaxTremors]

That's cool.

My point was more that people knock Smatfar/Nicrew lights as "cheap", but the premium branded light at $250ea has issues with melting lenses.

Watts are watts and as long as the other light's can match spectrum, they are a legit offering. The warranty period of some premium branded lights could be a deciding factor, but most of these lights will last a year no problem (which is the standard warranty offered by others).

And if the OP is looking at a nicrew 150w light, he/she would probaby be looking at xr30/hydra64/sky or multiples of hydra32/xr15 to get the coverage they need. The price difference and savings may be worth the lack of warranty.

Personally, I'm a generation (maybe 2) behind the times. I recently switch out my metal halide and power compact fixture for some kessil360we with t5 hybrid. I got them used off of facebook. I knew I was buying used and anything could happen to them in only a few days. I could have bought the nicrew lights and got at least a 30 day warranty period from amazon.

I find it interesting that in some areas like lighting anything from amazon or China is considered "cheap" by many people. But then you turn around and look at dosing pumps and Kamoer is highly recommended brand, that comes from china.

I think the problem is that you’re conflating ‘Chinese made’ with ‘low quality’, they are not the same thing. There are plenty of well made Chinese products, to lump all Chinese products into the ‘low quality’ category is, well…

 

[Buddy77]

Or 2 of theses

 

[Buddy77]

Which one should I get for any other recommendations about the same price

Or 2 of theses

 

[Buddy77]

First or 2nd option. Leaning towards the first light. 3rd is too small imo

Or 2 of theses

 

[Spare time]

I've seen the smart farm lights in person recently and I like them. Two of those would be fine, but I'd lean towards noopsyche if you can go for that

 

[Buddy77]

I've seen the smart farm lights in person recently and I like them. Two of those would be fine, but I'd lean towards noopsyche if you can go for that

What about this or would I be better off just buying two brand new smart farm

 

[Buddy77]

What about these or two of the smart farm lights

 

[ZombieEngineer]

What about these or two of the smart farm lights

That's not a bad price. For your 75 gallon, you honestly only need two. You could use a third, but the shadowing from the center brace makes it very inefficient.

If you can find it, for the same $300 you can often get two AI Hydra 32s which would work equally as well PAR and spectrum wise, but have a MUCH better user interface and controller.

 

[BanjoBandito]

Reefbreeders do have a warrenty. Just sayin.

I run a Photon V2 and just PAR'd it in my 80 gallon cube. It's right on the money....I get 400 PAR at the surface and 150 on the bottom of a 24" tank. It's a super nice light, even if it is a rebranded import. They ain't cheap anymore though....I got my 24" for like sub 400, now they are 550+. The shipping from overseas is killing importers.