Popbloom RL90

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

My Popbloom RL90s just came in last night

2 lights, arm mounted eith they arm kit that is included with that package. Over a 75G DT

Switched from 4 T5 ATI Bulbs in a very old rest on tank fixture. 2 actinic, 1 white, 1 grow purple.

The lights are mounted at the lowest position on the arm as any higher there is a lot of spill, the lowest seems to be the best.

My tank is rimmed, and the arms fit it just fine, but since my tank is against the wall it took a little trial and error to adjust them correctly to stop leaning.

The app they use is a smart home app, that at first was a liiiittle confusing, but seeing what they are doing to offer the customizability and automation I am impressed. They were easy to connect (I broadcast 2.4 and 5ghz), and once connected to the app the profile for the lights is auto loaded with programs and options that are named for and relevant to reefing, such as coral acclimation automation, programs based on tripic and tenperate seasons, lps softy and sps dominate, and some high intensity settings that have different color tenperatures, anti algae light schedules. The only issue I have had so far is 1 light runs an hour ahead on the schedule, but both are set for the same time automatically. You can also include smart home assistance such as google and alexa, or LGs system. It appears as though with our LG integration that when the TV detects movies we can have it automatically reduce intensity, not that I will do that, but in a fowlr tank would be a pretty dipe feature.

First thing I noticed after adjusting the position of the lights, is that at full intensity on the LPS/Softy setting, it looks almlost exactly like my T5s did, but with slightly more shadow and a very nice shimmer that was completely absent from my T5s.

The arms only has a single picture to offer as any sort of instruction, so it took me a minute to figure out how to assemble, not difficult. The arms are very well machines, which also impressed me as I expected some cheapness to these as it barely raised the price of the lights.

This thread will be to document my journey with them, and answet any questions anyone has.

Final notes would be, I definitely would have done 3 lights if my tank wasn't eurobraced, but it seems that this will be at least as good as what I am moving from, i have not tried 100% intensity of all 4 channels yet, which may very well be a lot brighter than my T5s were. Lastly, I run my lights from 10:30 to 10:30, and the default programs are more set for 8AM start time, but after some messing around with it I realized you can take any of the programs, and push the entire schedule forwards or back.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

This first half hour of the ramp up has been one of the largest PH increases that I have had after lights on. Usually the heat climbs quickly by this point but the tank is still cooling from when i took the T5s off the top of the tank last night.

I guess dishing out a more precise spectrum really does make a difference since the PAR itself can't be as high as the T5s were at this point in the cycle. I had no dimming prior, it was 100% on from the jump, this might also be a factor in photosynthetic response.

 

[MIke Wood]

This first half hour of the ramp up has been one of the largest PH increases that I have had after lights on. Usually the heat climbs quickly by this point but the tank is still cooling from when i took the T5s off the top of the tank last night.

I guess dishing out a more precise spectrum really does make a difference since the PAR itself can't be as high as the T5s were at this point in the cycle. I had no dimming prior, it was 100% on from the jump, this might also be a factor in photosynthetic response.

what is the control like? is there just a blue and white channel to adjust the intensity? is the blue a nice royal blue or is it more of a windex blue? thanks

 

[oreo54]

what is the control like? is there just a blue and white channel to adjust the intensity? is the blue a nice royal blue or is it more of a windex blue? thanks

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I have to say, my sample size for lighting is pretty small, pretty much everyone around here for lfs I see uses kessels so blue, it is like windex.

I really don't know if I can diatribe it well enough, but I was woried it would be heavy blue on the eyes, and it is if only on that channel, but the secondary blueish channel balances it out very nicely and looks like my mix of actinic blue royal blue and purple T5s.

Reef grow blue on max on this thing is easier to see than kessil tuna full blue, but my eyes are very sensative to higher spectrum light, so that may not match anyone elses opinion of this.

I will try to get some pictures soon, my tank is ugly right now, been letting pods consume all the algae but I think i finally got a dominant species of GHA even they won't touch, ill clean it up this weekend and give a good sample of intensities and what it looks like on a no filter samsung galaxy 22 ultra, for at least some point of reference.

Edit: lol I replied to the wrong post. But controlability is by 1% point, on the channels listed in the pic above.

 

[OnTee]

How is your long term experience with these lights? I am considering 4 of these for a 150 that I'm setting up.

 

[alain Bouchard]

How is your long term experience with these lights? I am considering 4 of these for a 150 that I'm setting up.

I have been running 4 of them on a 180 for a few years now; got a thread on the RS90, which are just RL90 without wifi, but I converted them with wifi controllers to RL90 when it got out. Had no issue with the light that I was not responsible for. They are still going strong and good. You can really customize the channel power and duration easily to your liking with the apps that was designed with Tuya. @Oliver@DSunY is a very helpful member here, worked on those light, always here to help members with questions or issues.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

How is your long term experience with these lights? I am considering 4 of these for a 150 that I'm setting up.

Still going great. Keeping a few porites and monteporas happy at 80% blue 80% green 100% night and 8% white. I have 2 over a 4 foot tank.

They are silent, programing has not messed up once since I fixed a time difference issue I had on day 1.

I am definitely going to be buying more popbloom. Recently inherited a bunch of high end planted tanks that has good lighting, only 2 of the 7 tanks still have their lights so was about to see what popbloom offers for planted.

Edit: I think 4 for a 150 would do great, my porites prefer really high par, and are doing good even with the whites down, whites are usually up at 60% but had dinos for a few weeks and just getting over them so cut back.

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I have been running 4 of them on a 180 for a few years now; got a thread on the RS90, which are just RL90 without wifi, but I converted them with wifi controllers to RL90 when it got out. Had no issue with the light that I was not responsible for. They are still going strong and good. You can really customize the channel power and duration easily to your liking with the apps that was designed with Tuya. @Oliver@DSunY is a very helpful member here, worked on those light, always here to help members with questions or issues.

This, the custom lighting schedules way 0ut performs a few that I have had experience with, it lets you add ~10 points in the day, not including the moon phase, and will gradually ramp anything over a very long period if you set it that way. The transitions are pretty smooth, but I notice going for a jump of 50% in a half hour that you can see it does the adjustment in steps of roughly 2 to .5%

When I saw out performs, I am not comparing it to the top tier, I am unfamiliar with their schedules but know some of them do not let you add a ton of timestamps for light schedules. Mostly referring to the namebrands like fluval when I say this.

 

[tedfisher496]

I have to say, my sample size for lighting is pretty small, pretty much everyone around here for lfs I see uses kessels so blue, it is like windex.

I really don't know if I can diatribe it well enough, but I was woried it would be heavy blue on the eyes, and it is if only on that channel, but the secondary blueish channel balances it out very nicely and looks like my mix of actinic blue royal blue and purple T5s.

Reef grow blue on max on this thing is easier to see than kessil tuna full blue, but my eyes are very sensative to higher spectrum light, so that may not match anyone elses opinion of this.

I will try to get some pictures soon, my tank is ugly right now, been letting pods consume all the algae but I think i finally got a dominant species of GHA even they won't touch, ill clean it up this weekend and give a good sample of intensities and what it looks like on a no filter samsung galaxy 22 ultra, for at least some point of reference.

Edit: lol I replied to the wrong post. But controlability is by 1% point, on the channels listed in the pic above.

I have considered this fixture in the past but was worried because its only 90w

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

I have considered this fixture in the past but was worried because its only 90w

I was worried it would be too low to have only 2, but I have a brace down the center of my tank where the third would go. It's been working out though. They replaced 4 T5s that rested on the tank, and was 20% brighter than those to my eye, which doesn't say a lot. Not that I have eye issues, but it's still just my perception. Shadows from my overhangs in my aquascape are darker now, of course with it being 2 focused sources over a long streatch of light, and even adding a third probably wouldn't change much for that, but photosynthetic LPS are doing great still in those darker areas.

 

[didi1231]

Does anyone have a good setting for a mixing tank SPS and LPS?

 

[absolutkush]

Still going great. Keeping a few porites and monteporas happy at 80% blue 80% green 100% night and 8% white. I have 2 over a 4 foot tank.

They are silent, programing has not messed up once since I fixed a time difference issue I had on day 1.

I am definitely going to be buying more popbloom. Recently inherited a bunch of high end planted tanks that has good lighting, only 2 of the 7 tanks still have their lights so was about to see what popbloom offers for planted.

Edit: I think 4 for a 150 would do great, my porites prefer really high par, and are doing good even with the whites down, whites are usually up at 60% but had dinos for a few weeks and just getting over them so cut back.

When you say 100% night what do you mean? im sure its a typo. Have the same light on a 34g red sea about 8 inches above the water and edited the LPS and soft coral schedule. Ramps up to 70% Blue and Purple channels that ramp up throughout the day to 85% before ramping down Teal ramps up to 65% and White ramps up to 39% before ramping down. Wondering if I should lower the whites even more....

Edit... when you say night thays the purple channel/moonlights right?
Here's where I am currently at.

 

[Mechano]

When you say 100% night what do you mean? im sure its a typo. Have the same light on a 34g red sea about 8 inches above the water and edited the LPS and soft coral schedule. Ramps up to 70% Blue and Purple channels that ramp up throughout the day to 85% before ramping down Teal ramps up to 65% and White ramps up to 39% before ramping down. Wondering if I should lower the whites even more....

Edit... when you say night thays the purple channel/moonlights right?
Here's where I am currently at.

This seems a little high for LPS and Softies to be honest with the whites I run mine no higher than 15% at peak actually.
The other colours seem to be where u would want them.
I found though that euphyllia and acanthophyllia and cynarinas, etc etc I even put the blues down to 50% and they liked it better as well. But that’s my tank, not yours…honestly you just need to place with it and find the right spec for yours.

 

[absolutkush]

This seems a little high for LPS and Softies to be honest with the whites I run mine no higher than 15% at peak actually.
The other colours seem to be where u would want them.
I found though that euphyllia and acanthophyllia and cynarinas, etc etc I even put the blues down to 50% and they liked it better as well. But that’s my tank, not yours…honestly you just need to place with it and find the right spec for yours.

I have some Montis... plating and digi as well, which are doing ok other than my valentini puffer nipping at them and citron goby perching on the monti cap. Id love to see where im at with the par meter tho.

 

[Mechano]

I have some Montis... plating and digi as well, which are doing ok other than my valentini puffer nipping at them and citron goby perching on the monti cap. Id love to see where im at with the par meter tho.

That’s your best bet. Just sucks buying a parmeter to use em like once unless u maybe can rent one?

 

[Court_Appointed_Hypeman]

When you say 100% night what do you mean? im sure its a typo. Have the same light on a 34g red sea about 8 inches above the water and edited the LPS and soft coral schedule. Ramps up to 70% Blue and Purple channels that ramp up throughout the day to 85% before ramping down Teal ramps up to 65% and White ramps up to 39% before ramping down. Wondering if I should lower the whites even more....

Edit... when you say night thays the purple channel/moonlights right?
Here's where I am currently at.

Channel 2 is the night light channel. I run it at 100 frequently

 

[Reef5]

I noticed that there are two versions, and the only difference I can discern between them is that the SOL version has 10W of Cyan Blue, while the version called FULL SPECTRUM has 10W of RED. Most people would agree that the Cyan combo would be better for coral growth, but I am wondering if, for someone like me who prioritizes the visual appeal of the fish, the Full Spectrum version would be better or if it would just look purplish. I've found videos of what appears to be the SOL version but not the FULL spectrum. If anyone has a video they could share, that'd be great.

 

[OnTee]

I finally got my new 150 up and running. I ordered one of these lights to start with and just fired it up today. So far I'm impressed with how evenly the light spreads. I had some old black box lights that were more of a spot light with very little spread. The app is easy to use and I like the presets to make it easy to get started. I'll be ordering 3 more.