Reviews of SB Reef Lights

trickyrich

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I was tying to buy an sbar actinic through amazon (some gift card money there). Emailed them and they said they would put some up on amazon, though at a slightly higher price due to amazon fees, which is perfectly understandable. This was over a month ago. Multiple emails/pm ... no response. I understand this is a one man shop, but if I have to work this hard to spend my money, it makes me wonder what kind of support I would receive on a warranty issue.
Sell ebay cards for cash and buy direct way simpler for for both of you
 

Devisissy

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It's all set up. I have it ramping up to 30% blue 10% white. 12 inches above water line, 19 inches from sandbed. It is incredibly bright to the eye. The kessil shimmer is gone, but it had a bit of disco, but not annoying at all. It's much more violet to my eye than the kessil. However, it is very pleasing. The montipora and sticks have there polyps out for the first time I can remember. Everything looks washed out, I couldn't see the damage the kessil was doing because of how blue it was, under these I can see how bad the coral was getting. The only coral unhappy is the blastmosa. It's under an overhang, but refuses to open today. I'll give it time.

The sb doesn't have the reach the kessil did so the edges of the tank are fairly shaded. So like Xenia, hammers, frogspawn, yumas, and mushrooms are in some serious low light. Which is fine. They are on the outer edges for a reason.

The only thing I don't really like is the wifi green light flashes, and it's bright. I have a working dog that goes crazy over flashing lights, and a stupid cat that was trying to catch it. I put a cap over the light and the problem was solved. Another issue is the moon lights. I had it in my head they would be a muted blue. They are almost pink, like sunset pink. It's weird to go from violet to the blue channel. I dont understand why they look so pink. I've never had moon lights so maybe they are like that?

I'm going to do a 12 month light update so people can see my results. All in all, great light for an excellent price, wifi is awesome with tons of set points, lots of control, great customer service. Wish I would have bought this light much sooner.
 

seaplane

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Can anyone suggest a good ramp schedule and best intensities for LPS & softie growth, or know where I can find this? It's on a BC29.
 

saltyfilmfolks

Lights! Camera! Reef!
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Can anyone suggest a good ramp schedule and best intensities for LPS & softie growth, or know where I can find this? It's on a BC29.
color mix is up to you IMO. Photo period too. Mine is kinda stupid long.
How high above the tank is the light?
 

seaplane

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color mix is up to you IMO. Photo period too. Mine is kinda stupid long.
How high above the tank is the light?
It's 12" above. Are the moon lights supposed to make everything except corals a rose pink color? Seems weird. I just don't know what per centages of white to blue work best for coral growth.
 

saltyfilmfolks

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Are the moon lights supposed to make everything except corals a rose pink color?
yea a bit. out can swap the moon cloudy for effect and ramp up and down. Setting intensity without a meter is a bit of trick. But the color is kinda easy. in my opinion, as 14,ooo kelvin metal halide will grow the same coral just as well as a 20k metal halide, color wont matter that much
In the manual mode set the intensity of each channel to mix the colors. Note the differences in the intensity. Then when you have a color you like program that ratio into the peak lighting time. Not knowing your tank Id have to guess that 35 or 40% is a pretty good start point for the peak. (then set the next intensity from there down. Ramp start and stop time and color are up to you. Id use a 6 to 8 hr peak photo period.
.
 

guc32

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Thinking of trying these. I have a standard 180gal 6x2x2. SPS tank.

Would you say 3 16" setup left to right or 4 16" setup front to back?
 

kevlow

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From my experience and taste, I would say a better choice would be four set up left to right or five set up front to back. The better would be 5 front to back. It is better to have sufficient coverage and dial back the percentage if needed then to have insufficient coverage and try to compensate by running at 100% [and still having low spots in between].
 

guc32

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Their graph says 2 of their 32. Doesnt show dimension of it.

5 16" is a lot to rewire for apex control. :(
 

RobReef

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The ramping timer on these is a simple ramp up and down? Not the stupid 10% jump in intensity like the other SUPAR CHINABOX lights.
 

His & Hers. 240 Reef

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The ramping timer on these is a simple ramp up and down? Not the stupid 10% jump in intensity like the other SUPAR CHINABOX lights.

IMG_8562.JPG

The ramp on the app for the wifi models looks like this. You can change it in 1% intervals.
 

nitro316

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Does anyone have experience with their SBar? Looking to get one to attach to an ATI fixture.
 

jason2459

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Does anyone have experience with their SBar? Looking to get one to attach to an ATI fixture.


Should work fine for that. The mounting for them is awesome and lends well for that kind of application. FYI, they will be redoing their power supply and adding in ramping. Hopefully soon. I would wait.
 

nitro316

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Should work fine for that. The mounting for them is awesome and lends well for that kind of application. FYI, they will be redoing their power supply and adding in ramping. Hopefully soon. I would wait.
Sounds like a good idea, thanks.
 

kevlow

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I am pretty stoked right now. Doubled my firepower by bracing two 32" lights together. The idea is to increase the lit footprint of the tank. I want direct vertical light radiating down onto the coral; not weak, directional light angling in from the side. SB Reef Lights are cost efficient enough that this is doable. It would not have been possible with my Radions because of costs and their puck design.


I will borrow a par meter next week. I dialed back the power on both channels to compensate for doubling the volume of emitters. But without a par meter I was just guessing at the amount.

So far everything is responding very well.
 

B40REEF

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Hey ya'll.

New to the forum thing (i know, i have no Avatar yet, i'm workin on it), but does anyone have any follow up on this post about the SB Wifi lights? An update on your tank, Trickyrich? I'm thinking of buying some SB Wifi too, but I don't know how many I would need of which for a 48" long standard 75 gallon. Anyone?

Two 16" lights are the best choice if your tank has the center brace, features are up to you. I run the 16" extreme wifi's on my 90 gallon mixed reef.
 

Bama-Reefer

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Let me start off with saying I met this couple a few weeks ago working a job in Florida straight up very nice ppl. Answered a lot of questions was there at closing time so they were not busy and had a polite and informative conversation with both. Great people! Fast forward a couple weeks read great and awesome reviews great experience meeting them deff wanted to spend my money with them. Called the store a few times left message wanting to ask a question or two no reply :( not upset must mean there busy right. Good deal like seeing someone do great with there own business good for them. Now a week after ordering get a email finally shipped except I track it and shipping information was just received item not actually on they way yet from Singapore. Kinda thought they had a supply over here guess not so all in all great ppl supposedly great product just have to be patient and wait on it to make its way across the world.

Maybe y'all could help with one of the questions I snatched up a 32 bio cube offline tank only for 89$ great deal still available great if you plan on upgraded lights anyways. Well this was for a coral only tank in living room was just wondering if the 16" extreme wifi I ordered was gonna be over kill but from comments here I'm guessing just start off real low percentage and go up slowly till corals respond like it may have been to much ???
 

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