SB Reef Lights

[domination2580]

Depends on what your definition of 'good' is. Every light out there claims to be the best. This one happens to have more violet than others, but realistically the diodes used are so low in output that it their inclusion doesn't much change the end result.

Hmm. Go on.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

Depends on what your definition of 'good' is. Every light out there claims to be the best. This one happens to have more violet than others, but realistically the diodes used are so low in output that it their inclusion doesn't much change the end result.

Thank you sir! We claim to be the best Black Box. Our target is to provide a solid light at a budget price. A step up from the ebay black boxes. There is a large gap between those lights and the high end LEDs. With in the black box price range you will be hard pressed to find as good a layout. Most black boxes are 460-470nm blues and have too much Warm and Neutral white IMO. The 420nm diodes are in enough quantity to have an effect. I have seen improved growth and color development.

 

[domination2580]

Hmm. Go on.

I will have to check it out once they get here

 

[jedimasterben]

Would love some peer review, please explain. Everything there is confirmed by both academic papers, peer research and hobbyist experience. Nothing new or experimental. Not being snarky, seriously, we are always looking to make our lights better, and welcome any and all input and even critique.

Don't use cool whites (if you insist on them since they're 'better' like the FAQ linked above, then use them sparingly in combination with warm white); don't use dedicated green or red; don't use true UV.

For the 'what's wrong with how we do it'.

Cool white LEDs, especially the ultra cool white Chinese diodes used, are almost completely blue in output, a slight hump in green that trails off before getting into red. This is fine for fluorescent colors, which absorb near exclusively in blue spectra, but for non-fluorescent colors, such as purples, pinks, blues, reds, they require green, amber, and red light, and typically in large amounts. Adding dedicated green, amber, and red diodes can help to a degree, but they are extremely narrow in their spectral output, this is by design. Even a 'measly' 80CRI warm white diode will have a spectral half-width from ~540-640nm, sometimes even farther into red. This is extremely useful, as with a dedicated 660nm LED, its spectral half-width will be from roughly 655-665nm, and if your coral requires light in the 630nm range to really express, then it's too bad, it will not have the capacity to look its best.

As for not using dedicated green/amber/red LEDs, use warm white instead. I already mentioned that a warm white LED covers more spectra than all of those LEDs combined, but in addition, you will not get the individual green, amber, and red color bands in your tank with surface agitation from the diodes being separated. White blends best, and a single diode color (white) will blend better than three diodes. That's just physics.

As for true UV, there is no data that I know of that shows any coloration benefits from it. However, there IS data that shows that sub 400nm (and in my personal testing, up to ~406nm) light fluoresces particulate matter in our tanks that is otherwise invisible. Even tanks with the best of filtration will have these microparticulates, and they are distracting. If you have any data showing pigment production from true UV, I'd like to see it.

Do your fixtures actually use a dedicated heatsink or is the MCPCB just thicker? If it is just the MCPCB, then I would hesitate to say that it is a heatsink.

Where in the hell did you read that Cree uses Epistar diodes? That actually made me laugh out loud! Cree makes all of their diodes and THEY are the OEM for many other LED brands in the world.

That's about all I have time to go over for now. If you have any questions or comments, shoot.

 

[Zane]

Mine came in today. It shipped in 4 days, and arrived well packaged, and in good shape. It has legs and cables to mount it, and remote control. I can't wait to get it mounted. I'll make a thread with current pictures of the tank, and we'll see what it does. The proof is in the pudding, but I know Mike knows what he's talking about, and his tank is the pudding.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

JedimasterBen Thanks again for the additional input!

Here is the info on Cree using Epistar for select red diodes (Not used in reef lights)
http://www.ledinside.com/news/2013/9/epistar_infiltrates_cree_supply_chain

You are correct the "Heat Sink is a much thicker PCB board. I do see where you are coming from. However in the black box lines, all use the PCB as the heat sink.


I also understand where you are coming from regarding the use of warm whites to improve Aesthetics, however I feel we have more than enough warm white, red and green to give a pleasant image of coral colors. Switching from a heavy warm white spectrum on the MarsAqua boxes to our Layout provided better growth and color.

 

[Russ265]

idk. i got some evergrow (reef breeders rebranded lights) wifi for $260 for 2x.

total purchase for 6 was $850.

wifi + 1 year warranty

ive seen many black boxes using epistar, however i am not convinced they are better than bridgelux. the $75 mars aquas are epistar iirc.

i am all for supporting for american. but you cannot state you swapped a couple bulbs, larger heatsink and charge 100% more for me to get onboard.

my .02

 

[Zane]

My camera phone sux, but this is at 20% w and 35% b, its incredibly bright compared to the maxspect, even at that. It'll be a few inches higher when I hang it, but the spread is great even at this hieght.

 

[domination2580]

JedimasterBen Thanks again for the additional input!

Here is the info on Cree using Epistar for select red diodes (Not used in reef lights)
http://www.ledinside.com/news/2013/9/epistar_infiltrates_cree_supply_chain

You are correct the "Heat Sink is a much thicker PCB board. I do see where you are coming from. However in the black box lines, all use the PCB as the heat sink.


I also understand where you are coming from regarding the use of warm whites to improve Aesthetics, however I feel we have more than enough warm white, red and green to give a pleasant image of coral colors. Switching from a heavy warm white spectrum on the MarsAqua boxes to our Layout provided better growth and color.

So let me get this straight. The heat sink really isn't heat sink and not a huge cost difference them normal black boxes, the diodes were just laid out differently, and yet I still paid an extra 300$ when I could have split the cost in half for almost the same thing...

 

[ndz98]

My camera phone sux, but this is at 20% w and 35% b, its incredibly bright compared to the maxspect, even at that. It'll be a few inches higher when I hang it, but the spread is great even at this hieght.

Man that looks good!

 

[SB Reef Lights]

So let me get this straight. The heat sink really isn't heat sink and not a huge cost difference them normal black boxes, the diodes were just laid out differently, and yet I still paid an extra 300$ when I could have split the cost in half for almost the same thing...

domination2580, you got a 2 year warranty, upgraded fans, built in mounting legs as well as a different layout. The diodes we use cost more due to the color selection which adds to the cost. If the light arrives and you are not impressed, I will gladly pay for return shipping and issue a full refund. Please read the reviews on Facebook. And a thicker PCB board acts as a more effective heat sink than the typical license plate style black boxes use. The 32" units you ordered are also 363w verse the 300w for say a MarsAqua. They also have a built in 3 channel timer with moon light channel and remote control. Plenty of extra value for the money.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

My camera phone sux, but this is at 20% w and 35% b, its incredibly bright compared to the maxspect, even at that. It'll be a few inches higher when I hang it, but the spread is great even at this hieght.

Looks good Zane!

 

[domination2580]

domination2580, you got a 2 year warranty, upgraded fans, built in mounting legs as well as a different layout. The diodes we use cost more due to the color selection which adds to the cost. If the light arrives and you are not impressed, I will gladly pay for return shipping and issue a full refund. Please read the reviews on Facebook. And a thicker PCB board acts as a more effective heat sink than the typical license plate style black boxes use.

Sounds good, I didn't even think about the leg option, I'm still curious on the pcb board cost difference though. And I apologize but I do not have facebook. But from what it sounds like I think I will be more than happy with them. I can't wait to get them!

 

[reddog]

I plan on ordering three boards in the next few months. From the reviews and data that I have seen, I know I will be happy with the SB Lights. I have seen Mike's tank and I am very impressed with his growth. I have three older generation black boxes right now. I am happy with them, but I am always looking for upgrades. Mike is a great guy who stands behind his product.

Zane, that light looks great!

 

[dcarwile]

Disappointed in you jedimasterben. That was a pretty harsh opening review for you to come back to your opinion that warm whites look better than multiple color diodes. I assure you these LEDs are the best ive seen visually. I had Nanobox, MarsAquas, Evergrows, AI Hydras, ATI T5 and now SB Reef Lights. Hands down the best looking light ive used. And the cora response is amazing.

 

[SB Reef Lights]

domination2580 If you are not happy, even 30 days from receipt, I will take care of you with a full refund and I will pay return shipping.

 

[domination2580]

domination2580 If you are not happy, even 30 days from receipt, I will take care of you with a full refund and I will pay return shipping.

Don't worry bout it Mike, I'm 98% positive I'll be happy with them. I'm just really iffy on leds, this is the first led I will have owned.....I had t12 vho on my tank last.

 

[ndz98]

Man lighting might be the most controversial thing on this site haha. I like all the responses I've gotten so far on this thread. I think it will help others learn more about these lights.

 

[Russ265]

Disappointed in you jedimasterben. That was a pretty harsh opening review for you to come back to your opinion that warm whites look better than multiple color diodes. I assure you these LEDs are the best ive seen visually. I had Nanobox, MarsAquas, Evergrows, AI Hydras, ATI T5 and now SB Reef Lights. Hands down the best looking light ive used. And the cora response is amazing.

id love to see a tear down of popular grow vs evergrow vs sb wifi lights and see what the real difference is.

i find it interesting sb lights has not done this to show their superior quality. i am just a skeptic here. although appearances can be deceiving, it would be a good selling feature to show the inferior quality of other's products in comparison to your own.

im not doubting anyone. i am just stating these are decisions i make as a consumer.

if a $100 light has a 1 year warranty. im good with that.

 

[dcarwile]

There are photos of the led board thickness. Mike doesnt bash other blackboxes is part of the problem. They are also good lights, the SB is just better.