Smat farms led from Amazon

[Livebait44]

Any body tried this light? Mine just arrived and everything other than the Mount seems fine. Wondering what the ideal settings for a 29 gallon cube would be.

I Have purchased two of them, first was for my son , he has it on a 22 gallon cube , been going 8 months np , I needed a light for my 10 gallon cube been in operation 6 months , plenty of power, 6 channels adjustable, built in programmable timer. Tiny little screen, and buttons both lights where adjusted with seneye par meter , my sps, lps and soft corals are growing , when or if the light dies I will get something with wifi programmability,at 2x or 3x the price , we are both happy with the smatfarm lights works, as far as ideal settings, my 10 , I have channel A 10% B 44% C 50% D 70% E 10% F 2% , my son's tank settings are a lot different some of the settings for par and aesthetics moonlight I have 0, 1, 1, 16, 0. 0, Aesthetics, sunrise and sunset , I went with trial and error 4 hours ramp up and down and 4 hours full sun, seems to be working

 

[ikaros70]

Quick question… for those running these smattfarm fixtures, how are the white channels?
Reason I ask, I recently purchased for my 210, the issue I had with them was both white channels were very yellow, both the 14k and 3k. I expected the 3 k to be yellow but didn’t expect the 14k to look as yellow as it did.
Amazon sent me replacements to try but had the same issue. The white channels were so yellow, they just drowned all the other channels out. I even tried the 14k channel at 10%, 3k off and blue channels at 100%.Still had a very yellow color spectrum.
Also, they really didn’t have the punch to illuminate the sand bed well, maybe just cause it’s a deep 29” tank.
I don’t know if I just got a bad batch or if these are just more yellow then what I am traditionally used to. In general, I like more of the 20k look.
Appreciate any feedback.
Thanks

 

[Who me?]

Quick question… for those running these smattfarm fixtures, how are the white channels?
Reason I ask, I recently purchased for my 210, the issue I had with them was both white channels were very yellow, both the 14k and 3k. I expected the 3 k to be yellow but didn’t expect the 14k to look as yellow as it did.
Amazon sent me replacements to try but had the same issue. The white channels were so yellow, they just drowned all the other channels out. I even tried the 14k channel at 10%, 3k off and blue channels at 100%.Still had a very yellow color spectrum.
Also, they really didn’t have the punch to illuminate the sand bed well, maybe just cause it’s a deep 29” tank.
I don’t know if I just got a bad batch or if these are just more yellow then what I am traditionally used to. In general, I like more of the 20k look.
Appreciate any feedback.
Thanks

Odd, the whites on mine are true white

 

[LeftyReefer]

No issue with my whites either. its probably just subjective preference.

I replaced Viparspectras with Smat Farms and am much happier with the Smat Farms.

My Viparspectras were the 300w models though, so maybe they are different than the 165's?
With my 300w viparspectras, even with the white channel turned down to just 1%, it was still too white for my liking.
Yet if I turned off the white channel completely, then it was just too windex blue. it grew corals fine, but I couldn't get it to look how I wanted. it was either too white, or too blue. couldn't find a happy medium with it. No such issue with the Smat Farms. plus they ramp up/down. great shimmer, and much sleeker.

I did end up adding a 470nm led bar to my Smat Farm setup.... maybe you could have added a 20K LED bar to the Smat Farms if you wanted more white. Regardless, glad you find some lights that you find pleasing.

 

[Tamberav]

Quick question… for those running these smattfarm fixtures, how are the white channels?
Reason I ask, I recently purchased for my 210, the issue I had with them was both white channels were very yellow, both the 14k and 3k. I expected the 3 k to be yellow but didn’t expect the 14k to look as yellow as it did.
Amazon sent me replacements to try but had the same issue. The white channels were so yellow, they just drowned all the other channels out. I even tried the 14k channel at 10%, 3k off and blue channels at 100%.Still had a very yellow color spectrum.
Also, they really didn’t have the punch to illuminate the sand bed well, maybe just cause it’s a deep 29” tank.
I don’t know if I just got a bad batch or if these are just more yellow then what I am traditionally used to. In general, I like more of the 20k look.
Appreciate any feedback.
Thanks

I found the spectrum to also be visually a problem. The in depth review by telegraham states if you add a cheap blue LED bar to the tank, it helps a lot.

I run my tanks on the whiter side and It is ultimately why I didn't end up going with the light. I thought it was really good for the price otherwise. It just didn't look as nice compared to other more expensive lights nor did it look $400 worse lol

 

[Who me?]

I found the spectrum to also be visually a problem. The in depth review by telegraham states if you add a cheap blue LED bar to the tank, it helps a lot.

I run my tanks on the whiter side and It is ultimately why I didn't end up going with the light. I thought it was really good for the price otherwise. It just didn't look as nice compared to other more expensive lights nor did it look $400 worse lol

There white on mine is visually whiter than an ai prime hd. The AI is more on the yellow side comparatively.... I wonder if it comes down to what LEDs smatfarm happened to use during each batch.

 

[dedragon]

does the smatfarms have a red led in it? there site lists two different led layouts so it is a bit confusing https://smat-farm.com/collections/aquarium-light/products/g5-aquastar

 

[Who me?]

does the smatfarms have a red led in it? there site lists two different led layouts so it is a bit confusing https://smat-farm.com/collections/aquarium-light/products/g5-aquastar

I don't think so. I have two blue channels, two white channels, a purple/uv channel and a green channel

 

[dedragon]

ok makes sense that they went with one or the other, if you check the website it is just odd

 

[Tamberav]

There white on mine is visually whiter than an ai prime hd. The AI is more on the yellow side comparatively.... I wonder if it comes down to what LEDs smatfarm happened to use during each batch.

IDk if yellow is what was wrong with the one I ordered. I ordered two and they both look "meh" next to t5 bulbs or G5 radions. I have two AI prime and they are good but not great looking. There is a great write up on smatfarm with PAR measurement and all and spectrum was described as "womp womp" but thats all subjective so was hoping I would not feel that way. Unfortunately I did I think it will grow coral just great and everyone likes different spectrums soooo..

 

[FernFish]

tank shot.. new tank.. so going thru all the algae fun stuff.

did you use the metal price that go on the plastic screws?

 

[FernFish]

Got my light in. I haven’t narrowed down the settings yet but here it is mounted on a 32 gallon BioCube (fits over the rim no problem). That said, I ran into the same issue as others with the tank mount part of the bracket with the screws being almost too small. I used a piece of thick plastic mesh as I didn’t have washers to secure it better.

Also, the remote is junk. It worked 50/50 for me but the controls on the light are easy enough to work.

Oh the shimmer - With the water surface agitation, absolutely amazing shimmer in my opinion, very close to my halides

Regarding the fans, not sure about others, but mine has a setting on it where I can change the temperature that the fan comes on at? It’s set at 35 degrees Celsius (stock setting) but it can go up or down. It’s under “temperature” setting.

No par readings as of right now (don’t have a par meter, don’t know anyone (including local clubs) that have one, and don’t have the funding to risk a BRS “rental”

Moonlight setting - 1% on Channel 3 is way to bright and 1% on Channel 4 is way to purple. If you want moon lights, gotta figure something out separately.

This is lights at 40% everything except green at 30%:

The Shimmer:

SmatFarm LED Shimmer

youtube.com

Did you use the metal nuts to mount it with the plastic screws or just the screws by themselves

 

[ColoredRock]

Did you use the metal nuts to mount it with the plastic screws or just the screws by themselves

both

 

[FernFish]

both

The metal won't leak into the water?

 

[FernFish]

The metal won't leak into the water?

Like over time

 

[ColoredRock]

The metal won't leak into the water?

sorr just plastic....thought you were talking about top

 

[Who me?]

sorr just plastic....thought you were talking about top

Nothing touches the water. The mount and screws should be above the water line.

 

[FernFish]

sorr just plastic....thought you were talking about top

Thanks me too, i was worried i might have done it wrong

 

[jor8888]

$125 and extra $8 off coupon on amazon atm !

 

[Mhamilton0911]

I just got this light a few days ago and it was shipped with an updated tank mount, i had some issues getting it installed. Had to redrill and tap holes. Has anyone else seen the new design?