The real Black Box light study

[ireland425]

I'm not sure if anyone has done any research on the Dsuny LED fixtures but I've been using them for almost a year and with great success.

I have 4 of them over my 120 Tall Marineland.

Here are the settings and PAR results:

Channel 1: Whites Back
Channel 2: Actinics
Channel 3: Blues + Red
Channel 4: Whites Front

Light mounting height (distance from light panel to water surface) : 13 Inches

Aquarium Specifications (lengthxdepthxheight):
60inch x 18inch x 26inch

Note:
-Back of tank is painted black
-Aquarium features a coast to coast low profile overflow
-Water clearity should be optimal (100% water change performed within 48 hours)

Peak Light Output On Slow Acclimation Setting:

Settings:
Ch1: 77%
Ch2: 100%
Ch3: 80%
Ch4: 77%

READING AVERAGE

Top of water: 600
Halfway: 300
Sandbed: 200
_______________

Manual Setting 50% All

Settings:
Ch1: 50%
Ch2: 50%
Ch3: 50%
Ch4: 50%

Top of water: 350
Halfway: 250
Sandbed: 150

I had them over my tank but noticed a great difference when I switched to kessil seemed I got a bit of algea build up with the spectrum of dsuny units as mine was more violent then blue but still nice unit for price

 

[Manose]

I think this study should be broken into 2 forum topics - 1st part being the Noopsyche test and the 2nd part being the other black boxes. The Noopsyche sponsored test took over on this topic when most ppl want to see how the other BB perform.

I understand what you are saying as this was not planned well on my part. People came to see a black box study and they will see a BB study. What I am going to do is edit the front page and separate the 2 studies
from one another and that should help ease the confusion.
One thing would be to put a link at the first page to the corresponding page of the light that is tested.
What do you guys think?

 

[Matt Carden]

@NY_Caveman has his build thread setup like this if you need help setting it up.

 

[OllieNZ]

I think this study should be broken into 2 forum topics - 1st part being the Noopsyche test and the 2nd part being the other black boxes. The Noopsyche sponsored test took over on this topic when most ppl want to see how the other BB perform.

I'm going to have to respectfully disagree. The noopsyche study is setting up the methods and providing an excellent baseline against which we will be able to compare other units. I know we're all keen to see how other units perform but establishing a consistent methodology is important to be able to provide valid data. The fact that proven units are in the test too should help give credibility to the data and allow us as hobbyists to decide whether the proven stuff is worth the premium price tag.

 

[Pinky80]

I understand what you are saying as this was not planned well on my part. People came to see a black box study and they will see a BB study. What I am going to do is edit the front page and separate the 2 studies
from one another and that should help ease the confusion.
One thing would be to put a link at the first page to the corresponding page of the light that is tested.
What do you guys think?

I don't think there needs to be a separate study. You have essentially compared several LEDs and established a comparative baseline for all to see, and to later see how the BB's stand up against the high dollar units. Keeping the K7 and the Pixie along with all the proposed BB's to be tested here with the high dollar units just makes performance comparisons easier to see and track. At this point, don't change anything. Just run through the different light units and post results. We'll deal with the long thread on this forum. You've done so much so far and you've gathered much precious data. Hell, I'd donate a light assembly of I had one! Your research here is much appreciated, I'm in the market for a new light or a DIY build. I would love to help test these lights with you, in your lab, with your setup, so the controlled variables stay the same. I really want to see how these different brands compare to each other. The K7 is just another great item to compare, and I bet there could be a BB that may come close if not better! Who knows? I know people are impatient and/or complaining because the have a lot to read here. But that is what this hobby is: patience, research, and lots of reading.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Really excited when you do the viparspectra 165w. Bought one for my 29g and I'm putting it up soon. I hear it's a really good light.

I've been using one for over 2 years now. I like it alot just don't turn it up too much too fast.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Registered here just to say thankyou for doing this, even over here in the UK, the time and effort you are spending from your own life is appreciated.

Thankyou very much (also, Vipar spectra owner here over a 45cm cube :D )

Hi can i ask what your settings are, how long you've had the light also how high off the water? Cheers

 

[ph123uk]

Hi can i ask what your settings are, how long you've had the light also how high off the water? Cheers

Hey there,

30% Blues 5% White - around 12" from the water: Thinking I might drop to 20% and 1% as they seem extremely bright, but my Torch and Zoas seem to be ok with it haha :)

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

Nice they are bright. I'm just not sure on how high the par readings are as I don't have a meter.

 

[Gino]

I am going to try the modified AB+ settings that @MSB123 and @dantimdad have been working on for the K7.

First of all, thanks for all your time and efforts toward this study. I'm following along since I got one K7. Those comparison charts are quite remarkable, very straight forward with impressive honest par reading. No doubts about the impartiality of your work. Great work...
About the quote above, can you send me those settings % or where can I find it? Because I'm going to set it, on one side mean while.
Keep doing what and how you your doing it, very remarkable work.

 

[MSB123]

First of all, thanks for all your time and efforts toward this study. I'm following along since I got one K7. Those comparison charts are quite remarkable, very straight forward with impressive honest par reading. No doubts about the impartiality of your work. Great work...
About the quote above, can you send me those settings % or where can I find it? Because I'm going to set it, on one side mean while.
Keep doing what and how you your doing it, very remarkable work.

Here you go!
This is for lights 36” off the sandbed. For 24” off the sandbed, do 2/3 of the power, for 12” do 1/3 for 18” do 1/2

 

[MSB123]

First of all, thanks for all your time and efforts toward this study. I'm following along since I got one K7. Those comparison charts are quite remarkable, very straight forward with impressive honest par reading. No doubts about the impartiality of your work. Great work...
About the quote above, can you send me those settings % or where can I find it? Because I'm going to set it, on one side mean while.
Keep doing what and how you your doing it, very remarkable work.

Ignore the Green, red is the different set points

 

[mshonk]

Hey there,

30% Blues 5% White - around 12" from the water: Thinking I might drop to 20% and 1% as they seem extremely bright, but my Torch and Zoas seem to be ok with it haha :)

I have a bloomspect black box (ideally similar) and I used to have it at 40% blue and 10% white but in the last 5 months have ramped it up to 100/100. I have a seneye reef and shot my par with that. I mainly have sps in a 40 gallon breeder. I did notice my zoas responded better with more white light and measurable nitrates.

 

[Manose]

Okay guys I will do some regular Black Box testing on Friday and work hard overnight until Saturday.
The first thing is getting par numbers then going from there.
I am still trying to figure out how to separate the Noopsyche study with everything else.

If you guys have suggestions please let me know?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[Idaho Mojo]

Okay guys I will do some regular Black Box testing on Friday and work hard overnight until Saturday.
The first thing is getting par numbers then going from there.
I am still trying to figure out how to separate the Noopsyche study with everything else.

If you guys have suggestions please let me know?

Thanks,
Matt

I dont think its necessary to separate the study.
Most people, like myself, purchase black box lights because we can not (yet) afford the big name brands. I think it's important to know how the BB compares to the lights tested in the noopsyche study.

In my opinion it is better to have all the light study go on in one topic so anyone can compare data between any selection of lights.

 

[Matt Carden]

I dont think its necessary to separate the study.
Most people, like myself, purchase black box lights because we can not (yet) afford the big name brands. I think it's important to know how the BB compares to the lights tested in the noopsyche study.

In my opinion it is better to have all the light study go on in one topic so anyone can compare data between any selection of lights.

The real thing we want to know is, do I need to save for the "big name brands" lights so my tank will look good too?

 

[Manose]

The real thing we want to know is, do I need to save for the "big name brands" lights so my tank will look good too?

That has been proven time and time again not to be the case. Many of those real expensive light companies would love for that to be the case but that is not true.
What we are doing here is giving those popular Black Box lights a place to show what they can do under some controlled conditions.

 

[LowLi]

I've been using one for over 2 years now. I like it alot just don't turn it up too much too fast.

my inspiration loool

 

[symon_say]

Keep everything in this thread, Noopsyche is a "black box" because is cheap and Chinese, but they were kind enough to give you lights to set the base line for all the other black boxes.

 

[Gino]

Ignore the Green, red is the different set points

I did it and it works fine what I only did was entering my own times to the schedule, but it stay on all night long. I reset the controller, and re do the setting this morning but still staying on on the 6 setting doesn't turn off at 7. I got no idea, what I did wrong or what?
Did this happends to you? I so, how you solve it.