The real Black Box light study

[Ashley Kekua]

I have been looking to add a t5 and was looking at a blue plus, just trying to bodge a t5 on to my set up.

that look amazement!!! what great cleverness you possess!

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

A cheap tv wall mounting bracket. Slightly modified and it helps move it out the way when working on the tank.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

that look amazement!!! what great cleverness you possess!

Thanks.

 

[zackcav]

Anyone run lunar light for viewing. I am a late nighter and like to see the tank still. Any color I can run for lunar lights. Blue, Royal Blue, or UV? Will it hurt feeding response of coral? Noopsyche is what I run 1 percent of blues still lights up tank pretty well.

 

[codycolina707]

A cheap tv wall mounting bracket. Slightly modified and it helps move it out the way when working on the tank.

what tv wall mount is that most wont tilt all the way down like that ive been looking all over tryna figure out a nice way to mount 3 mars aquas

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

what tv wall mount is that most wont tilt all the way down like that ive been looking all over tryna figure out a nice way to mount 3 mars aquas

I have modified them slightly and made an aluminium plate to get the centres of the studs and put spacers on them to clear the fans. I also re drilled the end bit to rotate the light downwards see pics.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I have modified them slightly and made an aluminium plate to get the centres of the studs and put spacers on them to clear the fans. I also re drilled the end bit to rotate the light downwards see pics.

Any other questions just ask.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

This is the tv mount I ordered at a cost of £6.99 delivered. The little spacers come in the bag of fittings. This is a new bracket, this one is for a tv this time though and I'm not powder coating it.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I forgot pic

 

[codycolina707]

I forgot pic

ah ok i see whatcha did drilled the end to flip the mounting bracket thanks for answering questions and giving me a idea how to hang these things looks nice man

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

ah ok i see whatcha did drilled the end to flip the mounting bracket thanks for answering questions and giving me a idea how to hang these things looks nice man

Thanks, plus it all folds back out the way, or you can swing it either side while your working in the tank, to have the light right above where you're working, instead of having cast a shadow with your arm.

 

[mch1984]

Haha, fantastic! Have a vipar sat over my tank, which is only 17.7" cubed = I have some BIG use able par throughout the tank! - chuffed is an understatement.

I'm about to put my viper over a 17 x 17 cube, even thought I know it's overkill. What do you have yours set at for that small of a tank?

 

[Back where it all began]

I have two viparspectra 165 over my 55 and everything is happy and growing well.

 

[Nicholas Dushynsky]

I have two viparspectra 165 over my 55 and everything is happy and growing well.

Hi, at what settings are you running them please. So do you have a pic of your tank.

 

[NautiTang]

Thank you @Manose and @dantimdad for all the hard work and money spent on behalf of the hobby and @crusso1993 for the ever-present whiticism and entertaining commentary. Sorry to see this thread die off, happy reefing.

 

[nano reef]

3. This company had this light in production for several years Aquarium System Solution
It is called the Satellite 2 EBAY has them with flex gooseneck(rimless only) and controller for 184$ shipped

I saw these! Very interested! Are they anygood? I am looking into noopsche but i don know if a 90 degree lens will cover a 120 gallon that is 48 x 24 wide, Right now I have a 36 bowfront but will upgrade later to the 120

 

[maleks.reef]

Some things that I have learned in reef keeping is the expense involved. One of the most important and most expensive things we purchase is our lights, and having many options to consider from such brands as Kessil,Radion,AI,Geisman and a few others.
These are the big boys in the lighting business and they make a good quality product with the downside, "They can get pricey".
As prices increased many hobbyist went the diy route or buying used lights from other people, while fine and a good way to do things,we do have another choice, Chinese made lights that are way cheaper
than the big named brand lights and offer very competitive output and growth.
A bout a year ago a video was done that examined "A" Black box light that produced some underwhelming results. I feel like the results were not good because the light chosen was a bottom of the barrel light and not one of the many respectable Chinese lights out on the market.
Not ALL Black Box lights are created equal...
1. many lights are well wired
2. many use good quality heatsinks
3. many are not a tinderbox waiting to explode or catch your house on fire when you take the family
on a vacation :p
I have chosen to do a study on various black box lights with my own money and time to better help us decide on what are the good and the bad among these particular lights.

***Results So far***

Kessil 360x



Noopsyche K7 ProII

Hydra 26hd

Radion XR15w

Viparspectra

Mars Aqua 165w

Aquarium System Solutions ASML-02

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SPONSORS
We need to be grateful in that we have such an awesome place here at R2R to get such valuable information in one place, so please visit and support these sponsors willing to help us.
@noopsyche has a sub forum you can visit here https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/noopsyche.1066/
Please visit and show your love to Matt at The Coal Reef for supplying the space,tanks and systems we need to make this happen- https://www.reef2reef.com/forums/the-coral-reef.828/




I will be purchasing various lights from China or where ever I can get the best samples from.
The testing equipment will be a Seneye par meter and a 30-60 gallon cube tank.
(I would like to thank Sustainable Aquatics for letting me use the par meter)

There will be a variety of tests conducted by myself along with @Dr. Reef who has done some very informative work with his bacteria in a bottle studies. https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/bacteria-in-a-bottle-myth-or-fact.403226/

This will be a long process just because of the amount of lights and money it takes to get them.
So please be patient on results and updates.
All lights will be sold after the study so as to recoup some of the money spent.
Please feel free to give some suggestions on what kinds of tests would be beneficial to this study.
****REMEMBER****
This is going to be a very polite discussion and testing thread so no bashing of any company please!

Hey, what are the dimensions of the tank that you tested the 70w butt satellite light on? I might get that light but im worried about coverage and coloration.