Will 2 165 mars aqua led support sps corals? And butterfly recommendation.

[BoomCorals]

I actually have 2 used sbox basic 16" units that are only 2 months old if you wanted to buy them lol.

 

[Rakie]

I would probably opt for SBReef Lights if you're going for lower priced LED's.

 

[ccbobafett]

Ok I guess 2 it is it seems these sb reef lights seem to be the most popular cheaper leds. And what are s box led? Are you looking to sell?

 

[BoomCorals]

Ok I guess 2 it is it seems these sb reef lights seem to be the most popular cheaper leds. And what are s box led? Are you looking to sell?

sbox 16" basic

 

[Fishmanz]

My personal anecdote, I could not get SPS to grow as fast under the regular black boxes compared to the other brands out there. The PAR was also poorly spread out and the coverage of PAR was uneven. A cheaper option that works decently would be SB Reef Lights as they have more even PAR coverage, though the spread isn't the greatest so you might need more lights than you'd originally think. Beyond that Radion and Kessil are both great in my experience, coming down more to personal taste. I am testing the Kessil AP700 as my latest light right now.

There is no major difference between sb leds and "black box", sb are basically black box brand in themselves.... so just stop.

2 will be just fine over the tank I have 4 mars aqua over a 180g

 

[BoomCorals]

There is no major difference between sb leds and "black box", sb are basically black box brand in themselves.... so just stop.

2 will be just fine over the tank I have 4 mars aqua over a 180g

They aren't the same... that's just patently false. Different spectrum LEDs are one of the main and most important differences. I've run sbreef side by side with black box and there is a distinct visual difference.

 

[Fishmanz]

They aren't the same... that's just patently false. Different spectrum LEDs are one of the main and most important differences. I've run sbreef side by side with black box and there is a distinct visual difference.

Sorry your just biased which is painfully obvious. Patently false? Seriously? lol China vs US I suppose and minor differences in build which allow them different patents.

 

[happyhourhero]

Sorry your just biased which is painfully obvious. Patently false? Seriously? lol China vs US I suppose and minor differences in build which allow them different patents.

I too have run both and there is a distinct spectral difference between SB and regular black box.

 

[happyhourhero]

Here's an answer to the op.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/a-little-over-2-months-growth.325289/

 

[DSC reef]

Sorry your just biased which is painfully obvious. Patently false? Seriously? lol China vs US I suppose and minor differences in build which allow them different patents.

Wow, boom corals is probably the least biased here and the false nonsense you spit is annoying. Isnt your post here a bit biased as well? You obviously have little knowledge or just don't like to read because SB reef lights are definitely different from standard black boxes in spectrum alone. Im sure you have actually tested multiple led boxes like boom corals and others on here too right? It's funny, no one said mars black box won't work. Instead they give useful info to the OP to help with a decision. Oh yeah, just stop.....lol

 

[BoomCorals]

I have owned every major LED over the last 12 years, minus a short break when I moved, and used many to grow Corals. I'm currently evaluating my first Ap700 and will likely replace the rest of my SB reef lights with the Kessil. I'm even carrying kessil now on my site. I go with what works, and will share my experiences and what I've learned about each.

 

[ccbobafett]

Thanks for all the help I definitely seeing what brand to go with now. Thanks link to thread what light are you running? It was amazing how much those corals growed in just two months. I am definitely doing sb reef light not much more money but seems to have a advantage to mars aqua so good for me[emoji3]. most likely the 165 watt pair is the set up I will do plus the current us marine light I have on it now. Thanks again for all the help and suggestions will definitely post review of these lights once I get the tank going. Thanks again

 

[foxt]

On your butterfly question, The zoster, pyramid, and long nose are all supposedly reef safe, but as someone already said, it will be up to the fish - they don't read R2R. I gambled and have had one of each, and so far, so good. But the long nose ate every small feather duster on my live rock, which I knew it would do. It also picks at open brain corals, which I knew it might do. The zoster and pyramid never seemed to bother anything. I am currently trying to get another pyramid through QT, and that is proving to be a challenge. First it showed signs of ich, so I ran it through copper. Then it developed an infection, so am treating with antibiotics. Net is that no matter which fish you try, strongly recommend full QT!

 

[Flippers4pups]

Sorry your just biased which is painfully obvious. Patently false? Seriously? lol China vs US I suppose and minor differences in build which allow them different patents.

They are different spectrums. Sb reeflights uses more 14000k and 20000k than the stock Mars Aquas which has more 7500k and 3500k.

There is some slight difference in the blue spectrum as well, but not too far off to make a huge difference.

I modded my Mars Aquas to mimic Sb's diode layout by buying replacement 3w diodes and swapping them out.

 

[ccbobafett]

Thanks for butterfly recommendation I am still considering them. I like the look of long nose but out of the three it seems least reef safe. How much damage did the long nose do to your brain coral was it a lot or not very noticeable? I do not plan on keeping any feather dusters but perhaps some brain corals. Thanks again and I learned the hard way about qt will never make that mistake again.

 

[ccbobafett]

Oh and one last question will a longnose butterfly be ok with a mandarin dragonet? I heard they both eat pods so want to make sure they can both live together thanks.

 

[ccbobafett]

After some reconsidering I don't think a long nose will work in my system with the bio load I have now.

 

[ccbobafett]

Oh I think a Atlantic long nose will work a lot smaller bioload and I like how it is more exotic and different. Any one have experience with these guys thanks

 

[Photon_Anarchy]

I run a single 165w mars aqua over a 40br and it grows my sps decently well. I also run bare bottom and I have 2 pp8's on else mode. Flow and water quality are the most important thing in my opinion. I actually have 2 of the 165w over my 40br until the ceiling mount broke and one fell in. Moved the one remaining light up about 2 feet over the tank, over the center. I then turned the blues up to 100 and the whites to 50. Increased the amount of time the light is on. Everything is find and growing well. Good polyp extension. I really think people focus way too much on lighting. Just my personal opinion.

 

[Tyler J Glassburn]

I just picked up two mars aquas and am curious about growth as well