Best Chinese leds for 90gal tank

sacalaitman · 07/10/2018, 02:52 PM

I have to stay on a tight budget with my lighting on my 90 gallon new reef. I used t5s on my smaller tanks a few years ago and then went to led. Tank is 48 inches long and approximately 24 inches deep. What is the Best Buy for the Chinese leds? I’ve been out about 4 years so forgive my ignorance. The tank will be mostly softies with some lps and very few lps. I just want to know which one has good PAR values and good spectrum. I have read through a lot of the forums on this but I haven’t made up my mind as to which one fits my needs. Any insight on this would be very helpful.

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lpsouth1978 · 07/11/2018, 12:14 AM

I am currently using a Mars Aqua 165w over my 40b. I like it except for the spectrum. It uses only one blue spectrum. I have looked at a lot of different Chinese LED's and the Viparspectra seem to have a pretty good spectrum mix. I am planning on getting the 300w Viparspectra for my tank to give more even coverage. I would think that 2 x 165W units would work over a 90 though 3 would be even better.

mcgyvr · 07/11/2018, 04:57 AM

All the 165W/300W "Chinese Black Box" LED fixtures are all basically VERY similar..
Just slightly different features... In general all will basically work about the same as far as growing corals is concerned and one doesn't stand out as "best" over any other one..

sneeyatch · 07/11/2018, 05:53 AM

I used 2 165 watt black boxes over my old 90 - got them from Reef Radiance.

The only real reason I went with them is great customer service - actually talked to the guy before buying them - and I liked their color / layout. Their fixtures incorporated greens, oranges, reds and of course blues, violets and UV way back in like 2013...

Prices are all pretty much the same, just depends on what you want.

aleok · 07/11/2018, 01:24 PM

This one look pretty good if you don't want the rectangular boxy look.

https://www.amazon.com/AquaticHI-Spe...rds=reef+light

sacalaitman · 07/11/2018, 03:49 PM

Thanks guys. This is exactly what I wanted to hear. I didn’t know if one stood out from all the others

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scooter31707 · 07/13/2018, 09:33 AM

I'm using Mars Aqua right now and they are doing the job. Growing LPS and Montis at the moment. Haven't tried Acros yet.

DesertReefT4r · 07/13/2018, 07:09 PM

SB Reef gets a ton of good reviews and many have great results. From what I understand SB is a BB but they have their own LED layout with a much better spectrum than other BB led lighting. They also have a USA warranty and CS. SB Reef is and is not a BB, IMO its the best quality BB you can get. Reef Breeders Photon V2 and the updated V2+ from my research and shopping for low cost leds is the best bang for your buck and is very good quality. The Photon is not a BB led.

fishbox · 07/14/2018, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DesertReefT4r

SB Reef gets a ton of good reviews and many have great results. From what I understand SB is a BB but they have their own LED layout with a much better spectrum than other BB led lighting. They also have a USA warranty and CS. SB Reef is and is not a BB, IMO its the best quality BB you can get. Reef Breeders Photon V2 and the updated V2+ from my research and shopping for low cost leds is the best bang for your buck and is very good quality. The Photon is not a BB led.

SB Reef also just came out with a new pendant style or Kessil style LED light that I'm very interested in for my new build.

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Daddyrawg · 09/10/2018, 10:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sneeyatch

I used 2 165 watt black boxes over my old 90 - got them from Reef Radiance.

The only real reason I went with them is great customer service - actually talked to the guy before buying them - and I liked their color / layout. Their fixtures incorporated greens, oranges, reds and of course blues, violets and UV way back in like 2013...

Prices are all pretty much the same, just depends on what you want.

I also have a 90 and going to go with CBB's soon... are you happy going with 2 165's or do you think you shoulda went 1 300w?

sneeyatch · 09/11/2018, 05:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Daddyrawg

I also have a 90 and going to go with CBB's soon... are you happy going with 2 165's or do you think you shoulda went 1 300w?

Yeah - the lights worked very well - to the point I couldn't keep low light corals at all unless I had the power adjusted almost all the way down.

My only real complaint isn't about the lights - it was the center brace from the 90 - it did cause a slight shadow. I arranged my aquascaping so that there was a "trench" in the middle so the shadow accentuated the trench and made it nicer to look at.

Daddyrawg · 09/25/2018, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sneeyatch

Yeah - the lights worked very well - to the point I couldn't keep low light corals at all unless I had the power adjusted almost all the way down.

My only real complaint isn't about the lights - it was the center brace from the 90 - it did cause a slight shadow. I arranged my aquascaping so that there was a "trench" in the middle so the shadow accentuated the trench and made it nicer to look at.

How far from the sides of the tank did you place the lights?

RudyinFL · 09/25/2018, 02:19 PM

I have had the dsuny less on my tank for several years and not to bad. I have saved up and getting read to get the radion's. Here is the link https://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-DSunY-...sAAOSwLZBbo1uy

Hope the link works. I have the 4 panels over my 120. 4x2x2.

homer1475 · 09/26/2018, 03:51 AM

Before I went back to T5's I had 2 300W BB panels over my 90 cube. I could grow anything on the sandbed, but low light corals suffered.

They were my first BB's and when I was having issues with my corals, I switched to T5's just to rule out lighting as a possible cause for my coral decline. Of course it wasn't, but thats for a different thread.

07/10/2018, 02:52 PM	#1
sacalaitman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Morgan City, Louisiana Posts: 74	Best Chinese leds for 90gal tank I have to stay on a tight budget with my lighting on my 90 gallon new reef. I used t5s on my smaller tanks a few years ago and then went to led. Tank is 48 inches long and approximately 24 inches deep. What is the Best Buy for the Chinese leds? I’ve been out about 4 years so forgive my ignorance. The tank will be mostly softies with some lps and very few lps. I just want to know which one has good PAR values and good spectrum. I have read through a lot of the forums on this but I haven’t made up my mind as to which one fits my needs. Any insight on this would be very helpful. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/11/2018, 12:14 AM	#2
lpsouth1978 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Arizona Posts: 915	I am currently using a Mars Aqua 165w over my 40b. I like it except for the spectrum. It uses only one blue spectrum. I have looked at a lot of different Chinese LED's and the Viparspectra seem to have a pretty good spectrum mix. I am planning on getting the 300w Viparspectra for my tank to give more even coverage. I would think that 2 x 165W units would work over a 90 though 3 would be even better. __________________ Current tank: 40B work in progress w/20L sump

07/11/2018, 04:57 AM	#3
mcgyvr Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: North Carolina Posts: 20,050	All the 165W/300W "Chinese Black Box" LED fixtures are all basically VERY similar.. Just slightly different features... In general all will basically work about the same as far as growing corals is concerned and one doesn't stand out as "best" over any other one.. __________________ Who me?

07/11/2018, 05:53 AM	#4
sneeyatch Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 1,312	I used 2 165 watt black boxes over my old 90 - got them from Reef Radiance. The only real reason I went with them is great customer service - actually talked to the guy before buying them - and I liked their color / layout. Their fixtures incorporated greens, oranges, reds and of course blues, violets and UV way back in like 2013... Prices are all pretty much the same, just depends on what you want. __________________ - Todd It's often the saddest of us working our hardest to make everyone laugh Current Tank Info: Tankless

07/13/2018, 07:09 PM	#8
DesertReefT4r Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Mesa Az Posts: 771	SB Reef gets a ton of good reviews and many have great results. From what I understand SB is a BB but they have their own LED layout with a much better spectrum than other BB led lighting. They also have a USA warranty and CS. SB Reef is and is not a BB, IMO its the best quality BB you can get. Reef Breeders Photon V2 and the updated V2+ from my research and shopping for low cost leds is the best bang for your buck and is very good quality. The Photon is not a BB led. __________________ Tank history 29g tropical ,55g cichlid tank, 20H softy reef, 29g mixed reef, 20H brackish goby & puffer tank, 55g mixed reef, 6g Nanocube softy lps reef, 40B sps reef, 75g sps reef, 75g sps reef in bu Current Tank Info: 75g sps reef build in the works.

07/11/2018, 01:24 PM	#5
aleok Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 145	This one look pretty good if you don't want the rectangular boxy look. https://www.amazon.com/AquaticHI-Spe...rds=reef+light

07/11/2018, 03:49 PM	#6
sacalaitman Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Morgan City, Louisiana Posts: 74	Thanks guys. This is exactly what I wanted to hear. I didn’t know if one stood out from all the others Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

07/13/2018, 09:33 AM	#7
scooter31707 Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Virginia Posts: 4,971	I'm using Mars Aqua right now and they are doing the job. Growing LPS and Montis at the moment. Haven't tried Acros yet.

09/25/2018, 02:19 PM	#13
RudyinFL Premium Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: St Petersburg, Florida Posts: 176	I have had the dsuny less on my tank for several years and not to bad. I have saved up and getting read to get the radion's. Here is the link https://www.ebay.com/itm/2PCS-DSunY-...sAAOSwLZBbo1uy Hope the link works. I have the 4 panels over my 120. 4x2x2. __________________ I think I am hooked all over again...........Rudy Current Tank Info: 120 mixed Reef, Trigger system sump/fuge, I-tech 200, 4x XR15 G4 Pro's,Apex 2016,Bubble Magnus Doser

09/26/2018, 03:51 AM	#14
homer1475 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Upstate NY Posts: 5,313	Before I went back to T5's I had 2 300W BB panels over my 90 cube. I could grow anything on the sandbed, but low light corals suffered. They were my first BB's and when I was having issues with my corals, I switched to T5's just to rule out lighting as a possible cause for my coral decline. Of course it wasn't, but thats for a different thread. __________________ 80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256 Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht: "He's just taking his lunch to work"