Adam_T Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 Due to a job opportunity, I had to significantly downsize my tank to a small Innovative Marine 8g Nuvo. I was able to take a few pieces of rock from my main tank, and a few of my favorite corals. Not doing fish at this time. Regardless...the lighting unit I chose to light this little guy was the Nano Box Reef Mini. Here are the details and my review:Company: Nano Box Reef (www.nanoboxreef.com)Fixture: Mini Tide (full spectrum LED) w/ Tank GooseneckDriver: Nano Box Reef 2 Channel Dimmable - 700mAChannel 1: 1 Natural White, 1 Cool White, 1 Warm White, and 2 VioletChannel 2: 2 Royal Blue, 2 Blue, 2 Cyan (I think...Dave will Clarify)The Quality: The quality of this unit is impeccable. The finish is flawless, the wiring is clean and the sleeves add a great professional touch to the unit. The gooseneck is also very strong and sleek. The cables are hidden through the gooseneck!Light Output: This thing is perfect for my Nuvo 8...which is roughly 11x11x10ish inches....but I would recommend this light for any tank up to a 14'' cube. The 700mA that both of these channels can reach is more than enough to support any coral type in the proper tank size.The Color: Oh man....this is one of the main reasons I left the LED world a couple years ago. I've had a custom unit by Nano Box Reef in the past, I have had an AI Nano, and I have made 2 of my own custom LED units, and I couldn't stand the coloring of ANY of them! As some of you may know, LED's that are assembled in the standard Royal Blue / Cool White combo, have a very icy blue coloring to them...which is super harsh on photography as well as the naked eye. This is why I ended up switching back to T5HO with ATI bulbs. Well my friends....this unit right here has gotten me back into the LED world! The full spectrum coloring achieved by the intricate selection of LED's on the Mini Tide makes for a WONDERFUL view! The coloring is much more satisfying than my recent T5HO setup w/ full ATI bulbs...and that is saying a lot! Photos turn out nice, and my corals show their natural beauty!Customer Service (I am a stickler on this no matter where I buy from): Flawless! It looks like Dave really has this lineup set in stone, and there were absolutely no gaps in communication what-so-ever. I asked Dave when he could ship the unit before I paid him, and even after the payment and a week later...he shipped on time and the unit was delivered in one day! One week turn-around for a custom LED unit? HECK YEAH!Photos (unedited): I tried to get the light in the picture as much as possible.Conclusion: This is a great unit for pico/nano tanks, if not the best on the market. Sure, there are other good units out there....but good luck finding one that is full spectrum like this! For its size, the Nano Box Reef Mini Tide cannot be beat. Customer service was great, the quality is amazing, the product was created and is assembled in the USA....what more could you ask for? Amazing LED fixture all around. No complaints. Link to comment
andi.rahl Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 really loving the light that it puts off. wondering if I could get 2 and finagle them onto my edge somehow XD Link to comment
Adam_T Posted April 20, 2013 Author Share Posted April 20, 2013 He makes larger units as well...no need to get 2 minis. :-) Link to comment
andi.rahl Posted April 20, 2013 Share Posted April 20, 2013 yeah, I saw that and forgot to come back to edit my post Link to comment
Jmifland Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 I can't find the mini tide fixture on their website. Do you have an exact URL to the item? I have a 4G CADlights I would like to have the lights upgraded on. Link to comment
Adam_T Posted April 21, 2013 Author Share Posted April 21, 2013 Here is some info on the lights...sorry to just post this link, but I asked him and he said he was working on the new website with all the new products he offers. This link has pricing and such. http://www.carolinafishtalk.com/forum/nano-box-reef/68857-nano-box-mini-tide-flare-glow.html Link to comment
Jmifland Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 You have any way to get par readings? Link to comment
DaveFason Posted April 21, 2013 Share Posted April 21, 2013 You have any way to get par readings? I will have these very shortly but that is the least to worry about on a tank this small! Website is going live VERY shortly. -Dave Link to comment
disaster999 Posted April 22, 2013 Share Posted April 22, 2013 nice review, but for $225 ill probably just DIY this myself. wont look as good, but at least it functions Link to comment
Adam_T Posted May 8, 2013 Author Share Posted May 8, 2013 nice review, but for $225 ill probably just DIY this myself. wont look as good, but at least it functions True - but some of us are all about things looking nice. I could have made my own 2 channel dimmable for half the price, but I love the aesthetics more than anything. Keeps a sleek tank in a sweet pad looking....sleek. Can't have the ladies looking at a rigged lighting system! Link to comment
Method1 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 True - but some of us are all about things looking nice. I could have made my own 2 channel dimmable for half the price, but I love the aesthetics more than anything. Keeps a sleek tank in a sweet pad looking....sleek. Can't have the ladies looking at a rigged lighting system! Hahahaha. My man. Link to comment
Nano sapiens Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Nice review and light. I am curious as to how loud the fan is. Since the LEDs are packed fairly tight and there is little passive cooling, I'd assume that it is on most of the time. Link to comment
Adam_T Posted June 5, 2013 Author Share Posted June 5, 2013 There is no fan. :-) Dead silent. Link to comment
jbb Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Even the Nano Box units with fans are dead silent. (I have 2 of them) Link to comment
Deckoz2302 Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 Nice review and light. I am curious as to how loud the fan is. Since the LEDs are packed fairly tight and there is little passive cooling, I'd assume that it is on most of the time. My 48 inch fixture doesn't have fans and it runs cool even with 4 54w t5s beside it. Silent Link to comment
Nano sapiens Posted June 5, 2013 Share Posted June 5, 2013 There is no fan. :-) Dead silent. How does this little box dissipate the heat? LEDs will work under hot conditions, but their efficacy and lifespan will be greatly reduced. Link to comment
Adam_T Posted June 6, 2013 Author Share Posted June 6, 2013 How does this little box dissipate the heat? LEDs will work under hot conditions, but their efficacy and lifespan will be greatly reduced. There is a beastly heatsink inside the unit to keep them "cooler", as well as a vented top....and it's only 11 LEDs. You'd be surprised how much heat a 3w LED can handle before it effects their efficiency. Not to mention....if my LED lifespan cuts back to 3 years instead of 10 years due to heat, then so be it. I have a tiny fixture and it will cost me about $20 to replace them all in 3 years. This isn't the case...just an example. :-) Link to comment
Nano sapiens Posted June 6, 2013 Share Posted June 6, 2013 There is a beastly heatsink inside the unit to keep them "cooler", as well as a vented top....and it's only 11 LEDs. You'd be surprised how much heat a 3w LED can handle before it effects their efficiency. Not to mention....if my LED lifespan cuts back to 3 years instead of 10 years due to heat, then so be it. I have a tiny fixture and it will cost me about $20 to replace them all in 3 years. This isn't the case...just an example. :-) Got it, big heatsink, vented top and 3W (not 5W). Looks like it works Link to comment
xcom Posted July 13, 2013 Share Posted July 13, 2013 NICE FIXTURE! Does it have a moonlight? or come with controller for dimming or it's pretty much on/off type of fixture I might want to order this for my pico... Link to comment
Adam_T Posted July 18, 2013 Author Share Posted July 18, 2013 Yes, you can add a controller onto it. Dave uses the Storm LED Controller from Coralux.net. http://coralux.net/?wpsc-product=storm-led-controller-2 I got mine added on 2 weeks ago and its awesome. Cloud coverage, lightning....dimming....ramping...etc. :-) It's nice. And I have it run the blue channel at 1% for 3 hours at night for moonlighting. Link to comment
DaveFason Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 I think one of the best functions of the Storm controller is having them night time mode. Adam - Glad to hear all is well and thanks! True - Give me a shout. Link to comment
Zoom1 Posted August 15, 2013 Share Posted August 15, 2013 I have not heard much about these lights but when I have, I have only heard remarkable things! I was curious if a mini tide would fully light a 12g fluval edge topless, or I would have to upgrade to the bigger fixture? I am looking to purchase ASAP and I also reside in NC. Look forward to hearing from you! Link to comment
jmsalt1 Posted August 17, 2013 Share Posted August 17, 2013 Can anyone comment on how well the Coralux Storm controller works with the Nano Box Mini Tide? The Coralux site describes a Lunar Phase Simulation and I have read elsewhere that to use it you may need to have a channel dedicated to that function to a degree. With only two channels on the Nano Box Mini, how well does that work given you really only have one channel as the option to run the lunar cycle, your blues. I'm not just talking about setting it to turn on the blue channel for 3-4 hours a night, I'm talking about running the actual lunar cycle like the Storm is designed to run. Anyone? I currently own a mono-box with the 13 up board but without a controller. Link to comment
DaveFason Posted August 20, 2013 Share Posted August 20, 2013 Currently the feature was later one. The best way for this to work is run a single LED dedicated to for the lunar phase. However you still have a night feature that acts as a moonlight. Hope this helps! -Dave Link to comment
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