Chihiros marine led

[Rolf]

My lfs gave me a deal on a nuvo 10 that I couldn't pass up. So after months of reasearch I'm starting to gather equipment for my first build. I have some reefcleaners dry rock on the way and in doing some looking around I stumbled across this light: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01EZNBRXG/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1477316571&sr=8-2&keywords=chihiros%2Bled%2Bmarine&th=1&psc=1

 

Now my plan is to keep mostly lps with a plating monti near the top. I liked how the light was full spectrum and dimmable as well as the price of course. Is there any reason that this light won't work for me, or do I just need to buy it and find out. Fwiw I couldn't find a single source online of first-hand experience. Thanks for your advice.

[ajmckay]

Well first off it's pretty tiny - less than 2.5" wide and they're SMD chips. Some will say that SMD's aren't really "reef capable" but I think it depends on what corals you keep. Ultimately though it's as you say - you just have to try it out and see.

 

On a side note, per my calculations I see that the Nuvo10 is about 38cm wide - this light has a 36 and a 40cm size along with the note that the tank essentially needs to be the same width as the light or it won't sit since the light stands are not adjustable.

[Rolf]

My nuvo 10 is exactly 30cm wide, which makes the 18w model the one I would go with.

[ajmckay]

Lol not sure what I found then! I saw 15" - maybe that's the distance front to back?

 

My nuvo 10 is exactly 30cm wide, which makes the 18w model the one I would go with.

[Rolf]

So do you think a par38 would be a surer bet? I thought the dispersal of the leds over a strip style light would lead to a more even distribution of light compared to a spotlight.

[ajmckay]

I think a PAR38 has a pretty solid track record over a Nuvo10 and you can probably get a color that is well regarded if you go with one of the more reputable brands.

 

I think for a tank that size the PAR bulb would have pretty decent coverage and you can vary the height depending on what optics you use.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

[Rolf]

Hmmm... Going to have to ponder if I'm willing to take a risk on it or not. The aesthetics are what drew me to it in the first place. IMHO it's sexy as h#&l. Don't want to go straight up form over function though.

[Rolf]

Thanks for the advice btw!

[Reefkid88]

http://www.rapidled.com/12-led-par38-bulb-mixed-color-with-uv/You'll thank me later

[Clown79]

I have a IM 10g. I use the aquamaxx nemo light and I have a mixed reef. Its a nice light and programmable. My birdnest and pocillopora are growing. Everything is happy.

 

I have also used a par38 over a 15g. it did a decent job but my par38 wasn't full spectrum or dimmable. Check out coral compulsion par38, they are full spectrum and dimmable. 1 bulb would be plenty over the 10g.

 

I don't know how well the light you attached will work. Corals need 10,000k or higher, that light is 9000k.

 

The most important investment will be the light.

I have upgraded 2 times, its far cheaper to get something better now than pay out for multiple lights.

I have a IM 10g. I use the aquamaxx nemo light and I have a mixed reef. Its a nice light and programmable. My birdnest and pocillopora are growing. Everything is happy.

 

I have also used a par38 over a 15g. it did a decent job but my par38 wasn't full spectrum or dimmable. Check out coral compulsion par38, they are full spectrum and dimmable. 1 bulb would be plenty over the 10g.

 

I don't know how well the light you attached will work. Corals need 10,000k or higher, that light is 9000k.

 

The most important investment will be the light.

I have upgraded 2 times, its far cheaper to get something better now than pay out for multiple lights.

I have a IM 10g. I use the aquamaxx nemo light and I have a mixed reef. Its a nice light and programmable. My birdnest and pocillopora are growing. Everything is happy.

 

I have also used a par38 over a 15g. it did a decent job but my par38 wasn't full spectrum or dimmable. Check out coral compulsion par38, they are full spectrum and dimmable. 1 bulb would be plenty over the 10g.

 

I don't know how well the light you attached will work. Corals need 10,000k or higher, that light is 9000k.

 

The most important investment will be the light.

I have upgraded 2 times, its far cheaper to get something better now than pay out for multiple lights.

Not sure what happened but my reponse doubled

[Rolf]

I am definitely tempted by the nemolight. I do have a question about your statement on color temp and coral growth. Keep in mind I am very new to this, but I thought it was wavlenght that affected growth, not kelvin. Isn't sunlight 6500k? Don't people run lower k bulbs when higher growth is desired? Not at all sure, just confused.

[ajmckay]

I am definitely tempted by the nemolight. I do have a question about your statement on color temp and coral growth. Keep in mind I am very new to this, but I thought it was wavlenght that affected growth, not kelvin. Isn't sunlight 6500k? Don't people run lower k bulbs when higher growth is desired? Not at all sure, just confused.

Wavelength and kelvin, as far as I'm concerned, are both ways to identify light spectrum.

 

When you say "6,500k" you're referring to the color temperature of visible light, in this case a cooler "daylight" color. White isn't a color though - the light contains a mix of various hues along the color spectrum. For example it may have a peak at 400m and 600nm with a dip at 500nm. Just an example - don't quote that.

 

So ultimately white light is full spectrum (meaning it has peaks at multiple wavelengths) and "degrees kelvin" doesn't really do anything other than give an indication of how the color looks... A higher kelvin light will have peaks in the lower wavelength colors like the blues and lower kelvin light will have peaks in higher wavelength colors like yellow and red...

 

Ultimately to grow corals you just have to provide enough PAR , which simply put means you have to provide light at photosynthetic wavelengths. So I would contend that corals can grow just fine at less than 10,000k. The caveat is that they look like poo (brown). That's the other reason we use high kelvin lights (or specifically use a lot of blue LEDs compared to the # of white ones). Blue light makes corals fluoresce and look pretty. Royal Blue LEDs in particular hit about 450nm which is a major wavelength for the photosynthesis of chlorophyll b. "Full spectrum LED" is simply the term we use when we try to combine multiple LED wavelengths to get a light that looks good and still provides enough PAR for the corals we're keeping.

 

Not an expert at this - just giving you an idea of some areas of further research.

[theatrus]

Well first off it's pretty tiny - less than 2.5" wide and they're SMD chips. Some will say that SMD's aren't really "reef capable" but I think it depends on what corals you keep. Ultimately though it's as you say - you just have to try it out and see.

 

On a side note, per my calculations I see that the Nuvo10 is about 38cm wide - this light has a 36 and a 40cm size along with the note that the tank essentially needs to be the same width as the light or it won't sit since the light stands are not adjustable.

 

All modern LEDs are surface mount devices (SMD). The problem here is they use 0.3W LEDs, which might be great for indictor lights (and cost nearly nothing), but aren't in the 1-3W lighting range most people use.

[ajmckay]

 

All modern LEDs are surface mount devices (SMD). The problem here is they use 0.3W LEDs, which might be great for indictor lights (and cost nearly nothing), but aren't in the 1-3W lighting range most people use.

That makes sense.

 

I guess when I think of SMD's I only think of the "typical" 5050 LEDs found on like strip lights and other PCBs...

 

I always considered the more powerful LEDs we typically use to be a COB type LED.

[Mikeymikemike]

I have one as a spare light and the colour rendition is pretty crap. I'd get the aquamaxx nemo over this anyday.

[ajmckay]

I have one as a spare light and the colour rendition is pretty crap. I'd get the aquamaxx nemo over this anyday.

^This guy knows his reef aesthetics so you should probably go with the nemo over the light you initially posted if you decide that route.

[Clown79]

Great explanation Ajmckay.

 

Anything under 10,000k can have growth but slow, the colour of the corals will be brown.

 

My par 38 was 10,000k 50/50- i had a lot of growth but the colour was blah.

 

The SMD leds used in reef lights are less in wattage, thats why there are more leds but the optics are greater.

 

I have an Ai Prime on my 15g and the Aquamaxx Nemolight on my 10g. I have better growth under the nemolight. Colouration of corals is pretty comparable.

 

The nemolight is sleek, you can control blues and whites seperately, i have no heating issues either. its a good light for the price. I have pocillopora and birdsnest under it.

 

the rapid led or coral compulsion par38 is another good option.

[Reefkid88]

While the Nemo is a SMD light,i believe it uses .5w leds instead of .3 or lower. But I have heard nothing but good things about the lights for the price and diode choice.

 

You could also look into these:

 

http://m.fish-street.com/coral_box_moon_led_lighting

 

And the Kessil Clone:

http://m.fish-street.com/jebao_dense_matrix_led_ak-60

[Clown79]

I was hesitant to buy the nemolight. There wasn't a lot of info since it was fairly new.

 

but I have to say, I'm glad I did. Its really doing a good job and for the price, I am really happy.

[Rolf]

Bit the bullet and picked up the Nemolight today. 20% off at Marine Depot FTW!

[ajmckay]

Bit the bullet and picked up the Nemolight today. 20% off at Marine Depot FTW!

I actually came back here to mention it was 20% off... Good call.

[Clown79]

Its always great saving money...that can go to a furure coral

[Rolf]

You bet! I already have my eye on a purple torch at my local coral shop once this thing is all ready. Not going to rush it though, and he always has lots of candy anyway.