Aquatraders.com's new 3watt evo fixtures?

Discussion in 'LED Aquarium Lighting' started by felixpaws, May 20, 2012.

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  1. felixpaws

    felixpaws Astrea Snail

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    Very happy, with this light. The diatoms under it have grown faster, and dar than under my t5's, and compact light. Still a little concerned with heat, but, like I wrote, before even if the light only lasts for 5 years, it will have paid for itself, and then some. Definately, more light in the aquarium, than before. I can't wait to get the 4 row led fixture, by aquatraders.com, to see how much brighter it will be! They are out of stock, right now, but should get them in, soon enough. They're turnaround time tends to be pretty quick. I highly recommend this fixture, although, I'd recommend blowing a fan of some kind across the top of it, to help dissapate heat. If you have a 2'x2'4' tank, this fixture, and two of the 4 row led fixtures, will fit, perfectly over it. Two clip on bedside fans, blown over all three fixtures would probably do the trick, and be far less heat, than a metal halide. Right now, they are not as hot, as my 4 bulb t5, and neither has fans on them. Once I get the other two fixtures, I'll turn on my fans. In the winter, I'd think no fans would be needed, depending on your climate, and how warm you keep your house. This fixture would be good for a 55, for softies, but I would still go for the 4 row led fixture, in case you wanted to eventually switch to lps or sps, later on.(Which, most people do. :)
     
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  3. felixpaws

    felixpaws Astrea Snail

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    I just ordered the 4 row aquatraders.com evo leds. I noticed that ebay has them, also, and they offer fans to fit on top of them. They are $14.50 for each fan, I believe. I plan to use a clip on bedside fan, instead, but I may attempt to get the fans for them, later on. The 2 row fixture I have is doing well. The temperature of the tank has dropped a couple of degrees, and that's just replacing a two bulb t5 fixture. I can't wait to replace the 4 bulb fixture, and my compact fixture! I don't use a chiller, but use fans, and summer is right around the corner. The light output from the 2 row fixture is phenominal. I would still recommend the 4 bulb fixture. I only bought the two row, because 2, four row fixtures, and 1, two row fixture will fit perfectly on my 24", 24", 48" 120 gallon tank. The 4 row fixture should work great over a standard 55 gallon tank. If I could go back, and get the 4 row, and 2 row, for my 75 gallon, I would. I'll update, when I get the new fixture.
     
  4. felixpaws

    felixpaws Astrea Snail

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    So, I recieved my 4 row, 3watt aquatradcom light, today. It was packaged a little differently, than the two row. No pictures, on the box. Just a block letter description of the contents. I, immediately, put it on my tank, to compare the brightness, to the other light, and my t5's. I was a little dissapointed to see it wasn't as bright as I was hoping. Then, I remembered. Leds need a little time to "break in". After about 1/2 hour, they have brightened, considerably. They do run a little hot. I can put my hand on the top of the fixture for some time, but it is a little uncomfortable. I will run my clip-on fan over the top of the two lights, until I get the factory fans they sell, for these lights. The shimmer is incredible, from these lights. Both lights have the individual optics, and external ballasts. There are two power cords, and two ballasts. I love this light, but wish I had ordered the fans along with it. I'll get four fans, when I order the second 4 row fixture. I plan to get two of the 2 row, 24" fixtures, for my 29 gallon frag tank. I don't know that I'll need the fans, for those. The 4 row fixture runs hotter, than the two row. I'm a big fan, of aqutraders.com products. They make reefing affordable, for those of us on a tight budget. For the prices, you can't beat them. The quality is pretty good, and everything I've ordered has arrived working. Quality control could be better, sometimes, but overall, I'm quite pleased with my purchases. I'll try to take pictures, after I get the second 4 row fixture. I don't want to take them, with my t5's still on, and without sufficient light. Feel free to ask any questions or comment. I know there isn't a lot of information, on the internet, about these, yet. If your looking for a cheaper alternative to the hanging, 120watt lights, that cover an entire tank surface, these work great. Both are the cheap, chinese leds, anyway, so, it's not that big of a difference, in quality, depending on which model of 120watt fixture you buy. Two of these would work, over a 75 gallon. There is a little bit of spotlighting, but it's not that noticeable. I'll mark the progress of the coral, and when I get the second two row fixture, I'll take pictures.
     
  5. Slacking02

    Slacking02 Astrea Snail

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    I know this is kinda of an older post. But I was looking to buy the 32x 3 watt led fixture, and I was wondering if y’all can give us an update on y’alls opinions on them now? Maybe so pics too if possible! Thanks in Advance!
     
  6. felixpaws

    felixpaws Astrea Snail

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    Sorry, for not updating this post sooner. I, recently, had a motorcycle accident, and broke my arm. My tank has lots of corraline on the glass, since all I could do was water changes, change the carbon & GFO, and dose 2-part. I will tell you that I'm still pretty happy with these lights. I've noticed a bit of spotlighting, higher up in the water column, and on top of my rockwork, so, be aware. If you have less rockwork, it won't be as noticeable. My coral have increaesd they're growth rates, from my t5's. I have noticed a difference. The tank looks a ton brighter, than before, and I can't wait to get the second Quad light, to replace my 4 bulb T5's on the back end of the tank.(Doctor bills have taken away some of my purchasing power.:p) I'd still recommend these fixtures. If you can get the quad fixture(if it will fit over the space you have...), I would do that. The fixtures do run a little warmer, than I expected, but you can either set a bedside clip-on fan to blow across them or buy the fans Aquatraders.com sells, although I haven't tried them, I've just used two clip-on fans, which work well. You might want to get some moonlights, since these have none. I still run the moonlights, from my T5 fixture, but I'll miss them, once my 2nd quad fixture arrives:cry:. My coral have been opening more fully, since I have had these fixtures. Possibly to reach for light, but I doubt it. My green(sold to me as nuclear palythoas) palys have grown a ton, after not growing for months, before I installed these fixtures. They are near the bottom of a two foot tall tank, and have grown little over the course of the year before these leds. I have several lps, a bunch of zoas, and an sps on the sand, and they have fared well. I, recently, tried vinegar dosing, and stopped suddenly, damaging some of my lps(My advice:Do Not Carbon Dose, And Then STOP, Suddenly! Stuff will suffer. Just my two cents.), but after I stopped, and started using gfo, and carbon, again, they all bounced back, and have started to regrow damaged tissues. The nice thing about these fixtures is coverage, coverage, and coverage. For the price, it covers my whole tank, and grows everything great! I bought a damaged sps, from a local reefer, and didn't know it had receded off of the skeleton. I told him, and he offered to replace it, then I had my accident. I had glued it on top of my rockwork, and left it. Over the course of a month, and a little bit, it has slowly regrown over, and is almost done recovering the bare parts. It was a small frag, and it was receded off of half the two, one inch branches, and it is now almost whole, with just the tips not covered, yet. For the price, these are totally worth it. Why spend a ton on fixtures, when the technology is changing so quickly, that in a year, the $800 fixtures you bought will be obsolete? I say, get these, for the meantime. Run them for a year or two, and see how the technology evolves, get better fixtures, and then you'll have these as a backup(or a new build ;D). Just to reiterate, I can fit (2)48" Evo Quad 3 Watt Fixtures, and (1)48" Evo 3 Watt Fixtures(The 2 row led one) over my 2'X4' 120 Gallon tank. They will fit the entire tank perfectly, and light every square inch. I have a Clam, but haven't noticed any new growth, since I bought these lights. I didn't notice any before, with my T5's, and compacts, though, so, take that into account. It's mostly under the T5's, so, I will post more, after I get the 2nd Evo Quad. Since getting these lights, I've, already, saved $100, on replacement bulbs. I have only one more fixture to get, and I'll be done. I opted for a reefkoi 120Watt led fixture, for my 29 gallon frag tank. It's overkill, but I couldn't see spending that much money, for less light. I bought it off ebay, with a 20% off coupon, and got it for $138, I think. The problem is, the Aquatraders lights don't have a 30" fixture. I didn't want to get the 24" or the next size up, because they wouldn't fit right. Now, I have to deal with light spillage, since I have to raise the 120watt fixture up, several inches. Oh, well. I figure, I'll put it over the 150 gallon, I want to replace my 75 gallon with;), and get the next led fixture they come out with, in a year or two, lol! Then, I'll have three 120watt fixtures over a 150, instead of two, over my 75. If I missed anything, let me know. Glad to help. Let us know what you decide on? Then, you can help the next reefer out.:)
     
  7. felixpaws

    felixpaws Astrea Snail

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    Correction!

    Sorry, TaoTronics 120Watt fixture, not Reefkoi. I paid less than the price they aell for, now, with the 20% off coupon. I wish they made a 30" fixture, instead. Having to raise up the light sucks! Sorry, for the confusion.::)
     
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  9. Slacking02

    Slacking02 Astrea Snail

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    Thank you so much for the info!
    I’ve been looking everywhere for some feed back on these lights and couldn’t find much, this totally helped me make my choice, and I completely agree with your point of view on buying these lights to see what comes out later on!
     
  10. felixpaws

    felixpaws Astrea Snail

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    Glad I could help. That's exactly why I created this topic. It's really hard to find useful information on aquatraders.com products, without all the metal halide/ fire hype. I've been buying they're products for years, and although I admit they aren't the highest quality, they do, generally work as advertised. I hope you are happy with the results, if you do decide to go with these lights. I'd hate to think I steered anyone towards these lights, and they ended up unhappy with them. Let us know what you decided? Thanks!:)
     
  11. Slacking02

    Slacking02 Astrea Snail

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    Well i ended up ordering the smaller light the one with only 2 rows, 32 x 3 watt leds.
    i just got it about 30 min ago and just finished setting it up and i love it!
    it does spotlight but i don’t mind it at all!
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    sorry about the iPhone pics!
     
  12. tst400

    tst400 Astrea Snail

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    i could be wrong but i believe if u raise the lights the spotlighting may go away