Poor mans Full Spectrum, dimmable 120W LED light- review

Looks really good! Such a huge difference compared to the photos on page one.

 

Thanks FB,
With as many pics as I post, I'll pretend that wasn't sarcasm! ;-)

Thanks for noticing, if I see that difference, it may just have been b/c I bought new lights. I'll take you word for it, I think so too.

Trouble now is, where to put each channels dimmers which gives it a different look too.

Todays FTS-

 

Looks really nice Todd! I'm glad you can figure out the lighting - it looks very nice in all of the pictures

 

Looks great bud. As you might know I just switched to 3 of the dimmable full spectrums on almost the same size tank and I'm more than pleased.
Your tank looks awesome!

 

Thanks everyone for the replies.

I now have my lights at:
80% the bluer channel
50% the other channel

With the 90degree lenses, it seems to have much more intensity, and I don't want to start frying anything, so I'm using these settings and so far- - - So good.

I really like the fuller spectrum, and I'm hoping I'll start seeing even better growth than my 2 color/no dimmer LED's.

As far as side spread though, there IS a BIG difference between my former 120's, and my current 90 degree lenses. The 90 being much more narrow.

 

I changed the title to 'Poor Mans Full Spectrum' 'cause I'm thinking/hoping these lights sort of approximate slightly by performance/color spectrums those Brand name lights- you know the ones. 'Cept these lights cost WAY less.
No, these lights don't do thunderstorms, cloud passes, or slow sun ups/downs.

But they do really work well, and I'm basically comparing them to my previous LED's also.

I am definitely seeing:
More branching and growth
More/different colors
Brighter/fuller colors

on my coral, especially my sps

then I did with my former 2 color only, no dimming, 120degree LED's.

I now have them on 80% Bluer channel; 50% Whiter channel

I can objectively SEE the difference in those things mentioned above.

 

I Also noticed a slight difference between my lights!

I first got one of them off Ebay- marketed by the Evergrow company.

Then, using an Amazon Giftcard, I paid about $6 more per light/shipping and got 2 more of what I thought was the exact same light.
It was marketed by a different company. The both report Cree/Bridgelux, etc.

They look the same on the outside, EXACTLY the same on the outside- even the sticker showing which lights/colors are on which channel.
They all have the same # and types of LED's on each channel, etc. They are also placed in the same exact array/place on the board, etc.

BUT- The bluer/whiter channels are reversed on the Evergorw's vs. the others.

AND- maybe a bigger difference-
When the timer kicks the lights on, the bluer channel first-
The Evergrow pop right on to where you had the dimmer switch,
While the others bought off Amazon have a gradual power up of about 2 seconds!

I think this is to further preserve the LED's life?

So, at least some of the internal parts ARE different!

They both look about the same pwerwise/dimmer wise.

Overall- VERY happy with them over my 120degree blue/white onlys, that are now in a box, and will be going over my frag secton/chaeto when my current 125 is converted to my basement sump.

The real test would be- in the same tank/water, side by side:
Grow the same approximate sized frags, off the same colony, in the same water:
one side the poormans full spectrum-
the other side the Radion Pro-

and see what happens!

Since no-one is donating a Radion Pro to me- I'll just have to keep dreaming up these great, verifiable experiments.

 

Quick question for everyone. Would the Evergrow Dimmable Full Spectrum D120 120W LED be a good choice for a JBJ rimless 30g?

 

those were our first lights we owned. There amazing. well was amazing, we now have the evergrow IT2040s. There really good, the Tao-tronics the growth and color from the corals was really good we bought them a year and some od ago off amazon for like 500$ for the pair. The price has gone down allllot. But thats fine it happens in this type of market. Awesome setup btw.

 

Short answer- YES; Long ansser, you'll be dimming them unless they are way up and corals are low/deep.

Thanks for the compliment