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Unread 04/20/2017, 08:59 AM   #1
ktownhero
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Super inexpensive but amazing fuge bulb...

I picked one of these LED plant bulbs up last week:

https://www.amazon.com/Grow-Light-Bu...nt+light&psc=1

The bulb is huge and sticks out of my clamp-on fixture, but the results are nothing short of astounding. I am in no way affiliated with this seller or product, but I just wanted to throw it out there that you can get a really high quality light for very little. This bulb plus a clamp-on work light leaves you at about $25 for a fuge light that will beat almost everything else on the market with the exception of the crazy expensive Kessil light. I have seen more growth in my chaeto in the last week than I did in the last 2 months with my standard 10w LED flood light bulb. Not an exaggeration...


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Unread 04/20/2017, 09:27 AM   #2
ca1ore
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what's the difference between 'super' expensive and 'crazy' expensive? I actually have the Kessil (H380, or something like that). Got sick of cheap ebay/amazon bulbs failing on me after a few weeks.


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Simon

Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones!

Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs
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Unread 04/20/2017, 09:44 AM   #3
ktownhero
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ca1ore View Post
what's the difference between 'super' expensive and 'crazy' expensive? I actually have the Kessil (H380, or something like that). Got sick of cheap ebay/amazon bulbs failing on me after a few weeks.
Superfluous words, it's the "expensive" and "inexpensive" part that matters

That Kessil is awesome. It's about the only thing better than one of these bulbs but at over 10x the cost. The test that BRS did recently was really eye opening. These plant bulbs and the kessil out performed regular bulbs by significant margins and in just one week I've already seen the evidence of that as well.


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Unread 04/20/2017, 11:15 AM   #4
ca1ore
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Originally Posted by ktownhero View Post
That Kessil is awesome.
It is! Bought it used, and then promptly dropped it into the sump. Fortunately it was off at the time, is very well water proofed inside, and I was able to dry it off an still use it. Phew!!


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Simon

Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones!

Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs
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Unread 04/20/2017, 12:52 PM   #5
hegeh
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ca1ore View Post
It is! Bought it used, and then promptly dropped it into the sump. Fortunately it was off at the time, is very well water proofed inside, and I was able to dry it off an still use it. Phew!!
Glad to know its waterproof, else i couldnt image how painful to see kessil rust away

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Unread 04/20/2017, 03:39 PM   #6
callsign4223
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got one of these. Works good, and survived being rained on when my tank bottom cracked. The clamp socket failed and the light is still going strong in a new socket.

I'd like to see the Kessil H80 vs one of these cheapo lights. I can justify a $100 to replace one of these a lot easier than a $300 light.


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Unread 04/20/2017, 03:43 PM   #7
Dealseer
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hegeh View Post
Glad to know its waterproof, else i couldnt image how painful to see kessil rust away

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It is not waterproof.


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Unread 04/20/2017, 08:46 PM   #8
ca1ore
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Originally Posted by Dealseer View Post
It is not waterproof.
Well, not in the sense that they are submersible certainly, but the insides are well coated with rubber to make them water resistant. Like I said, mine survived a complete submersion largely because it was off at the time.


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Simon

Got back into the hobby ..... planned to keep it simple ..... yeah, right ..... clearly I need a new plan! Pet peeve: anemones host clowns; clowns do not host anemones!

Current Tank Info: 450 Reef; 120 refugium; 60 Frag Tank, 30 Introduction tank; multiple QTs
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Unread 04/21/2017, 07:15 AM   #9
ktownhero
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ca1ore View Post
Well, not in the sense that they are submersible certainly, but the insides are well coated with rubber to make them water resistant. Like I said, mine survived a complete submersion largely because it was off at the time.
Any piece of electronics can survive submersion if it is off and you let it dry out before turning it back on


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Unread 04/21/2017, 07:42 AM   #10
Jonviviano
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+1 on this fuge light it works great for me!


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Unread 04/21/2017, 07:50 AM   #11
ktownhero
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Quote:
Originally Posted by callsign4223 View Post
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I got one of these. Works good, and survived being rained on when my tank bottom cracked. The clamp socket failed and the light is still going strong in a new socket.

I'd like to see the Kessil H80 vs one of these cheapo lights. I can justify a $100 to replace one of these a lot easier than a $300 light.
Ask and ye shall receive: https://youtu.be/dr1q5BkvO_o?t=11m30s (about 9 seconds after that starts they show the full chart). Essentially the Amazon-style plant bulbs (of which there are dozens) out perform a regular daylight bulb by about 50%. The Kessil out performs the Amazon bulbs by almost 100% which is insane. Of course the Kessil is great, but the Amazon bulbs are incredible value. I'm referring to the mass of the growth of chaeto -- They all were capable of reducing nitrates and phosphates to 0.


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Unread 04/21/2017, 07:57 AM   #12
bif24701
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I got this light and in less than 5 days my NO3 went from 20ppm to 4-8ppm and PO4 from .9 to .03! What what what!?!

Unbelievable.






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180 Mixed Reef
SRO-5000 Skimmer
Neptune APEX Gold
Kessil AP700/ MP60+6105
Kalk+2 part/ Cheato Fuge

Current Tank Info: 180 SPS Dominant
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Unread 04/21/2017, 08:21 AM   #13
callsign4223
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ktownhero View Post
Ask and ye shall receive: https://youtu.be/dr1q5BkvO_o?t=11m30s (about 9 seconds after that starts they show the full chart). Essentially the Amazon-style plant bulbs (of which there are dozens) out perform a regular daylight bulb by about 50%. The Kessil out performs the Amazon bulbs by almost 100% which is insane. Of course the Kessil is great, but the Amazon bulbs are incredible value. I'm referring to the mass of the growth of chaeto -- They all were capable of reducing nitrates and phosphates to 0.
The problem with this is it's comparing the amazon type bulb to a kessil h380. Thats a $300 bulb. I want a comparison to the kessil h80. That is their $100 offering.


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Unread 04/21/2017, 08:32 AM   #14
jda
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I thought that this was going to be another post for a 5,500 CFL screw in bulb in a clamp-on fixture. These last for years, cost a few bucks and years and fill the tank with macro.

I have always found that water changes to keep your iron up, or supplementing iron, was significantly more effective at growing macro than any light.


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Unread 04/21/2017, 09:26 AM   #15
ktownhero
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bif24701 View Post
I got this light and in less than 5 days my NO3 went from 20ppm to 4-8ppm and PO4 from .9 to .03! What what what!?!

Unbelievable.
After 3 days with it my NO3 went from ~14ppm to ~8ppm and my PO4 went from .64 to .26. I haven't checked again in the last week or so but based on how much growth I see I'd imagine they are near zero. I can get back to spoiling my corals


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Unread 04/21/2017, 09:27 AM   #16
ktownhero
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Quote:
Originally Posted by callsign4223 View Post
The problem with this is it's comparing the amazon type bulb to a kessil h380. Thats a $300 bulb. I want a comparison to the kessil h80. That is their $100 offering.
Gotcha, the model names are so confusing. I didn't know they had two different ones. All I do know is that these $15 bulbs are awesome with a $10 clamp-on fixture.


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Unread 04/21/2017, 10:29 AM   #17
bif24701
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ktownhero View Post
After 3 days with it my NO3 went from ~14ppm to ~8ppm and my PO4 went from .64 to .26. I haven't checked again in the last week or so but based on how much growth I see I'd imagine they are near zero. I can get back to spoiling my corals


Let the Sin Begin!


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180 Mixed Reef
SRO-5000 Skimmer
Neptune APEX Gold
Kessil AP700/ MP60+6105
Kalk+2 part/ Cheato Fuge

Current Tank Info: 180 SPS Dominant
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