Switching to LED - Full Review Comming

[albert_dao]

FYI, CRI of the XML's is only 75.

They sound nice on paper, but wait til you throw them over your livestock without heavy color refining from other LED sources (neutral white XPG's are 90 CRI).

[TJSlayer]

I think the only ones using the xml's are Pacific Sun as an option in the Metis fixtures, probably the pythons too, but would have check with them for confirmation.

[TJSlayer]

Well after many weeks of reading, doing research on the net and in many of the reef forums, reading what others are doing, etc. and many conversations with several manufacturers and suppliers I have finally committed to my LED light.

After really taking a long time to consider what features I considered to be needed rather than just cool or nice to have I finally decided upon the new light offered by Inwatter – The Stingray.

I was leaning towards the Reeftech Prometheus or the Pacific Sun Metis for the longest time, as they really do pretty much anything you could hope for with an incredible amount of expandability, and the build quality of each seems to be top notch, but I just couldn’t quite get to the price that they were at, otherwise I would of probably went with one of them.

But more to the reasoning I decided to go with the Inwatter Stingray.

The most important features to me were as follows:
Quality components (ie. CREE lights – replaceable boards, etc.)
Dimming Capability – with a sunrise/sunset/moon option
(a must for led’s as far as I’m concerned – far easier to acclimate and adjust colors)
I really wanted a fixture that would cover the whole tank or at least link together and act like one, and all three of the above mentioned covered this point. Many of the others really didn’t.
Controllability either by built in controller, or another method I already had (Reefkeeper Lite)

In my discussions with Inwatter I have come to the conclusion that all of the above points are easily met and the light has a great amount of output in a 48” fixture (240 Watts). Standard pricing is also the lowest of the three that I was looking at so that was also key in my final decision.

The other two lights do have more features than the Stingray fixture, which ultimately adds to the cost, but it also put them just out of my price range right now, and in my opinion are features that are not critical to the main purpose of the light.

Currently I have been running my tank with a pretty basic on off timing functionality of the controller I use and things are fine. The other features would be really cool to have but ultimately will not affect the core functionality the lights are providing.

I was originally concerned about ordering a light that is just getting released, but in discussions with inwatter, and the research I have done, they are building a top quality light, and not just another cheap import. They are not trying to compete in the lower rang of offerings, but are trying to provide a great fixture for a fair price. They too have also tried to look at what key features were needed, and what other features that simply added to the price, and after a long time came up with the Stingray design.

I have had many PM’s with people who have purchased pretty much every light discussed in this thread and for the most part people are happy with whatever they decided on. But one key point that I have heard time and again, is that after the initial playing around period most have their lights set to the same sunrise/sunset and color output that they want and really don’t mess around with them after that.

This pretty much agrees with what my thoughts were on what I needed.

I hope to receive the fixture in the next two to three weeks and then I will start my full review.

Very excited to finally have this underway..

Stay Tuned

TJ

[TJSlayer]

Light has arrived will be starting a new thread on the review shortly!

[Bblinks]

awesome to see other brands of led systems infiltrate into this market, looking forward for the review.

[TJSlayer]

REVIEW CAN BE FOUND HERE

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...d=1#post615790