True Lumen vs Reef Bright.

[Arati]

trying to decide for my tank. I have some unusual circumstances.

My tank is 65g 36" long in wall with 2 sides viewable. front and back.

I have an ati 6 bulb t5 w/ all ati bulbs. to keep the tank looking the same from both sides. The 2 center bulbs are the blue specials , then the next two out are the 03' atinics, then the two outer most bulbs are blue plus.

So I want to add Led strips , but I will need to use 2 of them.. one on each long side of the fixture.

so 2x 36" Led strips. 177$ea(TL) or 220$ea(RB) I know the True Lumens also need a 40$ power supply that would run both strips. So it comesout like 395$ vs 440$ with really is nothing to get to fired up about.. although im not shure if the RBrites need a powersupply?

I think the TL razor one hase more LEDs but they are 1 watt vs the RB wich has groupings of 3 watt LEDS.. it looks like anyway.. not sure about this either, since I cant find the actualy # of LED or total watts.. or lumens or does anyone know?

lastly since im guessing most people get 1 and im getting 2 does that make it less important to use the better or more powerfull LED? Is one of them made with better blue LEDS that give more pop..

meh.. o sorry so long.. anyone care to help?:headache:

 

[ryangrieder]

i have a 46g bow, upgrading currently to a 57 rimless. i have the TEK elite 6 bulb t5 with ATI and Geismann bulbs. i also have 1 36" blue reefbrite. the single reef brite is JUST enough to give it a slight shimmer look i was looking for. even with 6 t5 bulbs, you can see when the reef brite turns on. it looks perfect and i LOVEEEE my reefbrite. if i had to....it would be real nice, but i think a little too much for my taste. so, me personally i vote reef brite. love it.

no experience with the true lumen. i do have the current usa lumen little 1 foot strips, but they are more like moon lights. i have 3 of them. nice "night time" leds.

 

[jerl77]

reefbrites buddy

 

[NYreefNoob]

look at the rapid led antic bar, what i am getting ready to purchase or sell the sunpower and get a powermodule

 

[prattreef]

I have no experience with the True Lumen, but I love my Reefbrites-- the color is great and they are fully able to cut through 250w MH lamps and show thier stuff as a VHO actinic would.

 

[Centity]

I have 2 reefbrites (1 b/w and 1 blue) on my 110g and they are pretty nice. Will eventually get 2 more. For the price they are a good budget light.

 

[Aqua Pro Builder]

When it comes to compare LED light outputs, 12x1W is brighter than 4x3W even though the total power consumption is same. Therefore, the general saying that you need 3W to punch thru deeper is a misconception. If you have 2x1W pack closely together and 1x3W, they yield very similar PAR at any depth. In technical terms, the light output of LED vs power applied is not a linear formula. So the best way is to find a LFS who has both and compare in person.

 

[LongIslandAndy]

i have a 46g bow, upgrading currently to a 57 rimless. i have the TEK elite 6 bulb t5 with ATI and Geismann bulbs. i also have 1 36" blue reefbrite. the single reef brite is JUST enough to give it a slight shimmer look i was looking for. even with 6 t5 bulbs, you can see when the reef brite turns on. it looks perfect and i LOVEEEE my reefbrite. if i had to....it would be real nice, but i think a little too much for my taste. so, me personally i vote reef brite. love it.

no experience with the true lumen. i do have the current usa lumen little 1 foot strips, but they are more like moon lights. i have 3 of them. nice "night time" leds.

+1, I have 1 36" Reef Brite and 1 250M/H on my 50g mixed reef and the RB can be seen with the 20k M/H bulb on. I really don't think you would need 2 RB's.

 

[fishywoo]

How would you attach them? You using a hood?

 

[mbg75]

Arati, don't know where on LI. u are, but Aqua hut in coram has a tru lumen set-up on a tank. seems pretty bright. didn't check the price though.

 

[Arati]

O nice, ya im close the the hut, ill have to check it out. I didnt know they had one set up.

Im not really worried about brightness, since I be using 2. I plan to attach them directly to the ati fixture. with a verry short self tapping screws maybe.

I would really like to see these two products set up side by side. See wich one makes the corals pop better.

Jerl77's endorsment pretty much seals it for me though..

 

[jdnumis]

does the reef brite replace.....

the actinics?

 

[kenconnect]

Pm sent

 

[mbg75]

Be nice to see if u can borrow one from the hut to compare it to his reefbrite. They already have one out on a tank. I'd be interested to see if they are close.

the tru-lumen is really slim so it wouldn't look obtrusive on my hanging light.

 

[reefmaniac]

I have seen both side by side on the same tank. A 36" reefbrite on one side of the 220 and a TL on the other side(not sure of the measurement but was told it was close to the RB) I ended up going with the reefbrite. Which by the way I will be selling soon, once my other AI unit arrives.

 

[mbg75]

I have seen both side by side on the same tank. A 36" reefbrite on one side of the 220 and a TL on the other side(not sure of the measurement but was told it was close to the RB) I ended up going with the reefbrite. Which by the way I will be selling soon, once my other AI unit arrives.

are they close? or is it a big difference

 

[reefmaniac]

are they close? or is it a big difference

It was a big difference, The TL looked like moonlights in comparison to the RB. The corals had more pop to them and the large hammer coral that was in the middle getting coverage from both looked so much better on the RB side. I love my reefbrite, so much so I'm going all LEDS now.

 

[bonomo53]

dont know if you ordered anything yet but just saw on another forum that orphek has a new product coming out this month that are led tubs that fit into t5 setups supposedly putting out more par then the standard t5 bulbs..i was about to order a reefbrite but might wait for these to come out

 

[kenconnect]

I just ordered from reefkoi a 36" led strip its 27 watts.

 

[Mikei70]

Arati, don't know where on LI. u are, but Aqua hut in coram has a tru lumen set-up on a tank. seems pretty bright. didn't check the price though.

I saw that the other day. I was amazed that the one 36" strip lights up that 40G breeder from front to back. The strip is probably less than an inch wide. The colors looked good, too.