Sneak Peak: JBJ Pacifica LED Light Fixture

I heard about the JBJ Pacifica somewhat secretively last year at the Reef-A-Palooza aquarium show. JBJ (Also known as JBJ Lighting) was handing out t-shirts with the name of the fixture with a question mark. Somewhat mysterious, all we could figure out was that it was a new LED light expected to release sometime in 2013.

Well the light made it to me this week, and I finally got the chance to see what this mystery was. The Pacifica is a tablet LED light fixture that appears to have been designed for use on JBJ rimless aquariums. It's comes with brackets for use on rimless and non rimless tanks. It's a strong light coming in at over 100 watts, and reminds me of the functionality of the JBJ Advanced LED 28 gallon Nano Cubes, but with less control. (Read more after the jump)...

Product Review: Maxspect Razor

I posted a "sneak peak" of the Maxspect Razor when it was first released last year which proved to be quite the popular article (Sneak Peak - Maxspect Razor R420R LED!). Months later, I've been toying with the idea of replacing my T5 fixture with an LED fixture. When I was offered the opportunity to put the Maxspect Razor on my aquarium to see if I liked it, I jumped at it.

The box

I've now created a second review after having my hands on this for a while... More pictures after the jump.

Photos of the Reef

The rock work as of today (3.16.13)

After a water change this morning, I figured I should take a few photos of the reef de Chromie.

I've moved stuff around and removed a couple of corals, but most of the coral are still the same as before. Some coral have grown better than others, but many have not really grown as well as I would like. I have a problem of either breaking the coral before they grow or moving them too much.


(More images after the jump!)

Sneak Peak - Maxspect Razor R420R LED!

I got to take a look at the newest LED fixture from Maxspect. The Maxspect Razor R420R LED Light Fixture is an impressive lady. Sleek, thin, attractive. Can be mounted on the aquarium using the included mounting legs, hung from the ceiling or from hanging arms, or using the Maxspect mounting system. It's quite versatile.

(More information and images after the jump!)

Turkey Nap and Random Photos

TrueLumen Pro Led Strips

Working in the marine aquarium industry has some amazing perks! Yes, I get to talk about something I enjoy all day with customers, and I get to work with a bunch of other "fish nerds." More importantly, though, I get to hear about and see new products. Sometimes, I even get to play with them! This week I was allowed to take home and test a Current-USA TrueLumen Pro LED Strip. I brought home the 36" TrueLumen Pro LED Strip Light, Deepwater Actinic Blue 453nm. The Specifications from the manufacturer (CurrentUSA) are posted below.

Model:	Description:	Dimensions:	Max Power Consumption:	Max Number of strips per 1x60w transformer:
3027	36" TrueLumen Pro LED Strip Light, Deepwater Actinic Blue 453nm	36" x 0.8" x 0.7"	23 watts	2
3036	60 watt 24 Volt Power Transformer	-	-	-

The LED is BRIGHT. I tried to take some pictures, but apparently my photography skills have failed me. It's difficult to capture the intensity of the lighting and accurately compare the brightness to that of my t-5 lighting.

Current USA claims the light is expected to improve coral growth, but with the exception of a one liner on the instruction sheet that came with the LED light, I have been unable to find other written claims in regards to that matter. I would love to know if these fixtures are intense enough to be used as a stand alone lighting systems. I expect to see some tests and more information from others, and from the looks of it, I wouldn't be surprised if the LED lights could be used in multiple quantities to grow coral. (*Disclaimer: I don't have PAR meters or any other testing devices.)

What I have seen so far is a cool running LED that provides intense lighting. For fish only or FOWLR aquariums, there is no doubt that one or maybe two of these LED strips would be more than plenty of light. The fixture is built well and comes with 180 degree rotating mounting brackets and screws, so the fixture can be mounted almost anywhere. I'm going to keep it running on top of my tank as a dusk and dawn light; I will have it come on about an hour before and turn off about an hour after my t-5 lights shut off. I'm excited to see what this new LED is made of!

Stay tuned! I will keep you posted on the TrueLumen Pro LED strips, and my next update will include information from one week after the big switch from the 18 to the 60.