Aquatic Life EDGE LED light fixture informal review

[rickztahone]

I created a video to show a fellow member how this fixture looks like. I thought maybe someone else might like to see it as well.

Here's the video:

http://youtu.be/1URcIBQ-Wns

This Aquatic Life EDGE LED 24" light (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H3Y4YF8/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) is the one I specifically bought off of Amazon for $126 shipped.

So far the fixture is great for my set up. I do not plan to have plants in this tank, only sand and Driftwood. With sand, i would imagine the light would look even brighter since it wouldn't be BB and would reflect more light off the sand.

Pros:
Cheap price (for what I was looking for)
-very bright
-adjustable
-manual override
-sunrise/sunset
-built in timer
-really long cord w/ power brick
-easy programming

Cons:
-No controller
-Each bank can not be cycled through out the day. What I mean by this is, say you like only the bright white lights, and you turn them on in the morning, then, you set the multi colored lights to come on after the white, well, after that you can no longer program the white lights to come back on after that initial setup. Not a big deal, but I thought I would mention it for someone wanting to be switching banks back and forth through out the day (not sure why, but I felt the need to include that). However, one scenario where this is a big deal, is if you have a rest period through out the day. Say that you want your light to come on at 10am, and turn off at 2pm, and come back on at 6pm, well, there isn't a way to program it in this fashion. Which leads me to the next con
-No back up battery. If you disconnect the fixture, then you lose all your settings. Which means you can not plug it in to your own timer and set it up for a dark period through out the day.
-No hanging option

I will update this as I get more hours in to the unit.

[DiscusLoverJeff]

Looks very bright Rick. Can you possibly wire it to an auto-dimmer?

[rickztahone]

Looks very bright Rick. Can you possibly wire it to an auto-dimmer?

As far as I can figure out, no. But, you can always make it so that only the white bank is on, or the multi-colored ones, whichever is dimmer.

[DiscusLoverJeff]

I am looking for something very similar to put over my 60" tank. I like the height you have it at as well. I will look into a 48" fixture.

You are right about the separate banks of lights. It would add a different dimension to the tanks appearance.

[nc0gnet0]

They have an ebay store as well:

http://stores.ebay.com/Aquatic-Life-Marketplace/Aquarium-LED-Light-Fixtures-/_i.html?_fsub=4836689016&_sid=1197257096&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

If your looking for cheap LED fixtures these cannot be beat:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquatic-Life-LED-Freshwater-Aquarium-Light-20-Inch-Expandable-8-Watt-24-LED-s-/261451765941?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cdfbd58b5

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquatic-Life-9-6-Watt-30-LED-Aquarium-Light-24-Inch-Expandable-Blue-/251485572332?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8db54cec

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquatic-Life-LED-Freshwater-Aquarium-Light-30-Inch-Expandable-12-Watt-42-LEDs-/251515039617?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8f76ef81

These are your barebones fixtures, no timers etc ( I find those accessory's more trouble than they are worth for my needs). Multiple fixtures can be linked together for more light.

[Madaboutdiscus]

I just bout a set of these. One blue and one blue and white. I didn't like the fluorescent fixture that came with the new tank. They're not here yet but I expect good results.

~Victoria

[DiscusLoverJeff]

They have an ebay store as well:

http://stores.ebay.com/Aquatic-Life-Marketplace/Aquarium-LED-Light-Fixtures-/_i.html?_fsub=4836689016&_sid=1197257096&_trksid=p4634.c0.m322

If your looking for cheap LED fixtures these cannot be beat:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquatic-Life-LED-Freshwater-Aquarium-Light-20-Inch-Expandable-8-Watt-24-LED-s-/261451765941?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cdfbd58b5

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquatic-Life-9-6-Watt-30-LED-Aquarium-Light-24-Inch-Expandable-Blue-/251485572332?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8db54cec

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Aquatic-Life-LED-Freshwater-Aquarium-Light-30-Inch-Expandable-12-Watt-42-LEDs-/251515039617?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a8f76ef81

These are your barebones fixtures, no timers etc ( I find those accessory's more trouble than they are worth for my needs). Multiple fixtures can be linked together for more light.

Thank you for the info Rick. Going to look into them.

[Madaboutdiscus]

My blue one came in today and man is it bright. I took a quick picture so you could see it. The other isn't here yet.
http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/05/24/9atanepy.jpg

~Victoria

[Woodduck]

Hello - I have four of the freshwater version with red white and blue .50w leds. On ebay they started at TEN DOLLARS!! for a 20 inch. Very good bargain. Really shows the colors on the fish.
Woodduck

[Second Hand Pat]

Ricardo, question on this fixture. Does it save it's programming if the power goes out? or becomes unplugged?
Pat

[rickztahone]

Ricardo, question on this fixture. Does it save it's programming if the power goes out? or becomes unplugged?
Pat

I believe Jacklyn says it has a back up battery, but from what I remember, mine did not retain its programming. I can definitely check tonight if you'd like?

[jmf3460]

The one I have Pat, has a backup but I've only ever had my power flicker not go out for a long period of time. When my power has flickered and gone out for a short period of time during a summer storm, the battery back up did keep my time settings.

[rickztahone]

The one I have Pat, has a backup but I've only ever had my power flicker not go out for a long period of time. When my power has flickered and gone out for a short period of time during a summer storm, the battery back up did keep my time settings.

I will check tonight just to confirm that mine is similar. I just have a nagging feeling that mine doesn't work that way, and I believe it is due to me having lost power before and losing the settings.

[Second Hand Pat]

I think we will find that it does not retain the settings. Which means it has to be programmed while on top of the tank. A bit awkward on a large tank mounted in a canopy

[rickztahone]

I think we will find that it does not retain the settings. Which means it has to be programmed while on top of the tank. A bit awkward on a large tank mounted in a canopy


Yes, especially considering the fact that the panel is right on top, if it is bolted in to place somehow in a canopy, this fixture would be a definite no go IMHO. Let me make sure just to be safe though.

[rickztahone]

Sorry, I kept forgetting to check, but I recreated a power outage yesterday and when the light came back on, my light was reset. So, for mine, it does not have a battery to retain settings after a power outage, which is what I remembered mine being. However, Jacklyn has one that does retain the settings, but this may be because they may have started adding one after the run of my light, or, only the larger versions have this option. I'd check with the company first before I invested if that is something important to your setup.

[Second Hand Pat]

Thanks Ricardo, I do know the 24 inch fixture does not keep the settings. Perhaps the larger ones do.
Pat

[jmf3460]

Just so everyone knows, we have had some power outages in NC lately, if you have been following the weather in the southeast US as of late you will see why. Anyway this past weekend my house lost power twice, I actually knew it was going to happen as they were doing some repairs to power lines near my house and we all knew. My power went out for 30 minutes one time and about 20 the other on Saturday and sunday. both times I had to turn the light back on, to its according channel, but the settings remained. I have a 36" and a 48" and they both retained their three channel settings. I actually just checked aquatic life's webpage and they did have a "first generation" 24" model that did not have the battery back up power supply. is it possible that is the one you have ricardo?

[rickztahone]

Just so everyone knows, we have had some power outages in NC lately, if you have been following the weather in the southeast US as of late you will see why. Anyway this past weekend my house lost power twice, I actually knew it was going to happen as they were doing some repairs to power lines near my house and we all knew. My power went out for 30 minutes one time and about 20 the other on Saturday and sunday. both times I had to turn the light back on, to its according channel, but the settings remained. I have a 36" and a 48" and they both retained their three channel settings. I actually just checked aquatic life's webpage and they did have a "first generation" 24" model that did not have the battery back up power supply. is it possible that is the one you have ricardo?

It possibly might just be.