Revised 7/7/16
In this article, I will interview a couple of lessor known, but growing in popularity Aquarium LED light fixtures due to a Northwest aquarium forums promotion of these Chinese fixtures. These are all made in the same Chinese factory with simply different names.
[1] The Ocean Revive/Evergrow utilize better drivers than many Chinese made LEDs and are also reef capable, but at nearly 2-3 times the energy wattage input as required by a top aquarium LED (120 watts versus 30 watts for the same PUR).
What is interesting, is the owner of Ocean Revive claims: “the prototypes were built in the garage and tested on our own tanks”.
HOWEVER the Ocean Revive and Evergrow are the same LED; don’t believe me, give them a close up look!!
Quote Source: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2428081
The draw back to these LEDs is that they utilize current reduction technology, which can alter spectrum. This alteration produces much more excess heat than the better, but more expensive PWM technology.
Hence the need for cooling fans. All Aquarium LEDs that utilize ‘current reduction’ will require a fan.
The straightforward scientific FACT is that this excess heat represents energy that is not being used as light energy for your photosynthetic life.
Back to spectrum, as I know that there are doubters that current reduction can alter spectrum, I can offer this way of looking at it:
Take an ordinary incandescent light bulb and place it in a socket with a common dimmer (which would be current reduction), then to slowly dim the bulb. As it dims it is quite obvious with the human eye the that color spectrum changes.
While I will admit my experiment has flaws, we do know that LED emitters are designed to run at specific voltages for the light output they were designed to produce, so it is not too much of a reach to draw some conclusions from this experiment.
[2] Another issue with the Ocean Revive and Evergrow Aquarium LEDs is their use and choice of emitters by Bridgelux. These are inferior to many of the patented emitters from Cree and Osram Olson, used in higher grade units.
Common Bridgelux emitter bins use by Ocean Revive & Evergrow:
(2) Red 660nm
(2) Green 520nm
(20) Blue 460nm
(7) Royal Blue 450nm
(4) Violet 420nm
(8) Cool White 12000K
(6) Neutral White 7500K
(6) Warm White 3500K
Now let’s look at a graph that plots some of these same emitters along with currently scientific known needs of an Acropora coral.
this can be clicked on to enlarge
Once one realizes according to scientific facts, it is obvious that the light spectrums miss the ballpark of spikes required by photosynthetic life within PAR.
In other words the VASTLY more important PUR.
Unfortunately many LEDs including the Ocean Revive/Evergrow, will produce great PAR measurements, however it is not rocket science to realize that a PAR meter ONLY measures light energy within the 400 to 700 nanometer range. So, while one light might measure a higher PAR mmol reading, another light might be still superior due to the more important PUR output.
These spikes fall around the 410-500nm and 630-670nm, which you can see from the above graph are considerably missed by the emitters used in these LEDs.
THIS REPRESENTS WASTED ENERGY! Your PAR meter might measure this light energy, but your photosynthetic life will NOT!!
Further MUST READ Reference:
PUR Versus PAR in Aquarium Lighting
[3] Now let’s look at the warranty of the Ocean Revive & Evergrow Aquarium LED Light. These are only warranted for ONE YEAR.
Compare this to the industry leader that is for 5 years for the fixture.
Why is this extreme difference?
Well, this is where I will venture from scientific fact and offer an opinion. The Industry leader, TMC AquaRay, utilizes the vastly superior driver technology, which produces much less heat.
This heat is destructive to LED units and frankly, breakdowns of cooling fans is a known issue with most brands that utilize cooling fans.
Here are current issues with the Ocean Revive LED Lights:
“Problems with the Ocean Revive/Evergrow include issues with “burnt diodes”. The problem is primarily with those in the range of 450nm & 420nm. Since these are a generic diode made in the same Chinese factory that builds many popular, but lower cost LEDs, this problem may be more widespread than we know.
Heat problems also exist and may be what contribute to the diode issues. These fixtures seem to be especially problematic when placed in a canopy or close to water.”
Here are two previous articles I wrote on these subjects:
–Aquarium LED Warranties; Reef or Planted
–Aquarium LED Lights, PWM & Current Reduction
[4] Finally; one forum in particular has promoted the Ocean Revive, with claims that for an inexpensive LED, it grows SPS corals well. Well this is true and the results certainly speak for themselves.
However they do it at a higher than needed electrical cost and for a fixture that does not have an IP-67 waterproof rating along with a very short warranty.
What is worse about this forums promotion of the Ocean Revive is their lack of honesty in comparing to the higher end TMC AquaRay.
Stating a 30 Watt Reef White NP 2000 is under powered when compared to an Ocean Revive at 120 watts is a no duh!! The larger Ocean Revive has a larger footprint and many more watts input energy. Try comparing four of the 30 Watt Reef White NP 2000s and you will quickly have much more light energy and a larger footprint for a fixture that is VASTLY more durable and safe in a wet aquarium environment. Of course not this many AquaRay fixtures is needed to make a comparison, as two AquaRay will generally compare to the Ocean Revive.
The other false piece of information [based on feed back from a friend in the industry] coming out of this forum that is clearly promoting the Ocean Revive [the seller is a popular member there too], is that the TMC AquaRay has no proof growing out sps corals.
This is either ignorant misinformation or a blatant lie. Either way the AquaRay has been around years before the Ocean Revive with many updates since. The AquaRay was growing sps corals for years before the Ocean Revive was on the market. This includes the largest seller of quality fish & invertebrates in North America and Europe, SO DO NOT FALL FOR THIS CRAP!!!
Here is my outline as to while I support the LEDs I do in my aquarium service business:
Why Aquaray LED Light Fixtures, Review?
In Summary;
It is quite obvious that the Ocean Revive and Evergrow are far from the best when science is applied, not marketing.
This does not mean these cannot keep marine life, as I know for a fact these LEDs can. However, why spend less now to require as much as 3 times the electricity over the life of the LED to run these LEDs, where is the energy savings over a Metal Halide?
As well, when you consider these light may not last more than 2 years or even less, before requiring repairs or even replacement. Your so-called savings is not just out the window, it has circled the globe a few times.
In the end, you can choose to believe the many lemmings in some forums that would have you believe that the Earth is flat, or you can look at the science.
Recommended Further References:
- Aquarium LED Reviews; Evergrow and Ocean Revive
- Aquarium LED Lights, Lighting; What to Know for Reef/Planted
- LED Aquarium Lights, Lighting; How they work, DIY
Related Resources I find interesting/helpful:
- Zoanthid Reef Aquarium Care & Lighting
- Acropora Coral Information and Care; Lighting, Amino Acids, more
- PUR or RQE, YouTube Video Fail- Guide to lighting a planted tank
Since I originally wrote this post, based on a clients suggestion, I stumbled upon a recent thread (as of January 2014) in a reef keeping society forum that was troubling.
In this thread, many, including what appeared to be moderators were dogging what I assume was one of the sponsors of this forum and asking for proof of a track record of the Aquaray versus lights such as the Ocean Revive!
All I can say is REALLY??
This is both dishonest and insulting since so many professionals such as myself have used Aquarays for many years now and it is the Ocean Revive/Evergrow, that is the new Chinese based brand on the market with much less track record other than heavy reef forum and club sponsorship, in other words buying club members off IMO.
One person even dissed Quality Marine USA who is a livestock supplier I know well and buy from.
In “Quality Marine” you have arguably the premier livestock wholesaler in North America, that also uses many different pieces of aquarium equipment to keep livestock alive in long term display tanks to prove their quality over many of the wholesalers (that will go un-named) who sell primarily to retail stores where price is more important than quality. Why would they use equipment, including lights that will not do the job of keeping up their primary business (livestock)??
The lack of logic, from simple to scientific in this forum was utterly baffling to me.
I only bring me up to point out that the amount of miss-information on the Internet is staggering, and to caution readers to apply scientific logic and simple common sense, and to especially be careful with the forum threads that attempt to pass off as authoritative information, when the opposite is true
My Aquarium Opinions 