Coralvue, makers of Octopus skimmers and other aquarium products, has forayed into the field of reef aquarium lighting. They were nice enough to send over their new 6 bulb T5/LED fixture for review, so let's get to it!
Coralvue's new fixture lineup comes in 24, 36, and 48" sizes with four and six bulb options. All fixtures also feature a single power cord that runs to a splitter, so there's a plug and on/off switch for every two bulbs, as well as a plug for the LEDs - perfect for those with digital controllers, not so much fun for those that use a single timer. The LEDs are 1 watt 455 nm blue LEDs that are dimmable via a control knob. While dimmable LEDs/storm mode, etc is really just a gimmick (no, your corals do not care how the lights go on or off, and yes, this has been demonstrated scientifically) people seem to care for these options (and pay extra for them), so they keep re-appearing. The 24" fixture has 5 LEDs + reflectors, the 36" has 7, and the 48" has 10.
The fixture features two banks (3 bulbs per bank on each side of the LED strip) of individual spider-bent parabolic reflectors and a plastic lens to protect each T5 light bank. The fixture itself is made of aluminum that's been powder coated black, which is the only color choice available at this time. Unfortunately, there is no active cooling of any type, which will decrease the lifespan of T5 bulbs, but overall the fixture is sturdy.
The LEDs are bright, meant for color accenting rather than strictly moonlighting. Depending on the bulb combination used, the 'glitter lines' may be obscured by the intensity of the LEDs, but they're still a nice touch. They're also dimmable for after-hours viewing of your tank.
Right out of the box the Coralvue T5 fixture comes with all of the mounting options you'll need for a standalone fixture: full adjustable mounting legs that pivot in a full 360, as well as a hanging kit with all hardware required! This is a very nice addition, as most T5 fixtures charge an extra $40-50 for hanging hardware or legs alone. The legs are easy to adjust as well, simply by turning a small 'wheel' that loosens or tightens a bolt on the leg joint.
The Coralview T5/LED fixture is a nice aquarium lighting fixture for the price. The out of the box mounting options and LED accent lighting are added bonuses!
Pros: Inludes several mounting options, lots of control options, LED accent lights
Cons: No active cooling for the T5 bulbs
Captive Aquatics Blog Verdict: Excellent
$299, www.coralvue.com
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