Stacking up the AI Nano, NanoBox Reef and Slimline S LED lights

By on Sep 28, 2011

Now that Aqua Illumination’s AI Nano LED has been thoroughly covered and reviewed, it’s time we stack it up against some other Nano LED lights that are in the same size range. The Slimline S from Sunbrite LED is a thinner and broader light than the AI Nano, and it may be $379 but it’s still a svelte and attractive light with eight more LEDs than the AI Nano. The NanoBox Reef light we are testing out is a 12 inch housing with 24 Philips Lumiled LEDs for $450, but a 12 LED version is also available for a hundred dollars less. If you think the iPod-white AI Nano LED is purdy, then you will love the gunmetal black finish and high radius curved edges of the NanoBox Reef light.

The Slimline S from Sunbrite LED is the larger version of the original Slimline LED which adds $120 to the price for higher quality and more numerous LEDs. The Slimline S has 18 LEDs driven at 36 watts with two channels are uniquely controlled and dimmed using an included remote. The Cree XP LEDs are cool white and regular blue and they are backed up with secondary lenses that gives it the spread of a spotlight but a very thin and sleek appearance that continues into the sturdy edge mounting bracket.

The NanoBox Reef is about the same thickness as the AI LED but it is a little bit narrower and longer in its footprint. The matte powder-coated metal finish and curved rear and front metal edges is a stark contrast to the glossy, sharp edge white plastic of the AI Nano – neither better or worse in appearance, just different. The twelve inch NanoBox Reef LED pictured has 24 Philips Lumileds in four colors and without secondary lenses, which are more spread out and supported by two drivers, each of which have two adjustable channels covering each included color in this fixture. Although mounting legs are available for this light, the design and appearance is better suited to suspended orientation.

Your choice of nano led reef light will ultimately depend on your tank’s shape and your coral’s needs. If you have an elongated aquarium and want to crank a lot of power in a small package, the NanoBox Reef can do that. If you like a ninja-appearance and have a larger cube tank you might look at the Slimline S. If you want finer control of channel intensity and better digital and controllable lighting options then the AI Nano might be more up your alley. In any case we are very excited about the new crop of Nano LED reef lights which ought to help the aquarium community build even nicer and more efficient nano reef tanks than we’ve yet seen. If you’re planing to get one of these lights shout it out in the comments and tell us why you picked that specific model.

 

 

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  • http://twitter.com/johnferebee John Ferebee

    I have a Green Leaf Rimless 25 G Cube and was looking at the various LED options. At first I dismissed the Nanobox because the shape didn’t seem to “fit” over a cube. However, the appeal of adjustable lights and the streamline appearance was hard to ignore.

    Wanting a light to complement the clean lines of the rimless tank it occurred to me that suspending it might work. I e-mailed Dave Fason and he provided me with some DIY options for suspending the NanoBox that I liked.

    I ordered the 12/24 and a few weeks later the light arrived and I was very impressed with the quality.

    I made the suspension system prior to arrival and it looked great with the light attached. The NanoBox comes with 3 feet of cable allowing plenty of options.  I chose to hang it 6″ over the water and on the center line under which will be home for the SPS’s.

    I spend several days trying different settings until I got the blue and white combinations that appealed to me. The nice thing is I can readjust them as often as I want.

    Overall, I’m very satisfied with the NanoBox. It worked right out of the box and looks terrific over the cube. It’s easy to adjust and has plenty of horsepower for any nano tank.  Dave kept me informed along the way and gave me additional assistance in the set up of my tank. I look forward to Nanobox growing and providing other quality products for the hobby.

  • http://www.facebook.com/wally.do Walle Do

    LEDs been on going for sometime now…. I’m surprise those knockoff brands like JEBO or ODYSSEA haven’t thrown some poorly constructed, Chinese dirt-labor LED unit already…

  • Adam Bode

    I’m right there with John on his thoughts about Dave’s support as well as the NanoBox unit itself.  I worked closely with Dave on some of his initial prototypes and now have an 18 LED unit over my 17g Green Leaf Rimless.  The fixture/controller pair that he’s creating is top notch in my books.  

    I’ve bounced around between T5, MH, and now LED and although I was a naysayer about LEDs in beginning, I have to say that my tank inhabitants have never been healthier or more colorful.  

    Although the other units may have the backing of a larger company, as far as a custom unit, you really can’t go wrong with the NanoBox.  

    If anyone wants to see more pictures of the unit I have, check out - http://abphotography.zenfolio.com/nanobox 

  • Anonymous

    Hey Adam, good to see you commenting. Looks like you got an 18-LED unit over a rectangular reef. It goes well with your MP10 and Deltec skimmer. Definitely send me some pics of the whole tank once it’s more stocked.

  • Anonymous

    Would like to hear more about the sunbrite slimline s, any users ?

  • Stan Lewis

    thumbs up for the Nanobox.  Dave is a great guy to work with.  I have looked at the AI units but decided on the NanoBox it looks a bit more finished.  I have seen the housings in their finishes and they are killer.  Also the LEDs pack a lot of punch.  The 12″ unit with 24 LEDs will replace my 250W-14000K MH and give me a whole lot better look to my tank.

    I just need to be careful that I don’t give my tank a case of sunburn ;-)

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-TheHutt/100001836527412 Daniel TheHutt

    Good write-up!

    I’m another use of the NanoBox unit. I have an earlier 12-LED unit/controller over a 3g pico tank and couldn’t be more pleased. The light itself is well-built, fully featured, and looks great over my small tank. I too made the decision to go with Dave because of his customer service model. Any email I send is answered quickly. He’s collaborative in his development of future lights and has asked my thoughts on his units as the time goes on. I feel less like a customer and more like a partner.
    I wouldn’t hesitate to buy another NanoBox unit in the future. Glad to see that it’s being included with the other front-runners out there today.

  • Brad Ferguson

    Dave built a custom retrofit NanoBox LED lighting system for my Biocube 8.  Wow, this little tank really came alive!  Not only is the lighting system great, but Dave is a nice person to work with.  His craftsmanship and quality of parts places his lighting systems at the top.  When you want to go serious, give Dave a shout.