The ReefBoxx is an interesting new take on a battery backup device that is way less of a quality of life improvement for reefing and more of an insurance policy against unforeseen power outages. A battery backup power switcher for aquariums isn’t something exactly new – the Vortech battery backup is one of Ecotech Marine’s oldest products – but to date these have all mostly been tailor made to suit a single device at a time.
The ingenuity of the ReefBoxx is twofold since the switching power supply is general purpose meaning that you can connect a wide range of aquarium devices running on direct current, and it also doesn’t come with a battery to help keep the price lower and more affordable. The $99 ReefBoxx is compatible with many different kinds of DC powerheads and return pumps and comes with a range of cables to facilitate the connection – we’re uncertain how many devices can be run at once, surely it depends on the current and power draw, but it will enable a welcome degree of redundancy in the case of power interruption or prolonged outages.
The only slight catch, if you can even call it that, is that users of the ReefBoxx will have to source their own battery components which can be any 12 to 24 volt DC power source which reduces the overall cost to get started, especially if you already have some backup batteries lying around, or a line on sourcing them locally without having to pay for shipping.
While the ReefBoxx isn’t the flashiest of aquarium devices we appreciate that they are “Currently made to order 100% by hand. There is no assembly line or mass production, each and every one and is tested multiple times before shipping. Shipping is a flat $10 UPS in the US.” The concept of switching power is really not all that complicated and so if the ReefBoxx performs reliably, automatically in the absence of the user it will be a must have for coral reef aquariums threatened by sever hurricanes or winter storms. [Puddle Aquatics]
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