# Finnex FugeRay Product Review



## Lowe

Nice informative write up and your issue with the 3.5' power cord is noted. Looking forward to your growth observations.


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## DogFish

Subscribing!

I like the look a lot better than the Clip light that came with my Finnex. Looking forward to see your plant growth success.


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## Lludu

I'm glad you did this review after me mentioning the light. It looks great on a 7.5 cube too. Thanks for the write up Grumpy Dwarf, much appreciated. Let me know how growth goes, I made a note of plants to add to my tank in the nano tank section... hoping this light will work for all those plants.


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## samamorgan

Lludu said:


> I'm glad you did this review after me mentioning the light. It looks great on a 7.5 cube too. Thanks for the write up Grumpy Dwarf, much appreciated. Let me know how growth goes, I made a note of plants to add to my tank in the nano tank section... hoping this light will work for all those plants.


If the par values are true on the manufacturers website, this should grow any plant. Might have a small amount of trouble getting some stuff to fully carpet, but maybe not. If so, two of them would fit on a 7.5g cube with plenty of room to spare, and that would up the lighting significantly.

I will definately report back about growth in a week or two. The stargrass was working OK under the ecopico, though a bit leggy. I was only using one strip with the ecopico though, two was too much to control the GSA without me having to add Co2, and this is my low tech tank. I think this might get it to spread out the leaves some more instead of directly up. The stargrass in my main tank has leaves that are easily 3 times longer than the ones in the shrimp tank.


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## Lludu

samamorgan said:


> If the par values are true on the manufacturers website, this should grow any plant. Might have a small amount of trouble getting some stuff to fully carpet, but maybe not.


Well this is what I'm shooting for in my 7.5



*Flora:*
_Dwarf Hair Grass (Eleocharis parvula)
Java Moss (Taxiphyllum barbieri)
Narrowleaf Java Fern (Microsorum pteropus Narrow)
Vallisneria Corkscrew
Stargrass (Heteranthera zosterifolia)
_

The DHG will hopefully carpet... but I hope that light will be enough to do so, though I might have to add DIY Co2 or something to help grow these... not sure.


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## sayurasem

Man I thought this is the Ray2 lol


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## samamorgan

sayurasem said:


> Man I thought this is the Ray2 lol


From what i can see theyre the same light, the ray2 is just longer. They both use the same LEDs, have the same unibody construction, and the same legs.


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## Lowe

samamorgan said:


> From what i can see theyre the same light, the ray2 is just longer. They both use the same LEDs, have the same unibody construction, and the same legs.


The Ray II's are longer but also have a higher light output due to the amount of LEDs.


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## sayurasem

Lowe said:


> The Ray II's are longer but also have a higher light output due to the amount of LEDs.


Oh wait.... let me get this straight. Ray2 has higher light out put because there are *more* LEDs or *more* watt on each LEDs? I'm confused... I thought Ray2 is more brighter because higher watt on each LED not just because more LEDs crammed together into same amount of surface.



samamorgan said:


> From what i can see theyre the same light, the ray2 is just longer. They both use the same LEDs, have the same unibody construction, and the same legs.


So is this true? they are same light, just Ray2 has more LEDs put closer together in a fixture?

edit: what the! Lowe you'r a SCAPE member too?


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## Lowe

sayurasem said:


> Oh wait.... let me get this straight. Ray2 has higher light out put because there are *more* LEDs or *more* watt on each LEDs? I'm confused... I thought Ray2 is more brighter because higher watt on each LED not just because more LEDs crammed together into same amount of surface.
> 
> 
> So is this true? they are same light, just Ray2 has more LEDs put closer together in a fixture?
> 
> edit: what the! Lowe you'r a SCAPE member too?



The fugeRay has significantly less LEDs. When I say light output, I'm focusing on PAR values. The FugeRays are indeed shorter fixtures, feature less LEDs, and in turn carry a lower wattage as well. Our sample 12" Fugeray/Ray ii had these readings 10" from substrate to light:

*12" FugeRay Sample*: _ 38-42 __μmol/m2/s_ at base
*12" Ray 2 Sample*: _92-102 __μmol/m2/s at base_

After meeting a few of you at the MAX, we decided to get involved with you guys! Were you one of the attendees? Check your group to see what we have planned. Aren't you the fellow waiting for the 3' fixture?

OP sorry for going off topic~ Hope this info helps


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## sayurasem

Oh I see! ok I'm all clear now. No I wasn't at MAX xD. It just I'm interested on low wattage fixture right now because my landlord complains how the electricity bill went up or something.


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## samamorgan

Yeah after he mentioned that i checked it out. Here's an easy way to compare it: FugeRay emmiters per foot: 44, Ray II 18" and 24" emmiters per foot: 96, Ray II 16" emmiters per foot: 66.

That means that the 18" and 24" Ray II would have about 2.2x the output as the 12" FugeRay. The 16" would be somewhere in the middle at 1.5x the output. That would make the Ray II about perfect at the 18" water depth level if im not mistaken. I still cant make sense of that PAR value graph on the Ray II site though. Wish these came in 30" lengths, i'd try one out for my 20 Long rimless. Oh and dimmable, that would be orgasmic. Thought that wouldn't be very hard to wire. I did take the fixture apart to check out the internals, i could rewire this thing pretty easily. I'm contemplating switching out two of the blue moonlight LEDs for white ones so it's not so blue at night, would just take a heat gun, some reflow solder paste, and a few extra 3014 SMD LEDs.


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## Lludu

Oh same don't tempt me on resoldering moonlights... not when I have the equipment for it next to me minus LEDs... lol


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## samamorgan

I wouldn't recommend trying unless you know how to reflow solder. It's very hard to solder SMD properly with a soldering iron.


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## Lludu

samamorgan said:


> I wouldn't recommend trying unless you know how to reflow solder. It's very hard to solder SMD properly with a soldering iron.


Lol, Im a tech ed teacher... I have to know how to reflow solder and I have about... 12 soldering irons at least haha.


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## 01111000

Great, just ordered one of these for my 12" cube. Hope it holds up well, it looks to be of high quality. I'll probably pick up the Ray 2 in the bigger sizes for my other rimless tanks if this is as great as it looks.


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## samamorgan

Here's a closeup photo of the difference between the white and blue LEDS. Sorry it's so dark, my camera dimmed it way down. Not sure how to change the auto correction on it.


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## lilasianman316

how are the plants liking it so far?


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## Lludu

Bump for interest in plant growth so far~


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## madness

This just seems like such a perfect Fluval Ebi or 30-C light fixture.


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## FlyingGiraffes

Interested in hearing your results as well. Maybe I can get rid of the CFL I have on my 12" cube.


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## samamorgan

Well it's a low tech tank with no dosing or co2, so growth rates have been pretty much as expected, nice and slow. Things are growing slightly faster than the previous fixture, though. Also one big difference is the growth is more compact and dense. My stargrass would reach to the top of my tank within a week and a half before, with large distances between nodes. Now it grows fairly compact and the leaves are broader and longer. Obviously getting much more light.


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## Lowe

samamorgan said:


> Well it's a low tech tank with no dosing or co2, so growth rates have been pretty much as expected, nice and slow. Things are growing slightly faster than the previous fixture, though. Also one big difference is the growth is more compact and dense. My stargrass would reach to the top of my tank within a week and a half before, with large distances between nodes. Now it grows fairly compact and the leaves are broader and longer. Obviously getting much more light.


roud:


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## heavenlyevil

Question: Can I set the daylight and moon light on 2 different timers ? So I dont have to manually turn the switches on and of myself ?

Thanks


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## Gillingham

Has the OP also used something like the eccopico lights, how does it compared?

I'm tempted to replace the fluval CFLs on my EBI with an LED setup.


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## samamorgan

heavenlyevil said:


> Question: Can I set the daylight and moon light on 2 different timers ? So I dont have to manually turn the switches on and of myself ?
> 
> Thanks


Possible: Yes. Without modification: No. This is all hard wired, one switch for white lights, one for blue, one power cord to unit. You would have to take it apart and rewire the unit. It wouldn't be very difficult to do, i took it apart to check out the innards. Take some electrical knowledge though.



Gillingham said:


> Has the OP also used something like the eccopico lights, how does it compared?
> 
> I'm tempted to replace the fluval CFLs on my EBI with an LED setup.


I replaced my ecopico arm with this. I liked the ecopico just fine, i just wanted to try something new. I was using one strip on the ecopico to maintain low light and the growth was as described above. This is putting off medium light, as im sure the ecopico would have done with two strips. IMO the ecopico was capable of high light on this small tank with three strips.

They're two very different fixtures. This was also much cheaper. Quality between the two is comparable.


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## Flyin Hawaiian

Lowe said:


> The fugeRay has significantly less LEDs. When I say light output, I'm focusing on PAR values. The FugeRays are indeed shorter fixtures, feature less LEDs, and in turn carry a lower wattage as well. Our sample 12" Fugeray/Ray ii had these readings 10" from substrate to light:
> 
> *12" FugeRay Sample*: _ 38-42 __μmol/m2/s_ at base
> *12" Ray 2 Sample*: _92-102 __μmol/m2/s at base_
> 
> After meeting a few of you at the MAX, we decided to get involved with you guys! Were you one of the attendees? Check your group to see what we have planned. Aren't you the fellow waiting for the 3' fixture?
> 
> OP sorry for going off topic~ Hope this info helps


So, when will this 12" Ray light be available for purchase?


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## FlyingGiraffes

Flyin Hawaiian said:


> So, when will this 12" Ray light be available for purchase?


This!


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## samamorgan

It's been available for purchase since i did this review in April. Look at the source links in the OP.


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## Flyin Hawaiian

Please excuse my ignorance. But can you direct me to the source links for the 12" Ray 2 light fixture. After about 30 mins of searching all I come up with is info on the 12" FugeRay.


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## samamorgan

Flyin Hawaiian said:


> Please excuse my ignorance. But can you direct me to the source links for the 12" Ray 2 light fixture. After about 30 mins of searching all I come up with is info on the 12" FugeRay.


Oh, you didn't say Ray2. There is no such fixture.


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## Flyin Hawaiian

Lowe said:


> The fugeRay has significantly less LEDs. When I say light output, I'm focusing on PAR values. The FugeRays are indeed shorter fixtures, feature less LEDs, and in turn carry a lower wattage as well. Our sample 12" Fugeray/Ray ii had these readings 10" from substrate to light:
> 
> *12" FugeRay Sample*: _ 38-42 __μmol/m2/s_ at base
> *12" Ray 2 Sample*: _92-102 __μmol/m2/s at base_


Ahhh, that explains it. Thanks Sam! The post by Lowe was misleading. Well at least to me it was :icon_conf


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## qxz06090

If I have two of those led on my 7.5g tank with co2 and ferts, am i able to keep HC?


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## madness

qxz06090 said:


> If I have two of those led on my 7.5g tank with co2 and ferts, am i able to keep HC?


Should be no problem at all.

Two fixtures doesn't exactly 'double' the PAR at the substrate (overlap issues, light spread, etc.) but on such a small tank it should put you in the ballpark of doubling it I guess.

One fixture is a little on the low end for what people tend to like for HC but two should be more than enough, IMO.


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## h2oaggie

I cant tell from the pictures, but does the light or legs overhang the side of the tank? I am envisioning putting two 30-C's side by side on a 20H tank stand. This would mean that there would really be no space between the two tanks whatsoever, so if the light overhangs they wouldn't really work. I was planning on using a FugeRay one each tank, mainly because 2 of them are cheaper than a single 24" Ray II, and I want medium rather than high light. 

I suppose I could set them front to back rather than side to side, though I don't know if that would be aesthetically pleasing.


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## DogFish

Sam - How about an update on the plants?

I just tire my Finnex down. I'm going to lay a new floor in my Home office. I'm think yjois will be the might when I set-up after the remod.


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## bitFUUL

Any updates on the growth of this tank with this lighting?
Would love to see some new pics.


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## SpecGrrl

Am interested in seeing the state of this tank too!


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## ramen lover

Do you know if the legs on these models are adjustable?

im thinking of buying a 6g from GLA.. it's 15" long.. and the closest Finnex FugeRay is 16" long. If the light is 1" longer than my tank, I'm not sure if it'll fit it.


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## tobystanton

ramen lover said:


> Do you know if the legs on these models are adjustable?
> 
> im thinking of buying a 6g from GLA.. it's 15" long.. and the closest Finnex FugeRay is 16" long. If the light is 1" longer than my tank, I'm not sure if it'll fit it.


The legs are totally adjsutable, you can adjust it all the way to 2"s if you can balance it well lol.


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## ramen lover

tobystanton said:


> The legs are totally adjsutable, you can adjust it all the way to 2"s if you can balance it well lol.


Thank you sir! 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Aquaticz

Does anyone have info on Finnex ray 2 LED light fixture.

I am looking to use LEDs in either a 75 gal or a 55 gal
Measurement to substrate is either 15 or 22 inches

I do not want a high light tank, middle to low is my preference




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


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## ramen lover

samamorgan said:


> First let me start with a disclaimer: This is not a review of my experience, positive or negative, with Finnex as a company. This is a review of a product i currently own and have experience with, and does not reflect on Finnex or their other products.
> ------------------------------
> Now that that's over, lets get on with it. I purchased this fixture after a member in *this thread* pointed it out. "LED fixture that gives out medium light and only costs $40 shipped? Sign me up!" i said. Ordered it Tuesday and to my surprise here it is at 10:30am Friday morning. After getting it out of it's cardboard shipping box, this is revealed:
> View attachment 46015
> View attachment 46016
> 
> Pretty standard packaging, nothing special. Fairly well protected for shipping with the bubble wrap and foam padding.
> 
> Here it is all unboxed and laid out for your viewing pleasure:
> View attachment 46017
> 
> No extra frills or crap; just a light, some legs, and a power cord. I like the power cord with the supply inline instead of at the plug, makes it so that big power supply isn't in the way of other things plugging in. The cord is a little short though (~3.5ft), not a problem for me but it might be for people with taller stands.
> 
> Putting it together was pretty straightforward. The legs just fit into two grooves that run the entire body of the fixture. No screws or fasteners to mess with, just slip it in and friction takes care of the rest. Nice way to do it. All put together:
> View attachment 46018
> 
> 
> Putting it on the tank was also very straightforward. Slide the legs to adjust for tank width and set it on the rim. The light has a switch on each end, one controls the white emmiters, and one controls the blues. This allows for moonlight after the photo period. The luttle extra blue kick is nice when the whites are on during photoperiod as well, brings out colors nicely. Tank shot with full lights on (12"x12"x12" rimless cube @ 7.5 gallons):
> View attachment 46019
> 
> And moonlights only:
> View attachment 46020
> 
> My only complaint about this fixture is the moonlights. They're the perfect intensity for nighttime, but they're blue. Moonlight isn't blue. This is my big gripe with almost all moonlighting on the market today, blue just looks fake.
> 
> Other than the moonlight issue though, the light is a good one. Color rendition is great, fit and finish are great. Couldn't do better for $40 bucks shipped. We shall see how it grows the plants, maybe i can put in a _Marsilea quadrifolia_ carpet in this thing finally? The website states that this puts out 38-42 PAR at 10" from the source, which is right in medium light. Time will tell.


what canister filter is that? i love your set up by the way. i just got a GLA rimless tank and im looking to get this lighting system and looking for a decent, but not too expensive canister filter


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## R.C.

Looks like a ZooMed or Eden 501.


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## Jarek Strzechowski

I'll move my question. I'm not gonna derail this


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## Guest

Any update on the growth, and functionality of the Ray vs the Ray2? I have a 29g low tech tank and am looking for a medium light source. Wondering which one would be adequate.


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