Inova X1 for reef aquarium use

I finally found a use for a light I bought years ago and was going to give away. I am so glad I kept it. I have a saltwater reef aquarium and at night when the lights go out, all sorts of crabs, shrimps, worms and other inverts are active. It is interesting to watch the "night shift" but it was always hard to get light where I wanted it without the spill light causing everything else to hide. The X1 with its pencil-like beam is perfect. It throws light only where I want it without disturbing other animals nearby. It is a touch too bright at times but I just block part of the bezel to effectively dim it down. (Anybody make a two stage for these?) Anyway, it is the perfect tool for the job. Sort of an odd niche but, it works great. Thought I would share.

John

Interesting use, but if you have any other old version X1's you are going to give away, I will take them . I have always like the old version myself.

Sorry Lee. On the contrary, I now know a couple people who want an old one. No other light puts out such a directed spot at the X1. What do you or others use them for?

This was my first LED light and it was an impulse buy. I never could get used to the complete lack of spill and tightly focussed beam. At close range, its almost is like using a laser to illuminate something.

Use a red light. Most of the critters cant see it and it will allow you to see what they are doing without scaring them. A cheapo red coin-cell light should work.

...No other light puts out such a directed spot at the X1. What do you or others use them for?

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Some techies in live theatre use them because they are less likely to distract others.

They are also handy in some situations where you need a bright little spot of light to overcome fairly bright ambient light levels, like when you're in a car on a bright afternoon and you need to find something that rolled under the seat.

They will actually accomplish some of the same tasks that most use much bigger lights for, and often do them very well. The old X1 is pretty good for finding things like an earring dropped on the floor. Just put the light on the floor and rotate it like the needle of a compass. That little spot of light will cause anything that rises above the plane of the floor to flash pretty well.

Of course, I really don't have much sympathy for someone who would hold an old X1 (or any other light, for that matter) at waist height, scanning back and forth looking for someone's earring and complain that the light was just no good for that purpose -- when actually they were in posession of a very specialized tool and just didn't have a clue as to how to use it properly. It can actually be entertaining to watch most people look for something on the floor with a flashlight -- as long as what they are looking for isn't yours.

LeDfLaShEr said:

Use a red light. Most of the critters cant see it and it will allow you to see what they are doing without scaring them. A cheapo red coin-cell light should work.

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+1

I would even try getting a permanent light fixture to run a red light so you can see them without really bothering them. Give it a try.


I had a reef aquarium awhile back. There are some very cool creatures you can get. I didn't have very many invertibrates, though. The Lionfish liked to eat them. haha