LED Lights

[huskerreef]

Found a LED lighting site with some very cool looking lights. If some one would toss me about 12 G's I would swap out my halides over the 620.http://www.eco-sell.com/services/es...e=Category&CatID=1_18&II=KR92-48S220V&lang=us

 

[jd474]

Save your money. From what Mitch has told me about plasma lights, if they ever get going in the aquarium community, they'll make LED's obsolete before they ever really get going. It might be a big IF, but sounds like the upside is very big.

 

[huskerreef]

wee need some new technology in the hobby.

 

[jd474]

I guess they are only manufactured for warehouse lighting, and such, at the moment, but essentially their features include:
-the size of a single LED
-PAR output of a 1000 W metal halide
-little heat produced
-little energy used
-are fully dimmable
-can be made to any bulb temp. color
-have a 3 year lifespan
-are cheaper than LEDs

I wanted to know where I can sign up :dance:

 

[BennyFrank]

Wow! First time I've heard of this technology...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTGsM9pplUs&feature=player_embedded

 

[alanmorehead]

The CREE LEDs just hit 200 lumens per watt, but it will be a while before those hit the market. Even the existing ones are still expensive and it takes so many LEDs per fixture that it makes it hard to justify vs T5 or MH. I was hoping the LED technology would have progressed a little faster. I'm sure the whole Polaris LED patent lawsuit didn't help.

I read about the plasma lights a while ago. They're supposed to be coming out in the next few months. At full power they are 5300K, but you can dim them (down to 20%?) and it's supposed to make them more blue. Not sure what 20% or 50% would give for a comparable color temp. Just a matter of time before we start seeing some results and more numbers. I think they're going to be about $1k per unit when first released.

Stray Light Optical has designed a small and flexible fixture for use in aquariums. The Seashine series of aquarium luminaires are already in use in a number of public and private aquariums, including the Monterey Bay Aquarium. The Seashine utilizes Light Emitting Plasma from LUXIM, which has the ability to penetrate the water better than traditional HID sources.

A more efficient lighting option than traditional metal halide systems, the Seashine provides 180-percent higher PAR value than that of a 10,000K 400W MH fixture and uses just 290W. The unit also fires up quickly, achieving full brightness in 40 seconds. With a Correlated Color Temperature (CCT) of 5,300K at 100 percent, the Seashine provides a wide spectrum of lighting possibilities. When dimmed below 50 percent, the Seashine emits the pleasant blue hue desirable in aquarium lighting, with the benefits of natural sunlight at the top end.

Gone are the days of replacing MH bulbs every six to nine months "” with an effective lifespan of 25,000 hours, the Seashine with provide over six years of use running at 12 hours a day.

 

[jd474]

At full power they are 5300K, but you can dim them (down to 20%?) and it's supposed to make them more blue..

They can be produced at any Kelvin, but there is a minimum order that needs to be reached before they will do it (around 500 is what Mitch said).

 

[alanmorehead]

They can be produced at any Kelvin, but there is a minimum order that needs to be reached before they will do it (around 500 is what Mitch said).

I see. The ones I read about on RB, the Seashine LIFIs, sound like they are starting to be geared toward the aquarium trade. I guess the Monterey Bay Aquarium is supposed to have 40 units themselves, so hopefully that 500 unit order is not too far away. They also said the manufacturer is looking for hobbyist feedback, which I assume color temp is going to be one of the concerns. I wonder if the color temp change is a characteristic of the technology or if they can make it so the color temp remains the same regardless of how dimmed they are?

Here was the article I read (first link):
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=new+seashine+lifi+plasma

 

[lvpd186]

Wow, those lights look sweet! I'm sure when the do come out though it will be several years before the price comes down..

 

[Hartdude]

Here is a link to Ecoxotic.com. They have a nice (and affordable) modular LED lighting option, and a slightly more expensive "panorama" LED setup.