Got mine yesterday, they are still packing extra screws and lock washers inside the fixtures for spares I guess? I found 6 screws and a thin lock washer. Love the light but the shipping carton, and QC need a lot of work. Why not ship the power supplies in a seperate box, make it easier on the UPS driver and customer to handle, less likely to get kicked around ( mine is a 60" with the 3 Power supplies, about 10' carton ). Why can't the assemblers turn fixture over and shake out screws, washers and other unknowns. For the price I paid, I expect quality, this makes me worry about other problems down the road due to lack of QC. But I still love what the light and computer can do.
Solaris Led lighting systems
- Thread starter jmccalip
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To the people with the lights already.
How did you get them already?
To those who want to get them but can't:
The PFO site says they're coming out in July. Will the lights coming out in July be different then the ones already out? Are they different versions or just a new production cycle? If they aren't different, when are the higher watt led's coming out?
How did you get them already?
To those who want to get them but can't:
The PFO site says they're coming out in July. Will the lights coming out in July be different then the ones already out? Are they different versions or just a new production cycle? If they aren't different, when are the higher watt led's coming out?
cindyolson
New member
The site has not been updated in a while. July was last July. You can order them from Amphibious. He is a retailer that carries PFO products. If you look back through this thread you should be able to find his site. Or you could try your lfs, if they don't do PFO they can sign up over the phone.
OK all you Solaris owners, what are your thoughts.
I have two 60 inch 20K units for about 1 mouth (tank is 36" wide). What have you done as far as programing? I tweaked the photo period so the lights go on for 11 hours on the shortest day of the year, to 13 hours on the longest. What about cloud cover? Mine are at 55% for 8 minutes 8 times per day. Moon light? I went from 10% down to 6%, but still think is too bright at full moon.
How have your corals reacted? I have some frags that have lost some color. Polyp extension is still good, but color has faded. This is usually a sigh of too much light, but not sure if I should just wait it out or change position or possibly more cloud cover. Anyone else have any comments?
Let's not argue if these things are the lights of the future, but rather how experienced users have programmed their units.
I have two 60 inch 20K units for about 1 mouth (tank is 36" wide). What have you done as far as programing? I tweaked the photo period so the lights go on for 11 hours on the shortest day of the year, to 13 hours on the longest. What about cloud cover? Mine are at 55% for 8 minutes 8 times per day. Moon light? I went from 10% down to 6%, but still think is too bright at full moon.
How have your corals reacted? I have some frags that have lost some color. Polyp extension is still good, but color has faded. This is usually a sigh of too much light, but not sure if I should just wait it out or change position or possibly more cloud cover. Anyone else have any comments?
Let's not argue if these things are the lights of the future, but rather how experienced users have programmed their units.
For Tonyzoo...
Try http://www.theculturedreef.com/homepage.htm. They have free shipping if ordered by the end of the year.
Try http://www.theculturedreef.com/homepage.htm. They have free shipping if ordered by the end of the year.
Amphibious
New member
I left my daylight length alone but dimmed the blues to about 75%. Did away with cloud cover altogether. Dimmed my Lunar lights to about 15% because like you, I thought the Lunars were too bright.
Some corals brown up on too little light. I would try lessoning the cloud cover before shortening the day length you choose. Corals react farely quick to a change in lighting so, you will know which works in a short period of time.
Dick
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
You see similar effects when running halides and T5s that have a very narrow output in the blue spectrums. IME, its from alot of blue, which the corals use most of, and little else, which these LEDs are guilty of more than any other light. Someone else contacted me about this and my suggestion was to add a couple T5 strips to the sides of the fixture... a midday and a blue+ (to balance the midday). This provides more light in the warmer and green spectrums that brings the pigments out. I have seen high output systems with a load of blue. Like a system that was 3x400wattRadiums, which, on e-ballasts as they get older, turn more and more monochromatic as they just lose their daylight outputs all together. Then add to this system a good 320 watts of actinic VHO. Well... the tank looked very blue, and everything inside the tank was blue no matter if it was green, purple or red. Many of the corals ended up doing what you are mentioning... turning pale white/blue.
Similar things have been noted with T5s... people running aquablue bulbs for daylight, blue+ bulbs for supplimental blue, and actinics means little of the warmer spectrums, as the aquablue/11,000Kish bulbs are really mostly blue still. Some have added a single 3000K bulb to help corals pigment in better, and its been shown to work.
Those 'white' leds that the PFO uses are really heavy in the blue still... with minimal amounts of red/green. LEDs are going to require better husbandry by aquarists in the future as LEDs are known for their near-laserlike monochromatic looks. You can get actinics that are only 420nm. You can get blues that are only 450nm. Even the whites arent really that 'white'.
It was seen as an advantage by some... having so much blue... but when you get to the point where there it little else (as with these), the corals just have no reason to develop pigments that reflect these other colors. Thats why PFO added a couple red LEDs to the units, and I would speculate that they end up adding a couple 3000Kish LEDs in the future to help the red/orange/and yellow pigments show better.
I had similar problems with a pheonix 14,000K bulb... loads of blue, but little else. Many corals at the top of the tank were simply fading out...growing great and getting loads of output though. I switched to a ushio 14,000K with blue+ supplimental bulbs, and the colors came back in.
It seems that corals can not exist on blue alone.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
You see similar effects when running halides and T5s that have a very narrow output in the blue spectrums. IME, its from alot of blue, which the corals use most of, and little else, which these LEDs are guilty of more than any other light. Someone else contacted me about this and my suggestion was to add a couple T5 strips to the sides of the fixture... a midday and a blue+ (to balance the midday). This provides more light in the warmer and green spectrums that brings the pigments out. I have seen high output systems with a load of blue. Like a system that was 3x400wattRadiums, which, on e-ballasts as they get older, turn more and more monochromatic as they just lose their daylight outputs all together. Then add to this system a good 320 watts of actinic VHO. Well... the tank looked very blue, and everything inside the tank was blue no matter if it was green, purple or red. Many of the corals ended up doing what you are mentioning... turning pale white/blue.
Similar things have been noted with T5s... people running aquablue bulbs for daylight, blue+ bulbs for supplimental blue, and actinics means little of the warmer spectrums, as the aquablue/11,000Kish bulbs are really mostly blue still. Some have added a single 3000K bulb to help corals pigment in better, and its been shown to work.
Those 'white' leds that the PFO uses are really heavy in the blue still... with minimal amounts of red/green. LEDs are going to require better husbandry by aquarists in the future as LEDs are known for their near-laserlike monochromatic looks. You can get actinics that are only 420nm. You can get blues that are only 450nm. Even the whites arent really that 'white'.
It was seen as an advantage by some... having so much blue... but when you get to the point where there it little else (as with these), the corals just have no reason to develop pigments that reflect these other colors. Thats why PFO added a couple red LEDs to the units, and I would speculate that they end up adding a couple 3000Kish LEDs in the future to help the red/orange/and yellow pigments show better.
I had similar problems with a pheonix 14,000K bulb... loads of blue, but little else. Many corals at the top of the tank were simply fading out...growing great and getting loads of output though. I switched to a ushio 14,000K with blue+ supplimental bulbs, and the colors came back in.
It seems that corals can not exist on blue alone.
FYI the sun is not blue and I agree with hahnmeister as most companies are promoting a lot of blue color bulbs for the main reason of instant color.
There is an advantage to T-5 as you can mix and match bulbs to create a fuller spectrum. Bulbs from 3000 k to Blue O3.
It would also be nice if you could mix and match your Led's hopefully in the future.
There is an advantage to T-5 as you can mix and match bulbs to create a fuller spectrum. Bulbs from 3000 k to Blue O3.
It would also be nice if you could mix and match your Led's hopefully in the future.
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
Im sure it will be possible... just look at the range of colors you can select in 5mm and 3mm LEDs... there is everything imaginable... UV-C (250nm-280nm) through IR (800nm+). The only problem is that most of them are a very narrow output, unless you get some sort of 3000Kish indoor lighting bulb. Even in higher output LEDs, you have actinic (420nm), blue (450nm), and super white (which is really like a 14,000K or something since its still mostly blue)... like what PFO uses. But Reds, Oranges, Greens... all easily available... its just a matter of who is going to make them plug into the fixtures. I cant wait myself.. I would love to have an array of UV-A LEDs (315-400nm) to add into a mix of blues, actinics, and 3000K bulbs. That combo would really make things color up nicely.
LED's offer more control over exact spectrum peaks.... thats their advantage and weakness. You can blunder by having a setup that lacks certain wavelengths all together... and have a hard time figuring it out without the use of a spectroradiometer.
LED's offer more control over exact spectrum peaks.... thats their advantage and weakness. You can blunder by having a setup that lacks certain wavelengths all together... and have a hard time figuring it out without the use of a spectroradiometer.
stimpy4242
New member
Ok i have a 20k 48" version. This is the second unit I have received as the first one had lights out and computer problems and such. The second units had all the lights working, but now that we are in night mode the far right bank has all six lunar LEDs on and no blue and I can not do anything to adjust it. If i adjust the levels on the other banks adjust and this remains the same...any suggestions??? I have already contacted pfo AGAIN. For 2500 dollars and this being the second unit you would expect them to have checked it out.
Amphibious
New member
stimpy4242,
I know that PFO checks out all Solaris units before shipping. What I'm not sure of is to what extent they go through in checking them out. They are working deligently to get the kinks straightened out on these units. I know Pat was in China again this week working with the manufacturer on this issue. It's been a problem but he is determined to set things right. It can be a bit disconcerting to purchase an expensive unit and have it not function properly right out of the box. I have to praise PFO for sending you a replacement unit before asking you to send back the defective unit. It's unfortunate that that one has issues, too. Being my customer, you can rest assured that I will work to getting this resolved as soon as possible.
I'm not going to make excusses for PFO but, I know they are very concerned about QC and are working hard to get it right.
Dick
I know that PFO checks out all Solaris units before shipping. What I'm not sure of is to what extent they go through in checking them out. They are working deligently to get the kinks straightened out on these units. I know Pat was in China again this week working with the manufacturer on this issue. It's been a problem but he is determined to set things right. It can be a bit disconcerting to purchase an expensive unit and have it not function properly right out of the box. I have to praise PFO for sending you a replacement unit before asking you to send back the defective unit. It's unfortunate that that one has issues, too. Being my customer, you can rest assured that I will work to getting this resolved as soon as possible.
I'm not going to make excusses for PFO but, I know they are very concerned about QC and are working hard to get it right.
Dick
Amphibious
New member
I haven't posted a picture in awhile so thought I'd share a couple with you. I bought my wife a new camera for Xmas and had to try it out. 
First, my Bali Tri-color from Nov 27th.......
And the same coral taken yesterday......
This growth difference is in about 25 days. The first picture was taken with my Nikon D70. The second with my wife's Kodak Z650. I'm assuming the color difference is because of the different cameras. The coral hasn't changed color to the naked eye.
While it's evident the Solaris lights have some QC issues that PFO is working on, the logistics of fixing QC is daunting considering they are being manufactured in China. In the end these lights are incredible IMHO.
First, my Bali Tri-color from Nov 27th.......
And the same coral taken yesterday......
This growth difference is in about 25 days. The first picture was taken with my Nikon D70. The second with my wife's Kodak Z650. I'm assuming the color difference is because of the different cameras. The coral hasn't changed color to the naked eye.
While it's evident the Solaris lights have some QC issues that PFO is working on, the logistics of fixing QC is daunting considering they are being manufactured in China. In the end these lights are incredible IMHO.
Amphibious
New member
An update on energy savings.
An update on energy savings.
Just got my energy bill for the last thirty days. It dropped an additional $32. That's down $118 from the peak last August. How much the current drop is due to the Solaris lights is hard to say. It is cooler than in August but, if I were still running the MHs the fish room would be over heating causing the chiller to run constantly and the window AC unit to come on, too.
Can you see me smiling?
An update on energy savings.
Just got my energy bill for the last thirty days. It dropped an additional $32. That's down $118 from the peak last August. How much the current drop is due to the Solaris lights is hard to say. It is cooler than in August but, if I were still running the MHs the fish room would be over heating causing the chiller to run constantly and the window AC unit to come on, too.
Can you see me smiling?
Amphibious
New member
Probably true but, then where would the cost of the unit be?
stimpy4242
New member
I was on the phone again today with pat from pfo...while it was certainly nice of him to take time out of his personal weekend for my problem, we still could not fix it. This is the second light I have had from them with problems. At the worse time too seeing its the holidays and people aren't shipping much...so I will get a light by the end of next week. He said he would personally check over it and while I think that is great, I would have expected the second light to have been inspected too. Still looking forward to its potential...maybe this is leverage to get a low cost upgrade when the higher wattage ones come out...
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