So is the future of Reef Lighting?

[dough]

It seem pretty darn cool to me. And if those numbers are real then they may have something here.

http://www.reefbuilders.com/2009/04/14/sunbrite-lighting-system-rethinking-implement-aquarium-leds/">http://www.reefbuilders.com/2009/04/14/sunbrite-lighting-system-rethinking-implement-aquarium-leds/</a>

It seems like many of here on ARC are just catching up to T5's including me. I was just wondering what you light heads think........

 

[sailfish]

Hey if its cheaper and they can get by the patent I am all for it.

Joe

 

[ace1204]

sweet, and wow those prices are awesome. Could it be?

 

[dough]

Several people commented that they are already using them. I would think one lamp would be enough to at least add shimmer on a T5 tank. Over in the SPS forum in the SPS are I found a guy running them on his tank. It's been a while since he's posted so I wonder if they worked long term or not.

 

[william1]

Heres a link to a thread Ive looked at before there quite expensive.

 

[harleyguy]

The LED stuff is very very cool, but did anyone catch the video on the new Neptune systems APEX controller... Man this this looks awsome... and under $500... I can't wait, I'm getting it as soon as it comes out...

 

[weaglereefer]

Harleyguy;334462 wrote: The LED stuff is very very cool, but did anyone catch the video on the new Neptune systems APEX controller... Man this this looks awsome... and under $500... I can't wait, I'm getting it as soon as it comes out...

Yup, looks like a rip off of Digital Aquatics' Reefkeeper Elite...



On the LEDs, I used to use a car underbody LED kit (got for $40). The 4 bars had probably 200 LEDs total. Never took any par readings, but they could be dimmed for moonlighting, could be turned 7 colors, and the fish never seemed to mind when I was in the mood for a purple, green, or red tank.

 

[harleyguy]

au01st;334467 wrote: Yup, looks like a rip off of Digital Aquatics' Reefkeeper Elite...

I'm sure that's where they got the idea, but it has one thing that the Reefkeeper doesn't... a web-server to control the system remotely... Also I think with the larger screen it must be easier to set up and use.

 

[oil_fan]

It's interesting, that's for sure. And the idea of upgrading my lighting for $200 is nice. I am curious about the comment about Orbitech’s patent. Time to break out Google.

 

[oil_fan]

Found some info. It turns out Orbitec sued PFO for making and marketing a LED light system for aquariums. Orbitec filed for a http://www.google.com/patents?id=mwWAAAAAEBAJ&dq=marine+aquarium+LED">patent</a> back in 2004 (Google has a search engine for patents! lol) and one was issued in 2007 for LED lightng system for a "marine habitat having an open top".

PFO was eventually forced out of business. I didn't see anything though that it was the lawsuit that directly caused that.

Now the problem with that patent appears to be that there are variuos posts to doing a DIY LED systems on a number of forums dating back to [IMG]http://www.reefs.org/forums/topic17426.html">2002</a>. That would predate the patent filing and could be cause to invalidate it. The problem comes with challenging such a patent is that it costs big $$$. The only non-profit group that I know of that does this, is the Electronic Frontier Foundation. They've been known to take on bogus patent filings.

What's I really don't get is that [IMG]http://www.orbitec.com/">Orbitec</a> isn't even in the hobby. They're an areospace company. They have yet to actually make an LED lighting system. In fairness though they say they'll start selling one this spring. We'll see.