Thinking going LED

[morganatlanta]

You can mount them lower, you just need more emitters to get even coverage. That's why I think that the power of the current chips is fine. They just need to cost less per unit.

The other big improvement I see that could be done is to put multiple emitters of different colors on the same chip. There are chips now with four emitters (RGB + cool white, CREE MCE), but for reef use, a single chip with two 10k whites, one royal, one blue, or something like that would be better.

 

[rbredding]

$500 a piece is a fair price... IF they were direct replacements - which, they're not..
(because you'll need more emitters)
(because they don't cover the footprint you need)
(because the lenses aren't developed)

seriously.. if these things had a 100* to 130* lens on them, they'd be direct replacements for MH lamps..
(because you would have the coverage you need)

 

[morganatlanta]

That's what the lenses on the chips are without optics... 120 deg, but the spread of light still isn't as even as you would get with a MH in a reflector.

 

[gwhiz]

Rbredding;624635 wrote: these manufacturers dont get it yet...

"mount 15" to 18" above the water line" - come on, who has a 24" canopy on top of their tank? (I've seen maybe 4)

Make that five....
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[rbredding]

... now I've seen 5...

 

[basscyn]

Crewdawg1981;623486 wrote: Yeah... I really love those AI sol units, but give em 12-18 months and prices are going to come down. How much is anyone's guess but they'll come down.

Something else to think about is the value of your old MH's.
Right now there is still a market for used MH systems. As soon as LED's become more of a viable option, you can store your Halides right next to the old Bio-balls in the closet.:yes:

I think there is a sweet spot where you can resell your MH's to off set current LED costs. We may be there now!
As the original post indicates, Im talking a 72" tank. I think LED's are already viable on smaller set ups.

Just a thought.

 

[rbredding]

^^ agreed (and good point)

 

[mockery]

Has anyone heard anything about this one?
http://www.aquaillumination.com/sol/nano.html">http://www.aquaillumination.com/sol/nano.html</a>

Looks like it might work for me price wise.

 

[rbredding]

How do you like the "touch" control area?


you haven't heard much about it cause they're not out yet..

 

[crewdawg1981]

... i just need to keep telling myself three things.

A). Technology will get cheaper...
B). Technology will get better...
C). NO

 

[rbredding]

Crewdawg1981;624814 wrote: ... i just need to keep telling myself three things.

A). Technology will get cheaper...
B). Technology will get better...
C). NO SINCE IN WAITING, THOUGH...

fixed it for ya...

 

[crewdawg1981]

Rbredding;624815 wrote: fixed it for ya...

Yeah... but... I'm TERRIBLE at waiting.

The other reasons/excuses are tenuously keeping me from going into bankruptcy.

 

[rbredding]

Crewdawg1981;624818 wrote: Yeah... but... I'm TERRIBLE at waiting.

The other reasons/excuses are tenuously keeping me from going into bankruptcy.

yeah.. that would be bad...

 

[mockery]

Amici;624840 wrote: I cant wait for those either, the only thing is that I dont think that includes a controller which pushes it closer to $450 if I saw the pricing correctly

Actually with this article I don't think you need a controller unless you do different intensities through out the day.

 

[gnashty]

Crewdawg1981;623501 wrote: I'd agree... and at that price I'm shopping.

Rbredding;623507 wrote: if that's what they were.. I'd already have them on my tank..

+1!!!

Rbredding;624635 wrote: these manufacturers dont get it yet...

"mount 15" to 18" above the water line" - come on, who has a 24" canopy on top of their tank? (I've seen maybe 4)


they need to work on the lenses.. create a way to put these fixtures less than 12" above the water and have them cover a 24X24 area... (or 18X18)

they'll TAKE OFF when the LED fixtures are DIRECT REPLACEMENTS for MH's..

Thats my issue - I can do 6-8" at best off the surface and that barely leaves room for ventilation.

I think they are affordable for small set ups requring one but when you need 4-6 its just ridiculously expensive.....Im still on the fence but no way can I justify $3500 in LED lighting when I need new appliances, a hot water heater and probably an AC unit soon....

 

[rbredding]

Amici;624895 wrote: Yeah but what if you want it to punch down deeper in a 30" deep tank? Then you can lower it down to 8-10" off the water which is what I usually mounted my halides at. I agree they need to work on lenses but this it the start toward them replacing halides. Im just happy to see them upping the watts instead of the massive arrays of 3w leds.

penetration isn't the issue with these light systems..

even at a 30" deep tank, the light isn't going to diffuse.. (the beam is just too tight to be efficient)

the manufacturers make these things as spotlights, they need to make them as floodlights..

 

[dave green]

Crewdawg1981;624818 wrote: Yeah... but... I'm TERRIBLE at waiting.

The other reasons/excuses are tenuously keeping me from going into bankruptcy.

:lol2:

 

[phi79]

I think you need at least 48 Cree 3W to cover 24x24. If I build again I will go with 20 cool blue, 20 royal blue and 20 white, that will give you the same look at the 20k or the AI SOL. My led use about 165W.
Here is my build