The last product we reviewed was the GNC AM 466 (review) that, in spite of the price, has gained a lot of approval from aquarists around the world. Today, GNC presents a brand new project with some improvements, a ceiling light named GNC BluRay.

The ceiling light has a high number of LEDs, spread over a wide surface, and this smart choice means that it can compete with the Philips CoralCare (article), which has similar characteristics.

Technical characteristics of the GNC BluRay

• Dimensions: 300 x 400 x 40 mm;
• Aquarium covering: 90 x 70 cm;
• Total number of LEDs: 588;
• White LED 12,000°K: 336;
• Royal Blu LED 450 nm: 196;
• Red Deep LED 660 nm: 56;
• Consumption: 130 watt max;

As you can see, the LED number is incredible – 588 LEDs and 130 watts of maximum consumption, which means that each LED is driven by less than 0.25 watts! Piloting the LED with low current and warming them slightly allows GNC to proportionally increase their duration.

The spectrum is complete, as the company has improved upon the first GNC AM 466, with the addition of some red LEDs, which have an emission of 660 nm. Indeed, I can confirm that the spectrum of the first GNC was amazing but it tended towards the cold colorations. I think it is very appreciated, this touch of red.

GNC BluRay led ceiling light- light spectrum

The declared PAR by GNC start from around 300 and decrease to 150 in the peripheral and usable zones. In the following graphic doesn’t include the dimensions of the light spread illustrated, but we believe that until 70 cm the coverage is excellent.

GNC BluRay led ceiling light – PAR distribution

GNC BluRay programming

One of the main problems with the previous series of GNC ceiling lights was the lack of a dedicated controller. In the beginning, it was only possible to alter the dimming by turning channels on and off, very pleasant, but it wasn’t possible to operate upon the power combination of the single LED channels.  Since then, some box for the regulation of the percentages of the white and the blue has been made, but this setting remains fixed for the entire day.

The new GNC BluRay ceiling light evolves. Each ceiling light has a wifi module on board and it will be possible to set the main parameters with a browser, like the dimming of the three available channels, and dimming at dawn and sunset.

GNC BluRay led ceiling light – planning by smartphone

Now let’s analyze the price. The previous ceiling light, the GNC AM 466, was very expensive and wasn’t well widespread in the aquarist world.

But today the new GNC BluRay ceiling light has a selling price of “just” 749 euro ($817 US)!

I think it’s a very interesting price considering the promised coverage. It’s like 5.76 euro ($6.30 US) per watt!!! An extremely low price for its characteristics!

The ceiling light is beautiful in pictures. The previous generation was already fabulous, so we believe that this one can only improve. The gaps of the previous model, like the price and the planning, have been filled. We just have to wait for its release on the market, hoping that soon we can have it in our aquariums, for our measurements and confrontations.

For other information, please visit the GNC site.

[translated by Agnese Poggi]