LED lighting: Let the hype begin!

[Anonymous]

<Insert "2001: A Space Odyssey" opening theme music>

Now introducing: The new wave in aquarium lighting!

http://www.championlighting.com/e/env/0 ... ndex3.html

(This is the pre-hype hype, actually. )

 

[Will C1]

i saw these when i was looking for a new lighting system for my reef they look and sound cool i guess i will have to wait and see them once they hit the main stream and every company starts making them.

 

[Anonymous]

Compact, cool-running & efficient, good spectrum, doesn't need bulb replacements... I think it'll be the best thing since sliced bread, if they can pull it off. And if they can make it affordable too ($5K / sq. ft won't cut it, for example).

 

[Anonymous]

Oh! If only I could find the issue of...it was either Discover mag or SciAm, about just this very thing! It's real, folks, being used in traffic lights all over SoCal. The biggest hurdle to be overcome is full spectrum. Apparently some colors are quite easy to "make" (colors as in light wavelengths) and others aren't.

 

[wally311]

Looks cool, we'll have to wait and see. But one of my favorite characteristics of MH is "glitter lines" you get from point-source lighting. I think that it just looks more natural. It looks like these LEDs will cover most of the tank :?

 

[Reefguide]

Yeah I've seen them in traffic lighst here in Miami... Only in newer locations, I guess they are replacing them slowly or as needed.. I too like the glitter lines... Something to keep our eyes on I guess....

 

[LA-Lawman]

all we can do is wait.

this hobby is like the computer industry.....

1 min it is state of the art. the next it is a dinosaur (spelling - God Da** sundays are bad for me....)

-

 

[Anonymous]

all we can do is wait.

this hobby is like the computer industry.....

1 min it is state of the art. the next it is a dinosaur (spelling - God Da** sundays are bad for me....)

-

I dunno - current state-of-the-art lighting is the same as it was 5 yrs ago...

 

[shalegac]

I've seen LED's on someones tank on another message board but they made them themselves for night use. They were awesome looking, though it was nowhere near what the link is saying. It was just a few little lights making a cool effect for when the real lights go out. If I can find the link I will post it. Gives me some crazzzzy ideas though :twisted: .

 

[Markymarklar]

believe me or not- i don't really care, i thought of this idea several years ago. i'm sure someone thought of it before me, but i've never heard of anyone thinking of using this technology till i read this article. sounds cool. not really sure why it would cost more up front. LED's are cheap to produce and don't need much power. just a way for companies to make money i guess.

 

[mwm6]

I guarantee you the average reef keeper will not be able to afford this "investment" - at least initially. Well, then again

Low wattage LED clusters (used to replace an incandescent PAR lamp) are between $75 and $100. If you crunch the numbers (lamp replacements over life of LED) the initial costs appear justifiable. SO, all we have to do to get an idea of what the aquaria industry will throw at us is figure $100/yr/lamp (avg MH) * advertized LED system life (let's use 25 years) = $2500/equivelant cluster. Now, add on the "Hobbyists will buy anything mark-up" and that will be around $3500/cluster - maybe more.

I really don't know....but it seems as though this is how it will work.

 

[skylsdale]

Personally, I see these things as a long shot at best when it comes to reef applications. The bulbs themselves have great qualities, but unless they can "super size" them it's not going to be that great. And making them "affordable"? Please folks....this is the reefkeeping hobby here, where people blow hundreds of dollars on an acrylic cylindar that collects fish crap. If these are fitted for the aquarium industry, folks will be raking in the bucks...

 

[Anonymous]

But they sure are pretty for a moonlight. I have an LED head flashlight that I hold over my tank at night sometimes. Way too cool. When I have time I will rig up a way to power it from the wall and use it as a moonlight.

 

[Anonymous]

I think I really need to find that article. These things could be very viable alternatives to other currently available lighting options. Output and energy usage param's were just amazing when I read about it (not on this site, either).

 

[Anonymous]

I hope its true, like someone said above there have been no real changes in lighting for some time so we are due for a new breakthrough I think.

To me, LEDs are those dim little red things in my astronomy flashlights, so I have trouble picturing them putting out reeflike candlepower. We'll see.

 

[RGibson]

When you see LEDs stop lights 2 or 3 blocks away on a bright sun day you know that it will not be long thay will be in a reef tank and at low cost. the cost will be lower just because of the stop lights thay cost $67.00 for each color and the city that buy them see there ele bill go down and also the labor cost. RGibson

 

[O P Ing]

hi.
It can be one of the best thing since Edison's bulb, but when you look at actual number, LED is not that hot compare to MH/sulfur/Xenon bulb.

Do a search on RAMR. It was mentioned a couple years ago there (and many other places since then).

Just keep in mind that many things are just compromises. Just because something is used on an application, it is the best technology in the world. If there is a red MH bulb that is 10 wattage, and can be flashed on and off like regular light bulb without complicated circuitry, you can be assured that every traffic light will be using MH instead of the LEDs.

 

[skylsdale]

there have been no real changes in lighting for some time

What do you consider HQI's? ESPECIALLY since true HQI technology has not made it over here from Europe yet...

 

[Anonymous]

I really don't get that "future" feel from George Jetson and 70s Star Wars...

 

[brandon4291]

Ive built a few LED displays to lite pico reefs (LED solely) and I have to say I love the technology, but it is very very expensive to do it right. To PROPERLY lite a 20g reef tank to the acceptable intensity, Id say you'd have to have an $800 LED array, which is way too much $$ to justify it. Now I think Ill look at GOC's post to see what that company offers, maybe the prices have lowered in the past few months.... good thread GOCS

Brandon