Osprey Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 (edited) I brought home a 36", 20000k LED Solaris light fixture this Friday. Colby figured I'm probably the first person in the Calgary area to own one. I spent a fair amount of time playing around with it before I got around to taking pictures. The light intensity is equal (or nearly equal) there is some debate on that subject) to that of a Metal Halide, but without the heat. The bells and whistles that come with this light are amazing. Digital internal temperature control, cloud cover programs, optional lunar and solar cycles, plus full control over the spectrum of your lighting... there are probably more that I'm forgetting. The price? $2100. I know what you're thinking... more money than brains. But I did the math, and with bulb replacements alone (doesn't include electrical savings), this fixture will pay for itself in less than five years. Long-term, it is a savings. Plus I couldn't have MH in my house, too much heat. This is the best way for me to be able to grow stonies. Here are a few of the different spectrum possibilities... anything from a warm white to a deep, cool blue. Pardon the blinds reflecting in the tank glass...I couldn't see that reflection in my camera's screen. What you can't see in a still picture is that the Solaris also produces the same 'rippling' effect as MH. I don't think it's as pronounced, though. I don't have any corals yet (previous lighting was too wimpy for corals). But I'll be buying some shortly after Easter, and I'll keep everyone posted on how things turn out. For additional (and much more scientific) info on the Solaris, check out Dana Riddle's thorough study on the capabilities of this light. Does anyone know of a good insurance provider for home aquaria? I think I've passed the point of no return... Edited April 2, 2007 by Osprey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBrain Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 :drool: Sorry that is all I can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGr8Blade Posted April 2, 2007 Report Share Posted April 2, 2007 WOWSERS! Nice unit! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lukep77 Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 :drool: That is a hell of a light, Iam saving up for a Viper halide my self, but now I want one of thoes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CalgaryFan Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 Wow pricey light unit..I would be too cheap for one of them, but those different lights and gadgets are sweet! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toirtis Posted April 10, 2007 Report Share Posted April 10, 2007 I brought home a 36", 20000k LED Solaris light fixture this Friday. Colby figured I'm probably the first person in the Calgary area to own one. Almost. Very nice lights, but a bit spendy yet...I am expecting them to drop by about 30% by next spring (at which point they will sell like hotcakes, I think). You got a decent deal at $2100...the wholesale on the 48" is not much less than that. Very nice light, though...and those electrical savings will be considerable over a comparable halide. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osprey Posted April 23, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 An update for those who'd like to know... Still very pleased with the Solaris. Corals are showing decent growth, which is exceptional, considering this little 36" strip is lighting a 90g corner tank (those things are super difficult to light up). The one potential problem with the Solaris that I can see so far is the tendency of the light to collect dust in the internal housing. It took me a lot of fretting to figure out how to get the dust out from inside. You have to remove the fixture, lay it out and remove one of the panels (with the fans in them) off of the end. This has to be done carefully; the wires don't leave you a lot of room to work with. Then you can slide out the plastic sheeting lengthwise so it can be cleaned, and blow the dust out of the various internal components. I'm guessing this will probably have to be done every 3-6 months, depending on how dusty the house is. Wish I had pics to show, but I lost my camera last summer (grrr...) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murminator Posted April 23, 2008 Report Share Posted April 23, 2008 Nice .......I'm hoping the price comes down them then maybe I'll make the plunge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.