Lighting... suggestions Please
- Thread starter TheSaltySpitoon
- Start date
Algae? Where did that come from?
It is virtually impossible for one light to provide the best lighting for all the fish in a mixed reef tank. Different corals have different needs, meaning some are either getting to little light or some are getting to much. Mixed tanks in general are not the best environment for more than a small percentage of the organisms being housed. This means that the corals that normally get most of their nutritional needs met by lighting must get it otherwise if the light is dialed down for the corals needing lesser lighting intensity (PAR). I do not have the option of my customers SPS tanks getting to little light because the customers tanks are not housing anything but SPS (no fish, soft corals, or other invertebrates), and the coral are not getting supplemental feedings and the nutrient levels in the tank are always near zero. So while te corals are in the customers tanks they are totally dependant on extracting what they need for maintenance through photosynthesis alone. The colonies are rotated out of the customers tanks on a reguler basis and placed in feeding/holding tanks where they are fed heavily until they are once again rotated back into customer tanks. I do not wish to shorten those rotation intervals and I do not wish to be switching lighting intensity or quality provided severely during those rotations. The cost of switching all tanks lights out at one time would not be an option as there are 32 tanks, when taking into account customers tanks, and feeding/holding tanks. That does not include frag and grow out tanks or the tanks in my apartment. This leaves me with the option of switching the lighting in one tank and assessing those results, but as this tank is the tank in my apartment and the fact that it is a tank full of all mother colony corals the risk financially is very high. Given these facts emperical data from some tester or even from the manafacturer seems like a fair expectation. But like I said although I am glad the lights fulfill your needs and expectations, mine are different than yours.
To state that a certain lighting system is providing great lighting for all the organisms in a mixed reef tank at the same time is a pretty fantastic statement. Mother nature does not even attempt to mix up organisms as do the reefers running mixed tanks, and nature provides a much better lighting system than anything a human being has ever designed or built, yet alone sold to use over a marine tank.
Never mind this is whole discussion is getting to be too absurd. I will end my participation here and wait for emperical data.
It is virtually impossible for one light to provide the best lighting for all the fish in a mixed reef tank. Different corals have different needs, meaning some are either getting to little light or some are getting to much. Mixed tanks in general are not the best environment for more than a small percentage of the organisms being housed. This means that the corals that normally get most of their nutritional needs met by lighting must get it otherwise if the light is dialed down for the corals needing lesser lighting intensity (PAR). I do not have the option of my customers SPS tanks getting to little light because the customers tanks are not housing anything but SPS (no fish, soft corals, or other invertebrates), and the coral are not getting supplemental feedings and the nutrient levels in the tank are always near zero. So while te corals are in the customers tanks they are totally dependant on extracting what they need for maintenance through photosynthesis alone. The colonies are rotated out of the customers tanks on a reguler basis and placed in feeding/holding tanks where they are fed heavily until they are once again rotated back into customer tanks. I do not wish to shorten those rotation intervals and I do not wish to be switching lighting intensity or quality provided severely during those rotations. The cost of switching all tanks lights out at one time would not be an option as there are 32 tanks, when taking into account customers tanks, and feeding/holding tanks. That does not include frag and grow out tanks or the tanks in my apartment. This leaves me with the option of switching the lighting in one tank and assessing those results, but as this tank is the tank in my apartment and the fact that it is a tank full of all mother colony corals the risk financially is very high. Given these facts emperical data from some tester or even from the manafacturer seems like a fair expectation. But like I said although I am glad the lights fulfill your needs and expectations, mine are different than yours.
To state that a certain lighting system is providing great lighting for all the organisms in a mixed reef tank at the same time is a pretty fantastic statement. Mother nature does not even attempt to mix up organisms as do the reefers running mixed tanks, and nature provides a much better lighting system than anything a human being has ever designed or built, yet alone sold to use over a marine tank.
Never mind this is whole discussion is getting to be too absurd. I will end my participation here and wait for emperical data.
rmlevasseur
Active Member
I do think the Solaris is the best light for a mixed tank. The reason I say this is because the Solaris is a much more focused light, providing for much more intensity when directly under the light and, conversely, much more shaded areas when not under the light. MH, on the other hand, tends to flood the entire tank, leaving few shaded area except in caves. This has never looked natural to me, although the look has become a part of reefing culture.
One complaint I have had with the Solaris is that it should be wider to provide a little more front to back coverage. However, with careful placement of SPS and clams directly under the LEDS, with softies on the periphery, you do have a much wider variety of PAR coverage.
One complaint I have had with the Solaris is that it should be wider to provide a little more front to back coverage. However, with careful placement of SPS and clams directly under the LEDS, with softies on the periphery, you do have a much wider variety of PAR coverage.
I in general do not recommend halide lights for tanks that are not deep (in excess of 18" of water above substrate), where clams and SPS are not to be housed and even with most mixed reef tanks. In general, under those circumstances, I recommend T-5 lighting that has individual reflectors. The cost of LED lighting is just to inconceivably high priced for the majority of reef tank keepers to even grasp yet alone consider purchasing. Halides are principally lights for deep water and lighting loving organisms,and in genaral are not a healthy choice for most soft coral tanks or mixed tanks. Until the day comes that LED lighting becomes cheap enough or outputs increase enough that the same intensities can be put out with high PAR but in the 6500K range I do not believe they will be used much by people who are principally SPS keepers, especially if the are seeking to make money through the growing of SPS corals. As the now appear to be designed, the intent is to provide for the needs of the mixed reefs and the soft coral reefs, which they seem well at doing. However, even though there are quite a few corals sales people maintaining corals under 20000K lighting, there are very few corals growers growing out frags under 20000K lighting or keeping their mother colonies under 20000K lighting. SPS corals can be beautiful to view under 20000K lighting, but 6500K is a lot healthier and produces much better growth. If they double up on the LED's bulbs provided so that I can get the same PAR at 65OOK as the light puts out at 15000K or 20000K then the light would be great. Or put out a light that is rated at 6500K with double the PAR without all the blue LED bulbs that provide the unneeded high K lighting that would be fine. However, I do not see any light manufacturer producing either of those fixtures for the commercial or serious SPS reefer.
My self, unless they produce something practical for something other than mixed tanks or eye popping but unhealthy display tanks, I will spend the equivalent money on five or six more new 120 gallon tanks instead of a single solaris fixture for just one 120 gallon tank.
My self, unless they produce something practical for something other than mixed tanks or eye popping but unhealthy display tanks, I will spend the equivalent money on five or six more new 120 gallon tanks instead of a single solaris fixture for just one 120 gallon tank.
rmlevasseur
Active Member
Well, the price is one thing I can't argue with ya. It is what it is. I fully expect the prices to fall as the competition ramps up. I also expect these things to improve on all fronts. I've never said they were perfect.
BUT, I do believe that if you factor in electric bills and bulb replacements the Solaris price becomes much more tolerable. But I'll tell ya, the main reason I purchased the Solaris is the heat of MH. Not so much the increase in water temperature, mind you, but the shear heat generated by MH. As you have said in other posts, its almost negligent to sell these thing in hoods with combined ballasts. There is no price for peace of mind. I'm afraid that somehow these things will burn my house down. I have two little kids and a wife, and I have found no MH fixture that presents an acceptable safety risk.
Now, I'm not saying in the least that all you MH owners are gonna burn your house down. I'm just saying that being the only person in the house with any tank knowledge, and occasionally leaving on business trips, I don't trust the care of MH to anyone else in my family should something go wrong or overheat. I just don't have that fear with the Solaris. Even the ballasts on the thing don't get very hot. If you have concerns like this, and I know many people do, the price is inconsequential.
BUT, I do believe that if you factor in electric bills and bulb replacements the Solaris price becomes much more tolerable. But I'll tell ya, the main reason I purchased the Solaris is the heat of MH. Not so much the increase in water temperature, mind you, but the shear heat generated by MH. As you have said in other posts, its almost negligent to sell these thing in hoods with combined ballasts. There is no price for peace of mind. I'm afraid that somehow these things will burn my house down. I have two little kids and a wife, and I have found no MH fixture that presents an acceptable safety risk.
Now, I'm not saying in the least that all you MH owners are gonna burn your house down. I'm just saying that being the only person in the house with any tank knowledge, and occasionally leaving on business trips, I don't trust the care of MH to anyone else in my family should something go wrong or overheat. I just don't have that fear with the Solaris. Even the ballasts on the thing don't get very hot. If you have concerns like this, and I know many people do, the price is inconsequential.
I have never looked at halides that way. It is true they are a lot hotter running system and an unknowing person who left something like a shear curtain lay up against them could quite well burn down a house. I have also seen some pretty toasted carpeting over the years from magnetic ballasts before the days of ribbed aluminum heat disipaters and box fans.
Halide lighting is really industrial lighting that has been adapted for aquarium use (usually poorly adapted). Halides as originally designed had the lighting and the ballasts usually hung in free air away from flammable surfaces (actually usually surrounded with by nothing but steel beams and sheeting etc.), with all wiring enclosed in metal piping, or in highway lighting with the light 30 foot or more in the air and the ballasts installed remotely in concrete boxes. Sadly there is not really much truely engineered aquarium equipment coming from American manafacturers. Engineers in America are pretty much left out of the design loop and nearly all design is done by nonprofessionals. Americans use to be known for innovative new designs in all areas of industry, sadly that is not the case anymore. We farm out manafacturing and usually buy other rights to manafacture equipment designed in other countries then leave it up to the Chinese manafacturers to redesign it and produce it for us cheaper, meaning out of less quality materials, parts and components. We use to design it and then have cheap labor in other countries build the parts and we would then assemble the parts and call the products American made. Now we even have the Chinese and other low labor countries do the redesigning, parts building, and all assembly but sell it as American produced instead of American made. I truely hope Solaris putsout some lighting with a max K rating of maybe 6500K to 10000K that has even higher PAR than the 15000K to 20000K lighting they now put out. If they wil ever replace halides it is because the will replace the halides in the 6500K to 10000K range. They will doubtfully ever when over SPS growers buy just sellinglighting in the high K ranges as most SPS reefers only use the high K lighting for display tanks, not frag and grow out tanks which out number the display tanks in their systems. I would like the option of having a seperate low LED systems, and the adjutbale unit that they now produce. If both units were available I would be buying in the number of five low K units for each one adjustable K unit. Now that would make economical sense. But the prices would still have to come down first. After all, the LED bulbs only cost about $5 each when bought in bulk.
Halide lighting is really industrial lighting that has been adapted for aquarium use (usually poorly adapted). Halides as originally designed had the lighting and the ballasts usually hung in free air away from flammable surfaces (actually usually surrounded with by nothing but steel beams and sheeting etc.), with all wiring enclosed in metal piping, or in highway lighting with the light 30 foot or more in the air and the ballasts installed remotely in concrete boxes. Sadly there is not really much truely engineered aquarium equipment coming from American manafacturers. Engineers in America are pretty much left out of the design loop and nearly all design is done by nonprofessionals. Americans use to be known for innovative new designs in all areas of industry, sadly that is not the case anymore. We farm out manafacturing and usually buy other rights to manafacture equipment designed in other countries then leave it up to the Chinese manafacturers to redesign it and produce it for us cheaper, meaning out of less quality materials, parts and components. We use to design it and then have cheap labor in other countries build the parts and we would then assemble the parts and call the products American made. Now we even have the Chinese and other low labor countries do the redesigning, parts building, and all assembly but sell it as American produced instead of American made. I truely hope Solaris putsout some lighting with a max K rating of maybe 6500K to 10000K that has even higher PAR than the 15000K to 20000K lighting they now put out. If they wil ever replace halides it is because the will replace the halides in the 6500K to 10000K range. They will doubtfully ever when over SPS growers buy just sellinglighting in the high K ranges as most SPS reefers only use the high K lighting for display tanks, not frag and grow out tanks which out number the display tanks in their systems. I would like the option of having a seperate low LED systems, and the adjutbale unit that they now produce. If both units were available I would be buying in the number of five low K units for each one adjustable K unit. Now that would make economical sense. But the prices would still have to come down first. After all, the LED bulbs only cost about $5 each when bought in bulk.
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
While I am sure the cost will and should come down, there is a lot more to it than the LEDs. I have a couple of engineers that are going to seriously look at mine when I get it but based on what I have told them it would cost twice as much as a Solaris for them to build it.
I'll post when I get and they evaluate the light. They are not reef people, but lighting and electrical engineers at NASA so they will give me the technical jargon and you guys can translate for me.
I'll post when I get and they evaluate the light. They are not reef people, but lighting and electrical engineers at NASA so they will give me the technical jargon and you guys can translate for me.
R&D of a new "Technology" is what costs most. The unit itself and assembly isn't the BIG factor. Lynn's correct in that it would cost a LOT to make your own LED and it to have all the benefits/extras of a Solaris.
I agree the initial cost is a HUGE factor (and why I don't have one YET) but rest assured.. unless something REALLY bad happens to them or me I WILL have an LED fixture over my next tank(s).
I agree the initial cost is a HUGE factor (and why I don't have one YET) but rest assured.. unless something REALLY bad happens to them or me I WILL have an LED fixture over my next tank(s).
Doesn't seem to me that I am asking or wanting that much. No dimmers, no timers or anything but straight lighting of high PAR at a value of 6500K preferably or 10000K at max. I would seem that a larger percentage of their costs is in trying to provide that all elusive one light for all needs, by making the K value adjustable. While I am an Engineer, I am not an Electrical Engineer. I have no desire for Electrical Engineering. The field courses I was required to take in Electrical Engineering was more than enough for me to convince me I did not like that field of engineering. While most of the field is OK, the electronic circuitry analysis aspect of it I found to far from enjoyable.
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
So nobody makes LEDs to your specifications yet. Ok. You have quite a specific set of requirements that are different from those most of us have.
So LEDs are great for me, but not for you.
I have no problem with that.
Do you?
If you do, then feel free to develop one or have someone develop one. Nobody here is trying to sell you a Solaris. We give our opinions on the light and you give yours. Yours is based on a very specific need while mine is based on a much more general mixed reef. I don't have any sps but I do have clams and an anemone. I have no worry at all about their health under a Solaris. I am not however in this as a business but as a hobby. The electrical and bulb cost savings will pay back the initial cost quite rapidly for my purposes.
So LEDs are great for me, but not for you.
I have no problem with that.
Do you?
If you do, then feel free to develop one or have someone develop one. Nobody here is trying to sell you a Solaris. We give our opinions on the light and you give yours. Yours is based on a very specific need while mine is based on a much more general mixed reef. I don't have any sps but I do have clams and an anemone. I have no worry at all about their health under a Solaris. I am not however in this as a business but as a hobby. The electrical and bulb cost savings will pay back the initial cost quite rapidly for my purposes.
rmlevasseur
Active Member
I'm not sure that making the K value adjustable was really a result of trying to make the "elusive" light, as you say. There are only three colors of led on the Solaris: white, green, and blue. The K value is adjustable simply by virtue of being able to dim or increase any of these colors. Dimming LEDs is a very simple process, unlike dimming MH or flourescents.
BTW, you haven't seen cool until you have seen a tank under just actinic and slight green light. Its always my "impress the neighbors" setting, lol.
BTW, you haven't seen cool until you have seen a tank under just actinic and slight green light. Its always my "impress the neighbors" setting, lol.
mps9506
Well-Known Member
I do agree the write up in Advanced Aquaria was very incomplete.
One thing to keep in mind is I do think that LED's will eventually be made specifically for the reef hobby. I'm pretty young but when I got into the hobby the only bulbs I could choose from in MH were Iwasaki and Hamilton. 6500k and 5500k respectively. I think Ushio 10k was available but was absurdly priced at $120 at that time.
As the push towards LED lighting occurs I think we will see LED's tuned to suit our needs. What I've seen from spectral plots (from the LED manufacturers, not PFO, or AI) of the LEDs used is that most are low in intensity below 450nm. I think you will see the white bulbs used shift to mimic the spectral plots of the more popular MH 10-12k bulbs and hopefully the light units will be mixed with LEDS that peak at specific blue intensities just to get the color people desire.
I have no doubts the LED bulb quality will come around. Prices might follow. Who knows on that front with fuel costs going crazy
My personal wants for an LED unit include individually replaceable bulbs (not strips). Bulb customabilty (not even sure if this is possible with every led having different specs) but being able to replace a bulb spec'd at 10k with one that peaks at 420nm would be awesome. What is already out there with the ability to dim, control individual banks of light etc is also nice to have for display tanks and is something I like.
And people that know me, know I don't care if it costs more or less. I'm one of those idiots that will buy it if I want it, and hopefully drive the cost down for everyone else
Why all the hostility, and from staff at that?
I have written quite a few times that I am glad/happy that the LED lights currently available fit your needs and the needs of soft coral growers and the needs of the "majority" which is mixed reef keepers. I have no problem with that. I just wish they would also make a LED system that was geared for the needs of the serious SPS growers who have no need for high K values, but would rather have LED bulbs producing more intensity in the lower K range. That is all. I have no idea why people would get so bent out of shape because I wish different than what is available, just because what is available fits their needs. I have no doubt that the system is a good system although expensive, It just isn't a good system for my needs or the needs of many other SPS growers, commercial and otherwise.
I can see no reason why you or any one else should have a problem with that.
If so I do not know why as you have what you want and are happy with it. I would just like something that fits my needs as well as the presently available Solaris fits yours. I am truly hoping they make other lighting designs available, that is all. I see no reason why you would not want a SPS grower, commercial coral grower, or commercial keeper of reefs to have LED lighting mass produced for them also. If nothing else it will make aquacultured corals available to you cheaper if they can also benefit from LED systems that fit their needs. It will also mean large numbers of corals will be available to mixed reef hobbiests that have been raised under LED lighting. Is that a bad thing?
Wow, if people stood up for their constitutional rights as well as you stand up for your Solaris we would actually live in a half way just country, with a criminal justice system that actually works.
I do agree the write up in Advanced Aquaria was very incomplete.
One thing to keep in mind is I do think that LED's will eventually be made specifically for the reef hobby. I'm pretty young but when I got into the hobby the only bulbs I could choose from in MH were Iwasaki and Hamilton. 6500k and 5500k respectively. I think Ushio 10k was available but was absurdly priced at $120 at that time.
As the push towards LED lighting occurs I think we will see LED's tuned to suit our needs. What I've seen from spectral plots (from the LED manufacturers, not PFO, or AI) of the LEDs used is that most are low in intensity below 450nm. I think you will see the white bulbs used shift to mimic the spectral plots of the more popular MH 10-12k bulbs and hopefully the light units will be mixed with LEDS that peak at specific blue intensities just to get the color people desire.
I have no doubts the LED bulb quality will come around. Prices might follow. Who knows on that front with fuel costs going crazy
My personal wants for an LED unit include individually replaceable bulbs (not strips). Bulb customabilty (not even sure if this is possible with every led having different specs) but being able to replace a bulb spec'd at 10k with one that peaks at 420nm would be awesome. What is already out there with the ability to dim, control individual banks of light etc is also nice to have for display tanks and is something I like.
And people that know me, know I don't care if it costs more or less. I'm one of those idiots that will buy it if I want it, and hopefully drive the cost down for everyone else
Wow, another unheated, sane and informative reply. Your replies are enjoyable to read!
Thank you!
There are is at least one electricial engineer (that posts on another reef site) working for a firm that sells LED lighting devices that has put together his own LED lighting system with off the shelf components bought at retail prices for a great deal less than the cost of a Solaris. However he is not making them for sale and has not released much information yet. His design is at a set K output not adjustable.
rmlevasseur
Active Member
Fatman, it seems that you occasionaly jump between "I don't know if LED's are good for SPS-only tanks" to "LED's are NOT good for SPS tanks." I think this is why you are getting some hostile responses. Perhaps people feel that you are attacking a light that you have no personal experience with, and thus turning potential buyers off this great product.
I admit I can't debate you on the topic of SPS, but by the same token you can't debate us. None of us (except Jack, who has told you his view) have experience with this light in an SPS only tank. Yet you seem convinced they won't work, whereas those that are using the light don't expect problems. As I've said, my SPS frags are doing great.
Perhaps some of us are banging our heads a little when we hear comments like "One thing to keep in mind is I do think that LED's will eventually be made specifically for the reef hobby" by Mike. Isn't that what the Solaris is??? I also took from Mike's comments that he believed the Solaris was geared for high K values. This seems to misunderstand the Solaris. Because you can punch up the blue doesn't mean its geared for high K. Its just a feature. You can turn off the blue and have completely yellow if you want. You guys seem to bemoan the lack of an LED lighting system for your needs, and yet there is NO proof that one doesn't already exist...the Solaris. I think the lack of specs was your lament. How can you imply that they have no intensity in the low K end if you don't have the light and you have seen no studies?
I don't get it. It appears as bashing to me.
I admit I can't debate you on the topic of SPS, but by the same token you can't debate us. None of us (except Jack, who has told you his view) have experience with this light in an SPS only tank. Yet you seem convinced they won't work, whereas those that are using the light don't expect problems. As I've said, my SPS frags are doing great.
Perhaps some of us are banging our heads a little when we hear comments like "One thing to keep in mind is I do think that LED's will eventually be made specifically for the reef hobby" by Mike. Isn't that what the Solaris is??? I also took from Mike's comments that he believed the Solaris was geared for high K values. This seems to misunderstand the Solaris. Because you can punch up the blue doesn't mean its geared for high K. Its just a feature. You can turn off the blue and have completely yellow if you want. You guys seem to bemoan the lack of an LED lighting system for your needs, and yet there is NO proof that one doesn't already exist...the Solaris. I think the lack of specs was your lament. How can you imply that they have no intensity in the low K end if you don't have the light and you have seen no studies?
I don't get it. It appears as bashing to me.
Craig Manoukian
Well-Known Member
It is perfectly acceptable to agree to disagree. The didactic tone is always problematic when posting. There is a lot of good information here. Just because there is not imperacle data available does not conclusively mean that the lights don't work in practice. Good SPS growth under Solaris is just that.
Part of the cost of the Solaris appears to be the variability and control features. Supply and demand will drive the prices down once the R&D/sunk costs are recovered. As the use of this product spreads, improvements will be made and data will be more readily available. Good testing/data costs money, we need a Consumer Reports for aquariasts, eh?
Part of the cost of the Solaris appears to be the variability and control features. Supply and demand will drive the prices down once the R&D/sunk costs are recovered. As the use of this product spreads, improvements will be made and data will be more readily available. Good testing/data costs money, we need a Consumer Reports for aquariasts, eh?
When I would have to turn off a third or a half of the lights I paid for to get a healthy lighting for an all SPS tank and not a mixed tank I fail to see how that light is meeting my needs, only that it can with great wastage of resources be used instead of a light that could easily be designed to be used at a lower K value without turning down or off so much of its potential output. I still stand by you can not provide the best lighting for a mixed reef tank with any lighting including LED lighting. Always the best lighting will be provide for one at the cost of less opyimal lighting for another. I believe the LED lighting can upply good lighting dor SPS but like I said at a waste of expensive unusable or unneeded lighting potential. As far as lED bulbs being created foe SPS lighting that is a obvious direction for growth for the aquariyum loghting tarade, as is the bulbs are not the best for usage as reef lighting, but instead klighting put together withwhat existingcomponents are made for other reasons. Just as T-5's became available in different K values, and Halides became available in many K values so will LED's develop into better equipment made with bulbs more appropriate to the specific needs of different reef systems. However, existing materials could be better "arranged" to provide for those needs now,instead of only supplying what is now supplied.
Didactic can be taken as meaning: making moral observtions, or, intended to instruct, inform or teach a moral lesson.
I asume that is not the intended context, as that very statement is like the pot calling the kettle black, or as you would say didactic.
If you are implying I am being didactic because I find it off beat for a moderator or staff member to get hostile beacuse I do not agree with him that a light meets my needs, then this has become to much of a one sided discussion for me to continue in.
I have agreed that it obviously is a good light for its obvious intended market, the mixed reef. As sacrifices are always met with mixed reef lighting anyway, the issue of adequate or best lighting for what type of organism is is moot, as the LED lighting acn meet any of the best lighting just not all at one time. It is a good light for mixed reefs in my opinion because of its advantages over halides as a primary source of light for a mixed reef, meaning, good PAR for wattage used, little heat, and long bulb life and adjustability of K values to suit the viewing preferences of the different mixed reef tank keepers, not because it does or does not provide better lighting for SPS corals.
As far as high K values, in order for the Solaris LED lighting to get the high PAR output the lighting must be diialed up to a high K value, the PAR of the Solaris LED lighting goes down as the K value went down. That is the opposite of a halide where the PAR goes down as the K value is raised, and where the PAR goes up as the K value goes down. This all means that to get lower K values in the Solarois LED lighting the PAR must be sacrificed lessening the lighting advantage of the lighting system when used at lower K values.
I am through with this thread as I have no intent on swapping any more moral digs or insults, nor do I wish to be pushed into saying the Solaris lighting is the answer to all reefing lighting desires and needs. IMO it is not. It is simlply a very expensive better choice lighting for mixed reef tanks where purchase price, this early in the systems development, is not so much of a deciding factor as is having the best lighting available.
Didactic can be taken as meaning: making moral observtions, or, intended to instruct, inform or teach a moral lesson.
I asume that is not the intended context, as that very statement is like the pot calling the kettle black, or as you would say didactic.
If you are implying I am being didactic because I find it off beat for a moderator or staff member to get hostile beacuse I do not agree with him that a light meets my needs, then this has become to much of a one sided discussion for me to continue in.
I have agreed that it obviously is a good light for its obvious intended market, the mixed reef. As sacrifices are always met with mixed reef lighting anyway, the issue of adequate or best lighting for what type of organism is is moot, as the LED lighting acn meet any of the best lighting just not all at one time. It is a good light for mixed reefs in my opinion because of its advantages over halides as a primary source of light for a mixed reef, meaning, good PAR for wattage used, little heat, and long bulb life and adjustability of K values to suit the viewing preferences of the different mixed reef tank keepers, not because it does or does not provide better lighting for SPS corals.
As far as high K values, in order for the Solaris LED lighting to get the high PAR output the lighting must be diialed up to a high K value, the PAR of the Solaris LED lighting goes down as the K value went down. That is the opposite of a halide where the PAR goes down as the K value is raised, and where the PAR goes up as the K value goes down. This all means that to get lower K values in the Solarois LED lighting the PAR must be sacrificed lessening the lighting advantage of the lighting system when used at lower K values.
I am through with this thread as I have no intent on swapping any more moral digs or insults, nor do I wish to be pushed into saying the Solaris lighting is the answer to all reefing lighting desires and needs. IMO it is not. It is simlply a very expensive better choice lighting for mixed reef tanks where purchase price, this early in the systems development, is not so much of a deciding factor as is having the best lighting available.
lcstorc
Well-Known Member
You think my reply is hostile?
Now that is funny. Try reading your own posts.
That is the only reason my reply was a bit sarcastic. In reality I was agreeing with you. It is a good light for me, but not yet a good light for you.
I really think that is what this whole thing boils down to.
Not to mention that this thread was started by someone looking for the best lighting for their mixed reef.
You obviously have different requirements and want the lighting to be created to meet your requirements. That would be great. I am all about choice. I hope that someday they do build a LED system that will meet your needs.
Now that is funny. Try reading your own posts.
That is the only reason my reply was a bit sarcastic. In reality I was agreeing with you. It is a good light for me, but not yet a good light for you.
I really think that is what this whole thing boils down to.
Not to mention that this thread was started by someone looking for the best lighting for their mixed reef.
You obviously have different requirements and want the lighting to be created to meet your requirements. That would be great. I am all about choice. I hope that someday they do build a LED system that will meet your needs.