Solaris Owners!

[Frankie]

That's what its all really about xlayedoutx (nice name )
Read everything and come up with whats best for you. I never followed just one way of doing things and have been very successful. If the shoe fits~

 

[rmlevasseur]

Yea, I agree X, and frankly I'm tired of the argument anyway. Still, it is important for the users of the Solaris to post our results. Eventually the world will be LED with our help

 

[BigAl07]

and it's more of a "Green" item. Think globally but act locally

 

[cheeks69]

I think the heated discussions develop in these lighting threads when people claim that their type of lighting is the best without any real facts.

Can you keep an SPS dominated tank with Halides ? I don't think there's any doubt about it. Can you do the same with the Solaris ? I guess only time will tell, it just hasn't been around that long but with the Solaris users posting their results I guess we'll know soon enough.

Also people tend to focus so much in lighting as if it's the only factor in coral growth, that is obviously not the case.

 

[fatman]

I think the heated discussions develop in these lighting threads when people claim that their type of lighting is the best without any real facts.

Can you keep an SPS dominated tank with Halides ? I don't think there's any doubt about it. Can you do the same with the Solaris ? I guess only time will tell, it just hasn't been around that long but with the Solaris users posting their results I guess we'll know soon enough.

Also people tend to focus so much in lighting as if it's the only factor in coral growth, that is obviously not the case.

Quite a few experts say, lighting is over played in reefing and circulation is underplayed. Inadequate circulation is still a large problem in many reef aquariums, yet lighting wars go on (almost constantly), and circulation pretty much gets ignored. Open discussions on feeding of stoney corals is also seldom seen on most forums or even examined by many reef keepers. Most feeding discussions seem to be based around preventing algae out breaks than in things such as polyp capture flow velocities, particle size or nutritional enrichment of foods, live foods etc.

 

[Wolfgang8810]

I would love to get some LED's but honestly how long have they been around marketed for aquariums specificly? Im going to wait a few years befroe i pick mine up.

here is a good example why. One of the first decent digital cameras

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=+1]APPLE QUICK TAKE 100 – 1994. Manufactured for Apple by Kodak, the QT 100 was the the first mass-market color digital camera for under $1000 ($749). 640 x 480 pixel CCD. Up to eight 640 x 480 resolution images could be stored in internal memory. Fixed-focus 50mm lens. Built-in flash.

I am sure LED's will be more affordable and have better advancments in the not so distant future.so I will be waiting
[/SIZE][/FONT]

 

[xlayedoutx]

I would love to get some LED's but honestly how long have they been around marketed for aquariums specificly? Im going to wait a few years befroe i pick mine up.

here is a good example why. One of the first decent digital cameras

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica][SIZE=+1]APPLE QUICK TAKE 100 – 1994. Manufactured for Apple by Kodak, the QT 100 was the the first mass-market color digital camera for under $1000 ($749). 640 x 480 pixel CCD. Up to eight 640 x 480 resolution images could be stored in internal memory. Fixed-focus 50mm lens. Built-in flash.

I am sure LED's will be more affordable and have better advancments in the not so distant future.so I will be waiting
[/SIZE][/FONT]

Well just think about the camera you have now. How outdated is it going to be in 14 years. Theres always going to be something new and better coming out. Its the same old story. For example, someone sees an LCD tv they want but its $1000 so they are going to wait untill the price comes down. 3 years go by and when the price finnaly drops and they go to get it they see the NEW LCD that just came out and it's yup you guessed it $1000.

 

[Frankie]

If these Solaris are what you all are claiming them to be i don't think they will be coming down in prices even if they come out with better products. Not anytime soon anyhow. I wish they were cheaper so i could experiment on my own with them.

 

[lcstorc]

I will certainly post my results but I don't have SPS so it may not interest you guys. I overfeed my fish so SPS just don't like my tank and I doubt the Solaris is going to change that.
I do expect to see some changes in the softies but my primary reason for the change is the electrical and heat benefits.

 

[Boomer]

I understand Bob. All is well on the home front

Lynn

I hope you like your new lights and am sure you will. I'll introduce you to Pat at MACNA

 

[Wolfgang8810]

Well just think about the camera you have now. How outdated is it going to be in 14 years. Theres always going to be something new and better coming out. Its the same old story. For example, someone sees an LCD tv they want but its $1000 so they are going to wait untill the price comes down. 3 years go by and when the price finnaly drops and they go to get it they see the NEW LCD that just came out and it's yup you guessed it $1000.

EXACTLY! So in 3 years the company and researchers will KNOW what spectrum is best for corals under their lights and there will be more functions as well. Im not against the idea of buying now because the heat factor has me sold already but im sure tehre are still bugs that need to be fixed even if they havent made themselves aparent yet. (I spent 600 on my camera 13 MP compared to .3MP of the apple same price)

 

[BigAl07]

Frank you're probably right. Like xlayedoutx mentioned NEW products don't come down because upgrades and new "Series" keep them on the edge. What would really help is some head to head competition that's similar. Right now there is nothing really competing with them because it's such a "Feature Rich" product. R&D alone makes the cost high.

Boomer can I meet "Pat" too?

 

[fatman]

I really doubt there is much spent on research and development other than in making the fixture cases, and that design was likely done by the metal extrusion company that produces the cases. The electronics aspects can be handled by one in a million electronics buffs that are out there. The board encapsulation is likely an off the shelf product, the LED's are off the shelf components. Likely any research and development being done is being done before they buy the components they assemble into a retailable product. I think your giving PFO to much credit. It is likelt that the design idea did not even originate with them.

 

[Boomer]

Al

Sure, just look for us. I'll be with Sajnay and Tony.

Fatman

What you have said, for the most part of that statment, is incorrect. Pat spent allot in research and development. And allot of it was and is done in-house.

 

[rmlevasseur]

Cheeks: I think everything I have stated about the Solaris has been based on fact. You CAN dim intensity, You CAN create your own K, and all of my corals are doing fabulous under the light. They DO create less heat, They ARE less expensive to run. These are all facts upon which I acclaim the Solaris' superiority. The only thing I grudgingly will give you is that it is unknown whether they grow SPS as well as halide, and I say grudgingly because I have every reason to believe they do, including the growth of my own SPS frags and what I have seen at Coral Corral, the only facility I am aware of that is raising all corals exclusively under the Solaris.

As for the cost, I'm with you guys. I believe it to be ridiculous for the cost that went into it, and I have openly admitted the numerous problems I've had with the light (which have all been quickly remedied). But I still think over the course of 5 years it is ultimately cheaper than halide, especially if you are eliminating the need for a chiller. And SAFER.

 

[Boomer]

Wait Bob till they or some else finds away around using 5 Watt LED'S

 

[xlayedoutx]

If these Solaris are what you all are claiming them to be i don't think they will be coming down in prices even if they come out with better products. Not anytime soon anyhow. I wish they were cheaper so i could experiment on my own with them.

I wish they would come down in price too because then maybe I'd get a bigger tank. LOL. I don't see them coming down in price either and if they do it's because they're outdated and something new has come out. At that point why get the solaris and not the newest crave thats out.

 

[xlayedoutx]

As for heat I'm in Central Cali, 2 weeks ago it was 113 for a week. The hottest my tank got was 83* thats keeping the house at 82*. On my old tank with (2) 150 watt MH's my tank would be at 86* and that was as high as my thermometer would read, and that was with keeping the house at 78*

 

[xlayedoutx]

EXACTLY! So in 3 years the company and researchers will KNOW what spectrum is best for corals under their lights and there will be more functions as well. Im not against the idea of buying now because the heat factor has me sold already but im sure tehre are still bugs that need to be fixed even if they havent made themselves aparent yet. (I spent 600 on my camera 13 MP compared to .3MP of the apple same price)

What could you get for $600 14 years from now though. My point is if people always waited for the next big thing then they would never buy anything because the next big thing is always right around the corner.

Sometimes you just need to take a chance, unless what you have is working fine for you right now. The only reason I bought the Solaris is because I was starting up a new tank having sold my old one a year earlier. I decided to take a chance on the next big thing. I regret it everytime I pay my credit card bill but love it everytime I look at my tank :bigbounce .

 

[Wolfgang8810]

What could you get for $600 14 years from now though. My point is if people always waited for the next big thing then they would never buy anything because the next big thing is always right around the corner.

Sometimes you just need to take a chance, unless what you have is working fine for you right now. The only reason I bought the Solaris is because I was starting up a new tank having sold my old one a year earlier. I decided to take a chance on the next big thing. I regret it everytime I pay my credit card bill but love it everytime I look at my tank :bigbounce .

I agree with you again ....However lol.... this LED lighting would still be considered in its baby stages so I would think and who knows maybe in a few yeras nano tanks will come with LEDs like they come with PC now. I can dream right O I really REALLY want a 48'' for my 90 gallon but I will be dreaming and wishing untill i can get something for less than the actual tank cost. The heat advantage really is what i want my room is rediculously hot. I have a 150w HQI over my 24 gallon tank and that kicks out heat like crazy! The tank stays at 80 but my room is like a sauna.