waiting to talk about the New Plasma lighting system that easy blows away MH...

[Ed Hahn]

Here is a little information about it.

http://glassbox-design.com/2009/eco...eaches-aquariums/comment-page-1/#comment-4298

 

[estanoche]

Here is a little information about it.

http://glassbox-design.com/2009/eco...eaches-aquariums/comment-page-1/#comment-4298

And - who's got the details as to when the preliminary testing is done!! haha

Tagging along ....

 

[returnofsid]

I believe Todd, at Cherry Corals has a thread about these, from awhile back, involving his testing of this lighting system.

 

[Ed Hahn]

Doing the Tank Tour with Jake Adams in our car. We heard it was extremely bright up to 8 feet like the Sun. I was concerned with heat issue. It puts out no more heat than a 250 watt bulb on HQI system. So temperatures would be cooler than 400 watt MH bulb if that is true. The cost is more but in the long run pays for it self because you do not need to replace bulbs as often as MH.

 

[Myteemouse]

Todd on the phone told me that in the lumenarc reflector the PAR rating gets higher when you get further away from center on the bulb.
He said that the bulb is brighter off the sides than the tip

 

[Myteemouse]

How much is one of these things with everything to run it except the reflector?

 

[Ed Hahn]

Rumor I heard was $1000.

Here are positives- long bulb life which will probably replace cost of replacing what ten MH bulbs if run less than 8 hours a day?

So much more brighter than MH

Should be cooler running temperature.

More efficient

Negatives so far

Cost, still little information about these.

 

[Ed Hahn]

http://www.oceanathome.com/luxim-plasma-lifi-lighting-in-action-at-monterey-bay-aquarium/

When a light can grow branching coraline algae, its a pretty impressive light.

 

[jlehigh]

http://www.oceanathome.com/luxim-plasma-lifi-lighting-in-action-at-monterey-bay-aquarium/

When a light can grow branching coraline algae, its a pretty impressive light.

Whoa there fellow light geeks

I picked up on this technology a few years ago following several technology conferences and it has fantastic potential.

A few observations:
We tend to run bulbs in the blue spectrum. This does three noteable things:
- Reduces intensity
- Highlights particular coral pigment (for our eyes only)
- Keeps us away from the spectrum which is really good at growing algae (more red).

Additional Thoughts:
This light appears to the eyes to change spectrum based on intensity. I do not know if this is a true spectrum shift as everything appears "whiter" the brighter you get regardless.

The spectrum analysis provided shows these bulbs have a very different spectrum than our beloved 10-14K bulbs with an odd drop in the 450nm range while overall having a broad even spectrum which peaks just prior to moving red.

I think aestheticaly this could be a fantastic light for naturalists.

Spectrum adulterers should be looking into the potential manipulation of spectrum and or bulbs with specialized spectrums. Since the techy in the video noted the spectrum is largely a result of the obsurd heat intensity at its core perhaps dimming is a potential tool depending on aquarium depth ect.

With intensity to spare I would be interested less in a Top down reflector and more intereted in redirecting the dispersion of light up/out,sideways ect.

Good stuff..

Oh and dont get excited based on Corraline growth. That stuff will grow under a mini flashlight

 

[reedman]

I'm with John here. Might have potential, but I think it is a ways from declaring this the next best thing. Coraline actually likes darker parts of the tank so the observation that this is better than MH based on coraline at the bottom of the tank is crazy.

Call me back when I can have a light go from 0 intensity (off) and ramp up to full strength and then back down to zero during a user specified period of time. Then I will be excited. We already have T5s that produce good light with low heat. We have MH that produce good light, good spectrum at a relatively low cost. We have LEDs that are efficient, cool and expensive. I want something revolutionary.

Cool stuff though Ed. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Ed Hahn]

When regular coraline forms branches with flash light you call me, lol. I want to buy your flashlight.

 

[jlehigh]

When regular coraline forms branches with flash light you call me, lol. I want to buy your flashlight.

Okay you have perked my curiosity. I have grown every form of corraline to plague like proportions including the branching which IME was often low in the tank (and purdy )

What has led you to understand branching Corraline is derived from high light intensity?

 

[Ed Hahn]

Okay you have perked my curiosity. I have grown every form of corraline to plague like proportions including the branching which IME was often low in the tank (and purdy )

What has led you to understand branching Corraline is derived from high light intensity?

A friend in the know visited me. He is the one talking on videos asking questions. He visited July 17th and 18th.