Solaris LED lit tank

Sanjay · 09/17/2008, 06:45 PM

For a long time I have been wanting to see a SOLARIS LED lit tank, which used only SOLARIS LEDs as its sole source and had been set up for a while.

I have one, but that one used the very first generation of Solaris Led and I have been using for over 2 years on a 29G soft coral tank. I had some SPS growing in it, but they bit the dust.. since this tank has no filteration on it and I was not working hard at maintaing water quality in it.

This tank here has been using the SOLARIS Leds for over a year, and is housing mixed SPS and soft corals. The tank is a 180G bowfront, 30" tall. I was told the corals were grown from frags over the last year. Unfortunately this was not a planned visit so I did not take my light meter with me to take any in tank measurements.

I like to take the pictures without a flash so they do come out a litte darker that what it visually looks.

So for those of you still wondering if the LEDs are here yet... I think with this generation of Led's they are very capable of growing all kinds of coral.

I don't want this to turn into yet another thread arguing about light, watts, light bashing, etc. There are enough of those on this forum already. But if anyone else has any pictures of tanks lit by LEDs only feel free to post here.

sanjay.

DodgeDude99 · 09/17/2008, 08:30 PM

it just doesnt seem like it puts enough light in the tank.

maybe its just the pictures, but it looks like it has dark areas.

danfrith · 09/17/2008, 09:32 PM

Looks good to me. Good job.

Sanjay · 09/17/2008, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DodgeDude99
it just doesnt seem like it puts enough light in the tank.

maybe its just the pictures, but it looks like it has dark areas.

There are some darker areas at the top. Part of it is due to the fact that the lights are very close to the top of the tank, and the LED spread is much narrower at the top. It looks a little darker in the pictures than in person.

sanjay.

Whalehead9 · 09/18/2008, 09:43 AM

How long is a generation in LEDs? How long from the previous LEDs to this one? If these look like it is almost there, how long till the next generation?

ReefingBuddha · 09/18/2008, 03:56 PM

I think by generation he means the different series that the company has put out. Considering that it is a year old I'm assuming its the H series Solaris. Is that right?

Did the owner mention any issues with replacement parts needed or ballast issues? PFO is good on costumer service (I know first hand) and I was just wondering if they had any issues.

Thanks for posting up Sanjay, good to hear some positive things about the Solaris for once, nice looking tank as well.

N8MAN1068 · 09/20/2008, 10:06 AM

I would absolutely LOVE to have/try one out. I'd sacrifice my tank for the research.

Then again, I'd also love to have that kind of disposable income to afford the Solaris system.

Ah well...maybe in a few more years when the Visa is payed off....

hahnmeister · 09/20/2008, 12:12 PM

I agree with some... it looks 'patchy', but like you said Sanjay, thats the picture too. Still, the new ones at MACNA looked patchy. They could hit the center bottom with light levels just under 200, but as you moved side to side, the light drop-off was dramatic.

cdmurphy · 09/20/2008, 05:55 PM

Hey Sanjay, What series of Solaris is it? Also do you know what he had his day whites and day blues set at. I have the I series Solaris over my 90 gal tank and I've had trouble with coral bleaching from the top down and lost a lot of SPS. Since then I've turned my light down to 50% blue and 35% white and I'm starting to get some good growth on some Monti Caps and Acros. Hopefully in a few months I'll have enough growth to post some pictures.

Henryreef · 09/21/2008, 07:50 AM

I am also intersted in LED Lighting, but am waiting for the next break through to buy one or the price to go down. What would decent LED's cost for a 55 gal?

bergzy · 09/26/2008, 10:22 PM

sanjay,

what is the actual effective life of the led phosphors that create the wavelengths required for coral growth?

a 50k hour led life is great but is meaningless (to me) if the phosphor effectiveness life is 5k hours.

thanks!

kurtflys · 09/28/2008, 05:41 PM

I was just reading about them, read this.http://www.aquaristsonline.com/blog/...ght-of-choice/

Sanjay · 09/28/2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bergzy
sanjay,

what is the actual effective life of the led phosphors that create the wavelengths required for coral growth?

a 50k hour led life is great but is meaningless (to me) if the phosphor effectiveness life is 5k hours.

thanks!

Sorry, I do not have any information on this.

sanjay.

Opsanus tau · 10/03/2008, 06:08 PM

I struggled to keep coral alive under the first "G" series,.. but PFO was kind enough to trade my Gs for I-4 series, now they are sending me a 24" I-5 I belive I will be able to post some pictures here soon of the "span-of-generations"...the "G' series were real garbage IMO..only a few things "held on" for awhile while most corals (especially SPSs) died a slow death no matter their species.
in all fairness I think I had a single Ricordea split, but that was it!

Steve 926 · 10/06/2008, 08:51 PM

My 36" G series. 50 gal acrylic, 15 month's running.
PFO has EXCELLENT customer service. A few bumps along the way, but they resolved everything without a whimper.
My only regret is the lunar cycle is not available on their new units

I will defiantly up grade to the I series on my next display

Steve

09/17/2008, 06:45 PM	#1
Sanjay Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2000 Location: State College, PA Posts: 2,302	Solaris LED lit tank For a long time I have been wanting to see a SOLARIS LED lit tank, which used only SOLARIS LEDs as its sole source and had been set up for a while. I have one, but that one used the very first generation of Solaris Led and I have been using for over 2 years on a 29G soft coral tank. I had some SPS growing in it, but they bit the dust.. since this tank has no filteration on it and I was not working hard at maintaing water quality in it. This tank here has been using the SOLARIS Leds for over a year, and is housing mixed SPS and soft corals. The tank is a 180G bowfront, 30" tall. I was told the corals were grown from frags over the last year. Unfortunately this was not a planned visit so I did not take my light meter with me to take any in tank measurements. I like to take the pictures without a flash so they do come out a litte darker that what it visually looks. So for those of you still wondering if the LEDs are here yet... I think with this generation of Led's they are very capable of growing all kinds of coral. I don't want this to turn into yet another thread arguing about light, watts, light bashing, etc. There are enough of those on this forum already. But if anyone else has any pictures of tanks lit by LEDs only feel free to post here. sanjay.

09/18/2008, 09:43 AM	#5
Whalehead9 Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: 619 baby! Posts: 297	How long is a generation in LEDs? How long from the previous LEDs to this one? If these look like it is almost there, how long till the next generation? __________________ efficiency is the new horsepower Current Tank Info: 12 asst fw+sw tanks

09/18/2008, 03:56 PM	#6
ReefingBuddha Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Winterpark, FL Posts: 1,330	I think by generation he means the different series that the company has put out. Considering that it is a year old I'm assuming its the H series Solaris. Is that right? Did the owner mention any issues with replacement parts needed or ballast issues? PFO is good on costumer service (I know first hand) and I was just wondering if they had any issues. Thanks for posting up Sanjay, good to hear some positive things about the Solaris for once, nice looking tank as well. __________________ -Tom Current Tank Info: Starting a new 300g In-wall, 600g system

09/20/2008, 10:06 AM	#7
N8MAN1068 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Caroline, VA Posts: 183	I would absolutely LOVE to have/try one out. I'd sacrifice my tank for the research. Then again, I'd also love to have that kind of disposable income to afford the Solaris system. Ah well...maybe in a few more years when the Visa is payed off.... __________________ 65gallon, 29L sump Outter Orbit T5/150w MH fixture Coralife 125 super skimmer 1 bright orange Zoa 1 Bright green+yellow poly frag 1 Pink-Green hammer coral 1 Crocea Maxima clam 1 Yellow Tang Current Tank Info: 65g mixed

09/21/2008, 07:50 AM	#10
Henryreef Ocean Lover Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 957	I am also intersted in LED Lighting, but am waiting for the next break through to buy one or the price to go down. What would decent LED's cost for a 55 gal? __________________ - Henry Current Tank Info: 50 Gallon Rimless

09/17/2008, 08:30 PM	#2
DodgeDude99 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Oak Lawn, Il Posts: 490	it just doesnt seem like it puts enough light in the tank. maybe its just the pictures, but it looks like it has dark areas.

09/17/2008, 09:32 PM	#3
danfrith Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: st. louis, missouri Posts: 1,470	Looks good to me. Good job.

09/20/2008, 12:12 PM	#8
hahnmeister Moved On Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Brew City, WI Posts: 10,156	I agree with some... it looks 'patchy', but like you said Sanjay, thats the picture too. Still, the new ones at MACNA looked patchy. They could hit the center bottom with light levels just under 200, but as you moved side to side, the light drop-off was dramatic.

09/20/2008, 05:55 PM	#9
cdmurphy Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 154	Hey Sanjay, What series of Solaris is it? Also do you know what he had his day whites and day blues set at. I have the I series Solaris over my 90 gal tank and I've had trouble with coral bleaching from the top down and lost a lot of SPS. Since then I've turned my light down to 50% blue and 35% white and I'm starting to get some good growth on some Monti Caps and Acros. Hopefully in a few months I'll have enough growth to post some pictures.

09/26/2008, 10:22 PM	#11
bergzy Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: OC CA USA Posts: 5,299	sanjay, what is the actual effective life of the led phosphors that create the wavelengths required for coral growth? a 50k hour led life is great but is meaningless (to me) if the phosphor effectiveness life is 5k hours. thanks! __________________ The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule it. H.L. Mencken Ben. Current Tank Info: 180g sps, 90g cube clam biotope.

09/28/2008, 05:41 PM	#12
kurtflys Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: louisville ky Posts: 155	I was just reading about them, read this.http://www.aquaristsonline.com/blog/...ght-of-choice/

10/03/2008, 06:08 PM	#14
Opsanus tau Moved On Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 72	I struggled to keep coral alive under the first "G" series,.. but PFO was kind enough to trade my Gs for I-4 series, now they are sending me a 24" I-5 I belive I will be able to post some pictures here soon of the "span-of-generations"...the "G' series were real garbage IMO..only a few things "held on" for awhile while most corals (especially SPSs) died a slow death no matter their species. in all fairness I think I had a single Ricordea split, but that was it!

10/06/2008, 08:51 PM	#15
Steve 926 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: NJ. Posts: 555	My 36" G series. 50 gal acrylic, 15 month's running. PFO has EXCELLENT customer service. A few bumps along the way, but they resolved everything without a whimper. My only regret is the lunar cycle is not available on their new units I will defiantly up grade to the I series on my next display Steve __________________ Experience is something you don't get, until just after you need it . Current Tank Info: Small in nature (50gal. Reef) Large in Heart. Re-occurring dream of a 300 gal.