New LED Lighting

[Sweetpea]

I have been hearing more and more excitement about a new LED aquarium lighting system. I was wondering if any of you here have heard about it. It sounds really cool...

For those of you who don't know about it, this is what I've heard:
1) Developed to have the proper spectrum (these are not your normal LEDs)
2) Can accurately simulate the natural lighting cycle, with a controller that allows for gradual lighting/dimming
3) Runs off only a few watts of electricity
4) Negligible heat output
5) Bulb life of 50,000 - 100,000 hours (WOW)
6) Expected to be released sometime in July
7) Cost in the $2000 - $3000 range (OUCH)

I wish I had a money tree growing in my back yard! :cool:

[PurpleAardvark]

The systems are nice but arn't as bright as they are claiming. IMO I feel that they would be great for LPS, zoo, soft mushroom, but for the sps they still have a little work to do. Carla my rep. at pfo is great and very honest about this stuff. She is also a reefer too.

[dakar]

LED's are great for getting the max lighting out of low voltage, power, and heat. I've played with the Luxon Stars and such which are rediculously bright, but for lighting a reef I just don't see it *yet*, think technology will catch up in that area soon... but for fish only setup you could really do some cool DIY lighting for cheap, that wouldn't cost a small fortune to build or impact the electric bill to run, and they would last a LONG time.

[Sweetpea]

I think this is the company that is putting out the fixture that so many people are talking about:
http://www.pfolighting.com/Aquarium-LED-Lighting.aspx
I'd be interested in seeing their data.

[lReef lKeeper]

this is something that i, for 1, am going to keep an eye on. thatnks for the heads up on these lights Tracy!!

[bugjuice]

Premium Aquatics is taking preorders for these Solaris light systems. Check out the prices!
http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Solaris

[Whoyah]

Those sound pretty awesome. If they do everything they say they do, they would very cool to own. The cost is pretty high but when you consider in the life span of that unit compared with the initial cost of equipment and replacement bulbs for a metal halide system with supplements, it is pretty close to a wash.

[lReef lKeeper]

the cost is HIGH but after the newness of it wears down the prices will drop, just like everything else in the world.

[Sweetpea]

I would still like to see some data to back up the claims, and if it did... wow! The things that really attracted my attention are the low energy consumtion, low heat output, and lifespan. I think with concrete proof of success a lot of people would be willing to put up the cash for such an efficient system.