# AquaRay LED



## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/LEDLights.html


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

Anyone know anything?


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## reybie (Jun 7, 2007)

Hmm, I think too much money at risk for an unproven product. How's your electronic DIY skills? The LED projects in the DIY section looks inviting to try.


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## O2surplus (Jan 31, 2010)

5 leds for $144.99, need I say more?


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

O2surplus said:


> 5 leds for $144.99, need I say more?


Quality product. Tested and proven to work, unlike many other LED options on the market today. 

For the amount of light that this fixture puts out, $150 is dirt cheap. In addition, I can get these units cheaper than that price...by a lot. 

This company was the LED product of the year last year.


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## cggorman (May 9, 2009)

Frankly, ALL the half-decent LED fixtures on the market are rediculously overpriced and this particular website is flooding the reader with hype and ambiguous (at best) "data". 

Will these things work? Sure. They are using common emitters with proven results. That said, I don't care what they claim about their "exclusive rights" to bin x. It makes no practical difference if they are 10nm closer to or further from a photosynthetic response peak. 

Is it worth the price? Well, that depends on your ability and willingness to DIY. A workable DIY clone would cost you less than half as much.


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## reybie (Jun 7, 2007)

kingfisherfleshy said:


> Quality product. Tested and proven to work, unlike many other LED options on the market today.
> 
> For the amount of light that this fixture puts out, $150 is dirt cheap. In addition, I can get these units cheaper than that price...by a lot.
> 
> This company was the LED product of the year last year.


If you can get it for much cheaper than that the retail price posted on the site then you'll be the guinea pig I guess


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## tkbellwood (May 16, 2011)

kingfisherfleshy said:


> Quality product. Tested and proven to work, unlike many other LED options on the market today.
> 
> For the amount of light that this fixture puts out, $150 is dirt cheap. In addition, I can get these units cheaper than that price...by a lot.
> 
> This company was the LED product of the year last year.


What price are you getting it for? At a certain price point it becomes far more attractive.


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## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

kingfisherfleshy said:


> Quality product. Tested and proven to work, unlike many other LED options on the market today.


I don't get this topic then. If it's so proven and tested, wouldn't that be all the proof you need? 

And LED product of the year as determined by who exactly?


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

cggorman said:


> Frankly, ALL the half-decent LED fixtures on the market are rediculously overpriced and this particular website is flooding the reader with hype and ambiguous (at best) "data".
> 
> Will these things work? Sure. They are using common emitters with proven results. That said, I don't care what they claim about their "exclusive rights" to bin x. It makes no practical difference if they are 10nm closer to or further from a photosynthetic response peak.
> 
> Is it worth the price? Well, that depends on your ability and willingness to DIY. A workable DIY clone would cost you less than half as much.


 My willingness to DIY is high...however I dont have many power tools (nice drill and a circular saw) and no soldering tools.

As far as the exclusive rights...its nice if it is true...why not take a better product if you can have it?



reybie said:


> If you can get it for much cheaper than that the retail price posted on the site then you'll be the guinea pig I guess





tkbellwood said:


> What price are you getting it for? At a certain price point it becomes far more attractive.


 I will most likely be buying it for the wholesale price...I have to see what that will be yet. I dont think I will be able to get the same quality of a DIY for the cost I will be spending on it. 



prototyp3 said:


> I don't get this topic then. If it's so proven and tested, wouldn't that be all the proof you need?
> 
> And LED product of the year as determined by who exactly?


Not the most prestigious, but it was Practical Fishkeeping Magazine...and it was actually Marine Product of the Year winner.

The point of this thread is to see if anyone else has experience using this unit. What did they think about...how intense of a light was it for a planted tank. Based on what this website says, this unit will be overkill for my tank even if it was a reef. 

I am planning on running co2, have eco complete substrate, and use rootmedics compete + root tabs...and will upgrade to whatever pfertz liquid dosing I need to do...also do 1g changes daily...I am just looking to see what others think about all this, and more importantly, see if anyone has used this fixture before and might be able to help me avoid any of the issues they had starting up with it.


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## cggorman (May 9, 2009)

kingfisherfleshy said:


> As far as the exclusive rights...its nice if it is true...why not take a better product if you can have it?


 
That's the problem... It's not better. It's just different. The difference between color bins is very small. Manufacturers will gladly sell you any specific bin if you promise to buy enough to make it financially feasible for them to test, sort, and package the LEDs for you. Problem is, there is no real benefit in this instance other than a certain semi-worthless bragging right and a certain level of color consistancy across units.

Look, I'm not saying they have inferior product. Actually, to the contrary. I think it looks like they have a reasonably well designed "low-cost" high-power product. It's unfortunate they have to resort to such overbearing salesmanship that comes across like a used-car salesman talking up a Camry like as if it's a Lexus. Nothing wrong with a Camry...so why push the hard sell>? Something wrong under the hood ??? maybe...maybe not...but it seems kinda hinky...to me.


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## cggorman (May 9, 2009)

To address your question about brightness... They say they are using Cree XR-E and XP-G emitters with some type of secondary optic. They suggest a 12" mounting height, so I'm guessing the optic isn't actually "wide angle" as they call it, but something closer to 30-45 degrees.

Most of the DIY fixtures built in the last year feature these exact emitters. Any brightness data (or comments) gathered from a DIY build using optics should be directly comparable to the Aqua Ray.

I would say a single 5 LED strip mounted 12"-16" above your tank would be nice and bright. I built a fixture for a 29 gal tank using only 4 similar LEDS (withOUT optics) mounted 6" above tank and it is a nice medium light.


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

cggorman said:


> That's the problem... It's not better. It's just different. The difference between color bins is very small. Manufacturers will gladly sell you any specific bin if you promise to buy enough to make it financially feasible for them to test, sort, and package the LEDs for you. Problem is, there is no real benefit in this instance other than a certain semi-worthless bragging right and a certain level of color consistancy across units.
> 
> Look, I'm not saying they have inferior product. Actually, to the contrary. I think it looks like they have a reasonably well designed "low-cost" high-power product. It's unfortunate they have to resort to such overbearing salesmanship that comes across like a used-car salesman talking up a Camry like as if it's a Lexus. Nothing wrong with a Camry...so why push the hard sell>? Something wrong under the hood ??? maybe...maybe not...but it seems kinda hinky...to me.


This wasnt my understanding, but I will take your word for it. 

The hype is there, I will agree. But from what I have heard from people in the reefing circle, it is the real deal. Now I cant really compare planted to reefing, they are similar, but its apples and oranges. 

I will know what sort of price I can get on a unit tomorrow. 



cggorman said:


> To address your question about brightness... They say they are using Cree XR-E and XP-G emitters with some type of secondary optic. They suggest a 12" mounting height, so I'm guessing the optic isn't actually "wide angle" as they call it, but something closer to 30-45 degrees.
> 
> Most of the DIY fixtures built in the last year feature these exact emitters. Any brightness data (or comments) gathered from a DIY build using optics should be directly comparable to the Aqua Ray.
> 
> I would say a single 5 LED strip mounted 12"-16" above your tank would be nice and bright. I built a fixture for a 29 gal tank using only 4 similar LEDS (withOUT optics) mounted 6" above tank and it is a nice medium light.


So on my 10g these should really be overkill. Hopefully the h2o changes, fertz, and co2 will help...anyone?


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## cggorman (May 9, 2009)

I don't see any reason to doubt they are the real deal. They are using good leds and some type of secondary optic. That alone speaks for itself...and also why I don't see the need for the hard sell. The product speaks for itself. Offer a good guarantee and some useful application notes and people will buy. :shrug:


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

I agree...depending on the price at which I can get this hopefully it will happen in the next two months. 

Ill be sure to post back when it does. :biggrin:


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## xmas_one (Feb 5, 2010)

you might want to check these guys out....

http://www.ecoxotic.com/


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## prototyp3 (Dec 5, 2007)

For planted tanks I wouldn't touch anything without dimming control. And for a tank as small as yours (3g correct?) DIY would be the most cost effective and versatile way to go. 

I wouldn't want that 14k light with alternating LED colors, you will get distinct colored spotlight effects. Not very attractive to look at..


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## jcgd (Feb 18, 2004)

prototyp3 said:


> for planted tanks i wouldn't touch anything without dimming control. And for a tank as small as yours (3g correct?) diy would be the most cost effective and versatile way to go.
> 
> I wouldn't want that 14k light with alternating led colors, you will get distinct colored spotlight effects. Not very attractive to look at..


++++++++1


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

xmas_one said:


> you might want to check these guys out....
> 
> http://www.ecoxotic.com/


Checking, doubt they will beat the price I can get one of these units for.



prototyp3 said:


> For planted tanks I wouldn't touch anything without dimming control. And for a tank as small as yours (3g correct?) DIY would be the most cost effective and versatile way to go.
> 
> I wouldn't want that 14k light with alternating LED colors, you will get distinct colored spotlight effects. Not very attractive to look at..


10g. I am not planning on using the alternating one, but the one that has all white LED light.


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## gnod (Mar 24, 2011)

any specific reason you want led lights?
seems like their T2 lights are really nice for a 10G. 
esp if you're going for DIY - it's powerful and 1/8 of the price of the LED! hehe


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## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

You can get dimmable par 38 6500 K LED for a lot less than what your bulb is going for.


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

The point of this is I get a high quality fixture for about $100 shipped. 

I cant DIY something this nice for $100...and would most likely need to buy some tools to do the DIY anyways. (Which is why I havent done the DIY already.)


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## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

kingfisherfleshy said:


> The point of this is I get a high quality fixture for about $100 shipped.
> 
> I cant DIY something this nice for $100...and would most likely need to buy some tools to do the DIY anyways. (Which is why I havent done the DIY already.)


What DIY? You buy the LED bulb, screw it into a lamp socket, dimmable or not and just point at the tank and turn it on.


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

audioaficionado said:


> What DIY? You buy the LED bulb, screw it into a lamp socket, dimmable or not and just point at the tank and turn it on.


I sort of question the quality of these units...have you used them?


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

Some of these bulbs are dang near $100 in themselves!


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

audioaficionado said:


> What DIY? You buy the LED bulb, screw it into a lamp socket, dimmable or not and just point at the tank and turn it on.


Looks to me like the best way to do that would be $120...but getting a dimable one would be nice. 

Anyone with more input on the best way to do this? I do have two clamp lamps that I am using now that would work well with this. 

Here are some units I found:

[Ebay Link Removed]

or better color for plants possibly?

[Ebay Link Removed]


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## kingfisherfleshy (Jun 4, 2010)

That is cool and helpful. Not allowed to link to [Ebay Link Removed]

Search LEDwholesalers on [Ebay Link Removed] have a "Dimmable PAR38 W+B LED Aquarium Reef Corals Grow Light" and the other one was "Dimmable PAR30 7 Watt White LED Spot Light Bulb 120 V "

Thanks


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