Vertex Illumina LED Arrives

TheDogFather · 07/06/2010, 08:14 PM

Today I picked up my new Vertex Illumina LED fixture and I'd like to share my initial impressions and a few photos.

I'll take PAR readings and shoot some video over the weekend so stay tuned.

Can you say early adopter? My fixture is serial number 000016!

The fixture is very well made. Solid and compact. Only 12 inches deep (front to back) the fixture has three absolutely silent fans on top and comes with the usual grip-lock hanging kit (no legs are offered by Vertex).

The 48" fixture is equipped with 8 LED pods running Phillips 3W Luxeon Rebel LEDs, 8 x 7500k White 105 lm/W, 4 x 470nm Blue and 4x 450nm Royal Blue. The LED's are driven at only 2.5W for a total of 40W per pod and 320W for the entire fixture. Each of the LED pods has its own onboard radio that communicates with the controller wirelessly. Vertex will be offering a USB dongle to program the fixture wirelessly from your PC down the road.

Below are the supplied Mean Well power supplies:

I have been playing with the menu options for a bit and found that the built-in demo program really shows off some the amazing natural simulations this light is capable of. But it appears that these advanced features (sunrise from left to right and lightning etc.) can only be programmed with the PC option that is not yet available. Maybe it's just me overlooking those feature options in the menu so I can't confirm this yet.

I've had a PFO Solaris, a Giesemann Infiniti 2x250W MH/T5 fixture and a 8 bulb ATI PowerModule and the Vertex Illumina is the coolest looking light over my tank so far. And after 2.5 hours the fixture is barley warm to the touch!

Tomorrow after work I plan on spending some more time exploring the menu options and tweaking the LED intensity ratios to get the perfect colour I'm looking for.

Cheers!

-TDF

kingfisherflesh · 07/06/2010, 09:17 PM

Looks good man. Trying to get into LED myself, but there is just a sea of possibilities and options out there that is pretty overwhelming.

Ive been looking at a couple different threads though, and I like the color your system has now compared to some of the other factory made LED systems.

bigB · 07/06/2010, 09:29 PM

I have been waiting for these to come out.

tahiriqbal · 07/07/2010, 04:12 AM

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for this fixture?

westmoorenerd · 07/07/2010, 04:30 AM

Yikes, that fixture is beautiful....But unfortunately I can't afford the the $5k plus it would cost to light my 8' tank.

TheDogFather · 07/07/2010, 05:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tahiriqbal

If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for this fixture?

The 48" fixture retails for $2899 in Canada.

Cheers!

TheDogFather · 07/07/2010, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigB

I have been waiting for these to come out.

AFAIK the Vertex Illumina in it's current form is only available in Europe and Canada due to Orbitec's patent on LED aquarium lighting in the United States.

TheDogFather · 07/07/2010, 05:26 PM

A few more photos

bigsink · 07/07/2010, 06:11 PM

Very impressive tank and lighting. What was the cost?

Anemonebuff · 07/07/2010, 06:28 PM

Looks great!

Aquabox · 07/07/2010, 06:33 PM

This is gorgeous, thanks for sharing. Curious where you ordered this from...?

TheDogFather · 07/07/2010, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquabox

This is gorgeous, thanks for sharing. Curious where you ordered this from...?

www.seaumarine.com

TheDogFather · 07/07/2010, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigsink

Very impressive tank and lighting. What was the cost?

$2899 Canadian

TheDogFather · 07/07/2010, 07:26 PM

Here is a video of the built-in demo program:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHo7LTgkbZ4

Aquabox · 07/07/2010, 09:39 PM

your vid is amazing. I wonder when it will be available in the US.

Liu14 · 07/07/2010, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheDogFather

$2899 Canadian

Tax included or on top?

solitude127 · 07/07/2010, 11:13 PM

Do you have any PAR readings by chance?

TheDogFather · 07/08/2010, 05:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by solitude127

Do you have any PAR readings by chance?

I'll have PAR readings up on Sunday evening.

TheDogFather · 07/08/2010, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by liu14

tax included or on top?

$2899 + hst.

wfournier · 07/08/2010, 07:49 AM

Nice looking fixture, are there any optics on those LEDs?

TheDogFather · 07/08/2010, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wfournier

Nice looking fixture, are there any optics on those LEDs?

No optics.

larryfl1 · 07/08/2010, 11:25 AM

can you program one end of the tank brighter or different coloring then the other end?

im thinking of a darker area for lower light corals...

TheDogFather · 07/08/2010, 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by larryfl1

can you program one end of the tank brighter or different coloring then the other end?

im thinking of a darker area for lower light corals...

Yes. Each of the LED pods can be programmed for color and intensity independently with the soon to be released Light Studio PC application.

Cheers!

-TDF

notclear · 07/08/2010, 12:33 PM

Can each LED lamp be replaced individually??

TheDogFather · 07/08/2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notclear

Can each LED lamp be replaced individually??

Each pod can.

07/06/2010, 08:14 PM	#1
TheDogFather Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ajax, Ontario Posts: 380	Vertex Illumina LED Arrives Today I picked up my new Vertex Illumina LED fixture and I'd like to share my initial impressions and a few photos. I'll take PAR readings and shoot some video over the weekend so stay tuned. Can you say early adopter? My fixture is serial number 000016! The fixture is very well made. Solid and compact. Only 12 inches deep (front to back) the fixture has three absolutely silent fans on top and comes with the usual grip-lock hanging kit (no legs are offered by Vertex). The 48" fixture is equipped with 8 LED pods running Phillips 3W Luxeon Rebel LEDs, 8 x 7500k White 105 lm/W, 4 x 470nm Blue and 4x 450nm Royal Blue. The LED's are driven at only 2.5W for a total of 40W per pod and 320W for the entire fixture. Each of the LED pods has its own onboard radio that communicates with the controller wirelessly. Vertex will be offering a USB dongle to program the fixture wirelessly from your PC down the road. Below are the supplied Mean Well power supplies: I have been playing with the menu options for a bit and found that the built-in demo program really shows off some the amazing natural simulations this light is capable of. But it appears that these advanced features (sunrise from left to right and lightning etc.) can only be programmed with the PC option that is not yet available. Maybe it's just me overlooking those feature options in the menu so I can't confirm this yet. I've had a PFO Solaris, a Giesemann Infiniti 2x250W MH/T5 fixture and a 8 bulb ATI PowerModule and the Vertex Illumina is the coolest looking light over my tank so far. And after 2.5 hours the fixture is barley warm to the touch! Tomorrow after work I plan on spending some more time exploring the menu options and tweaking the LED intensity ratios to get the perfect colour I'm looking for. Cheers! -TDF __________________ 112G 48x30x18 Starphire Rimless / 40G Sump / 20G Fuge / Basement Sump Room / Bubble King Mini 180 / Vertex Illumina SR 1200 LED / 2 x Vortech MP40W ES / ReefKeeper Elite / LiterMeterIII / Auto Water Change Current Tank Info: 112G Shallow Rimless Last edited by TheDogFather; 07/06/2010 at 09:03 PM.

07/07/2010, 04:12 AM	#4
tahiriqbal Sialkot Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Manchester England UK Posts: 684	If you don't mind me asking, how much did you pay for this fixture? __________________ Tahir Iqbal Manchester UK Current Tank Info: 56cm x 56cm x 56cm

07/07/2010, 04:30 AM	#5
westmoorenerd USN Avionics Technician Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: FPO/AP Posts: 334	Yikes, that fixture is beautiful....But unfortunately I can't afford the the $5k plus it would cost to light my 8' tank. __________________ 540g 8'x3'x3', SRO-5000EXT, Neptune APEX, Koralia Magnums, Korallin C-1502 Calcium Reactor...Soon to be LED powered!

07/07/2010, 05:26 PM	#8
TheDogFather Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ajax, Ontario Posts: 380	A few more photos __________________ 112G 48x30x18 Starphire Rimless / 40G Sump / 20G Fuge / Basement Sump Room / Bubble King Mini 180 / Vertex Illumina SR 1200 LED / 2 x Vortech MP40W ES / ReefKeeper Elite / LiterMeterIII / Auto Water Change Current Tank Info: 112G Shallow Rimless

07/07/2010, 07:26 PM	#14
TheDogFather Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Ajax, Ontario Posts: 380	Here is a video of the built-in demo program: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vHo7LTgkbZ4 __________________ 112G 48x30x18 Starphire Rimless / 40G Sump / 20G Fuge / Basement Sump Room / Bubble King Mini 180 / Vertex Illumina SR 1200 LED / 2 x Vortech MP40W ES / ReefKeeper Elite / LiterMeterIII / Auto Water Change Current Tank Info: 112G Shallow Rimless

07/06/2010, 09:17 PM	#2
kingfisherflesh Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Central WI Posts: 374	Looks good man. Trying to get into LED myself, but there is just a sea of possibilities and options out there that is pretty overwhelming. Ive been looking at a couple different threads though, and I like the color your system has now compared to some of the other factory made LED systems.

07/06/2010, 09:29 PM	#3
bigB Frag Farmer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Wichita, KS Posts: 491	I have been waiting for these to come out.

07/07/2010, 06:11 PM	#9
bigsink Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Long Island Posts: 1,481	Very impressive tank and lighting. What was the cost?

07/07/2010, 06:28 PM	#10
Anemonebuff Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: LI,NY Posts: 3,877	Looks great!

07/07/2010, 06:33 PM	#11
Aquabox Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 42	This is gorgeous, thanks for sharing. Curious where you ordered this from...?

07/07/2010, 09:39 PM	#15
Aquabox Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 42	your vid is amazing. I wonder when it will be available in the US.

07/07/2010, 11:13 PM	#17
solitude127 Proud user of IO Salt! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Torrance, CA Posts: 9,136	Do you have any PAR readings by chance? __________________ Mike <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ <)))>{ ReefKeeping.com TOTM Nov 2012 Socalireefs Featured Reef Oct 2011 Current Tank Info: 603020, 8x54 ATI Powermodule, ReefBrite XHO, ATB Elegance 200, Aquamaxx CTech CaRx, Ecotech Vortechs, Apex Controls, WM Ecobak powered. RedSea Reefer 170, MP10, Apex Jr, Ecotech Radion XR15, Aquamaxx WS-1

07/08/2010, 07:49 AM	#20
wfournier Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 379	Nice looking fixture, are there any optics on those LEDs?

07/08/2010, 11:25 AM	#22
larryfl1 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 797	can you program one end of the tank brighter or different coloring then the other end? im thinking of a darker area for lower light corals...

07/08/2010, 12:33 PM	#24
notclear Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 519	Can each LED lamp be replaced individually??

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