Vertex Illumina LED Arrives
 

Yesterday evening I picked up my new Vertex Illumina SR 1200 48" 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!

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...tex-000016.jpg

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).

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...ina-LED-up.jpg

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 on board ZigBee 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.

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...ertex-LEDs.jpg

Below are the supplied Mean Well power supplies:
http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...ex-Ballast.jpg

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!

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...ex-Display.jpg

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.

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...D/P1010278.jpg

Cheers!

-TDF

Vertex Illumina LED Arrives
 

That is a slick looking fixture, looking forward to seeing how it works for you. I've had my aqua illuminations fixture for a couple weeks now and will finally have the new tank set up for it this weekend. Hopefully our LEDs are all they're cracked up to be.

I am excited to see the par readings I am thinking of getting a 6 foot fixture but didnt want to spend that much and have it not put out enough light.

Tagging along. I would like to see the PAR readings as well as the long term effects on your coral. The tank looks like its getting really good coverage.

1)What are the dimentions of your tank?

2)What kind of lighting did you have on the tank before?

3)Is it possible to get a pic of the side of your tank so we can see the coverage/any dark spots?

4)How high is it off your tank?

Thanks.

I'm very curious to see the PAR readings, especially front to back with all those LEDs down the center. Can you do PAR readings at several points in the tank from front to back as well? Thanks.

1 The tank is 48" wide, 18 tall and 30" deep

2 The previous fixture was a 8 bulb ATI powermodule

3 Side shot coming this weekend, no dark spots

4 The fixture is 6" from the water surface

Cheers!

-TDF

The LED's in this fixture have a 120 degree spread (60 front + 60 back) so it covers the entire tank easily.

LED fixtures with optics have typically only a 40 degree spread.

Yes, but even with the 120 degree primary optic there is drop off in output off center so I am curious to see how these perform off center and if there is a hot strip down the middle of the tank.

Please see the additional photos I posted below.

Videos of the light modes please!!
Im imagining the sunrise one, and in my head it looks crazy :lol:
Oh and the clam in your tank is HUGE!

I have looked at this paper but have not sat down to read it in detail (to much math for late night reading). Two things strike me though. They don't actually show the results of a full PAR measurement across their 40" x 20" x20" test tank unless the charts they have are mislabeled as they show distances in mm in the charts. Also, this is an internally produced document that seems to be designed more to justify not using optics rather then as an independent test of their fixture so I take it with a grain of salt.

So that's why I am looking forward to seeing real world PAR readings over a real aquarium :biggrin:

Yeah, it's a heavy read but it's more detail than I have seen from any other LED fixture maker so far.

I'll take PAR readings on Sunday and post them here.

Cheers!

-TDF

I'm not sure how one thinks measurements done by some dude in a basement over his aquarium with a hobby PAR meter classifies as more "real world" and therefore more accurate than laboratory tests done by a manufacturer which developed the product but whatever.... I think the document gave a good idea of what to expect. The PAR test was at 19" of water depth so the need to see PAR beyond what was presented wouldn't really be needed. Follow the pattern and you get the idea.

I have to say I like this fixture, it has almost everything I've been waiting to see in a LED fixture. Sleek look, easily upgradeable\replaceable parts, good warranty, and the controllability looks awesome!

Great fixture man, looking forward to seeing how it works out for you.

joining the group to hear feedback about the fixture

Well the dude in the basement is most likely using the same Apogee quantum meter that Vertex is using, can test in various positions just like Vertex and is not trying to sell the product to anyone so I would take his results as being just as valid as Vertex's if not more. All Vertex did was set out a grid in a tank full of water and make measurements. Hardly something requiring specialized facilities or equipment or rigid scientific control.

Also, I would be happy if you can point me to the results of Vertex's test in the paper? I see two plots of areas measuring roughly 4 inches by 4 inches (100mm x 100mm). In those plots the PAR drops 30% from the center to the front and back when moving a mere 2 inches. So what would the PAR be 6 inches front and back or a full 9 inches at the front and back of an 18" wide tank? How about in a 24" wide tank? I still question vertex's design choice and that's why I am wanting to see some real world numbers over an end user's setup.

IMO Vertex's paper is a bit disingenuous. They are trying to make a case against optics and saying that the light is concentrated in a small area so that's not good. They fail to take into account (or just don't bother pointing out) that all these narrow cones overlap to give an even spread of reasonable PAR over the whole tank. I strongly suspect that the Vertex fixture will produce decent PAR in a narrow strip down the center of the tank and then will have rapid fall off as you move front or back. That's why I would like to see some independent end user tests. I'm sure most others would to.

That paper was NOT supposed to be leaked.

Albert, that paper was posted by Nicolas, Vertex Germany on a German forum back in April.

I removed it.

Some additional photos:

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...D/P1010278.jpg

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...D/P1010279.jpg

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...D/P1010280.jpg

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...D/P1010286.jpg

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...D/P1010284.jpg

That paper was NOT supposed to be leaked :)

It is an unfinished product.

See comment by 'Jason' here:

http://glassbox-design.com/2010/vert...review-optics/

A full review will be released at a later date with data.

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

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

Vertex Illumina LED Arrives
 

Wow, pretty impressive display. When you get full control of it you'll be able to create some pretty cool effects. Definately the coolest looking light I've ever seen, eager to see if it's numbers are up to par.

The V-Stick USB wireless controller is supposed to be released in a few weeks to unlock the fixture's full potential.

Some of the features that will be become available:

- add/download modules and schematics such as regional lunar cycles, seasonal variations and weather effects lightening.

Additionally, you will be able to pair the lighting unit with other devices such as the Vertex Stratus DC pump to create tidal/seasonal stream manipulations.

I was wondering where you purchased the light from? It looks great and the lighting features are pretty cool.

I purchased it from www.seaumarine.com.

Vertex Illumina SR 1200 vs. ATI PowerModule (8x54W) Visual Comparison

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...D/P1010278.jpg

http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...1555c69f_b.jpg

Very much looking forward to future updates. Looks great. Cost? I couldn't get some of the site's features to work so couldn't look up the price on these units myself.

Not cheap

http://www.jlaquatics.com/info/410/V...+Fixtures.html

That's an understatement. Good luck selling the need to buy one of these to the finance department!

Hi,
Congrats on the new light. I too had/have (in the closet) the Solaris (72”), the Vertex looks much more promising.
Was there a particular reason for switching from the PowerModule to the Vertex LED? From your photo, in my opinion, your tank looks better with the PowerModule; but, I’m a bias PowerModule owner :biggrin:

Looking forward to seeing how your coals respond to the new light source.

Very nice video by the way.

Thanks!

IMO the PowerModule is hands down the best T5 fixture but for me T5's just don't look natural at all and I've tried many bulb combinations...

The Vertex gives the tank a more natural look, there is no light spillage as opposed to the PM and the shimmer is back!

Also, the Vertex controller ramps up and ramps down the intensity (rather than just on or off for T5's) and the fish and coral appear to enjoy it much more.

The PowerModule is ideal for a frag tank to aggressively and efficiently grow coral but in my main display tank I want to come as close to nature as possible.

-TDF

Love the way the fixture looks!! Can't wait for the readings. You have given me much to think about, I am in the process of upgrading my aquarium and was planning on getting the AI LED. Now after seeing this one I am having second thoughts. The readings and the cost will probably be the deciding factory.

Below is the non scientific Vertex Illumina SR 1200-200 PAR measurement taken with a Apogee Quantum Meter. My tank is 18" tall and the fixture is 6" above the surface.


White 100% - Blue 100% - Royal Blue 100%

759 about 5mm below the surface

484 On left frag rack

392 At top right coral colony

242 Center of Red Monti

227 Center of Clam

185 Front Elegance Coral

214 Bottom right middel of tank

148 Bottom rear of tank


http://i390.photobucket.com/albums/o...00-200_PAR.jpg

that just blows me away that those little LED give off that much PAR.

How high is that light from light to bottom of the tank.

what was the par on the T-5's

I hope that this light has promise not like the other one wit the problems it had with
warranty
circuits boards
LED's
and unit blowing up

Hey Mike, can you show that from the end of the tank to give an idea of the front-to-back spread?

Here ya go Shrimpchips

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...ghlight=vertex

OK I don't want to seem down on these lights but it seems (in addition to previously voiced concerns about irregular refraction at the non-planar air-water interface, light attenuation due to longer path through the water for reflected light compared to light focused by optics, and incomplete reflection from non-pristine interior tank walls) eggcrate would be out of the question considering the wide dispersion angle with no optics. When light is more or less vertically entering the tank eggcrate doesn't seem to have much effect but with the wide spread of light coming from this fixture a large amount of the light would be blocked by the eggcrate.

Wow the shimmer is indeed back! Pretty cool demo.

Great point about the eggcrate but In my opinion the clear netting looks far better anyways and would accomplish the same thing with little to no effect on light transmission for ANY lighting system.

Who cares what effect egg crate has on light spread? First and foremost it's ugly as sin. And if you have a trimless tank obviously aesthetics was one of your concerns. And if you don't have a trimless tank then put a canopy over that puppy and your jumping fish concerns are pretty much moot. The interaction with egg crate is hardly a reason to slag a fixture.

I am not slagging the fixture in fact I am hoping to buy either one of these or the AI unit but I am not brave enough to be the first to put my money down. Just pointing out the apparent pros and cons that are apparent.

What is the clear netting, does anyone have a link.

Any updates??? Im starting to lean towards led's these days. I keep mainly SPS in a 24"deep tank. Thanks in advance:smile: