Further AI Sol question
 

Ok, so I was just reminded that I have seen the Sols in action, and I recall not liking them. This was due to the disco ball effect, something that really drives me with LEDs.
For current owners, do you see this or not? If not, what optics do you have and what height are your lights at?

Yup it even happens with radions. But I only noticed it the first week. You get used to it

When I saw Shelley's Radion, it did not do it as far as I could tell, and I looked specifically for that.

If you look at shadow areas you'll see it. Also the higher the lights the less noticeable it is.

I guess it can also depend on landscaping in the tank, but it wasn't noticeable in her tank with Radions.
When I saw a 220g with Sols on it last year, I didn't like that at all. It was that tank that turned me off LEDs.

Marko, you're are the stock mix of 40/70 optics?

I can see it on the white dry rock in my tank with my radion.

Ok, it might be tank specific, her's doesn't have any bare white areas :)

I have mine about 12" above the water with the stock 40/70 and see what I call shimmer, but I've never had halides to compare to. There is very little flat spots in my tank with the rock in the back and the sand almost covered with various corals so this might help.

What I'm referring to is the separation of blue and white light, giving a disco effect. It bothers my brain..

I'm going to check when I get home. I can't remember it being noticable but will look for it in particular.

Yes mine are stock optics. If you don't wanna see it, you can put a diffuser. But that would cut down the light too

If I go with three units, I'm going to need all the light they put out :)

It'll also depend on the white/ blue ratio you run

I like more blue than white. I currently run Radiums and would like to stay close to that..

:focus:

I don't see any disco balls.. Hey I Can see the sand in a few places in my tank!

I run 100 on blues and 75 white and I can see it only if I look for it. Never when looking at the tank as a whole

Probably just a sand colored colony of something or other!!

BBLINKS has a few good pics of his tank with AI's to look at as well.. After chatting with him and looking at his tank pics I think I'm going to go with AI's as well..

Marko: Somebody posted last week that you did a side by side comparison with Radion. Could you post the link?

Thanks

not sure what is meant by the disco ball effect. Are you saying you'll getting coloured spots on stuff in the tank?

Pretty much. If you look closely at some areas, you see flickering of blue and white. Almost a strobe effect.

I'll try to take a video of it and post it. I don't really notice the flickering, maybe its because I have a few more units on the tank then what most people would use.

apexfd is running 3 out of 4 on his tank, I will ask him to chime on this topic.

When I first set up my tank with the Sols I didn't see any disco ball effect but after I put a glass lid on the tank there are a few spots with this effect. Mostly in shadowy spots from rock overhangs. The condensation bubbles on the glass are what is causing it in my tank. Two years ago I did see a tank with LEDs and I started getting a headache after looking at it for just a few moments. It took me 2 years after seeing this to consider trying LEDs on my own tank. For this reason I went with the cheaper Sols in case I hated the lights but it is really nice and I have great bright coverage and I'm only up to 60% so far.

I think the Radions have a disco feature lol
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kd4U5M4t_IU

:rainbowa::smilecol::laluot_22: