LED light system

[bshmerlie]

Yes I have two blue LEDs in my red eye setup. I only turn it on when Im watching them. Don't use it when the are first settling into their new home.

[MikeM670]

Sure it would not be a problem. The jungle may be dark but there is moonlight visable there depending on the time of the moon's cycle. Reefers use it to simulate the cycles in their setups.

You really would not need very many leds to view them.

[AAAfrogs]

I'm looking forward to seeing this. I believe LED lighting will play a major part in lighting for vivariums in the future. Other then cost which will go down like all new innovations or products the benefit will be great. Lower heat, lower power consumption, ability to control the lighting environment.

I agree I think LEDs are the future. And if Aaron's product works with his price point he'll have a jump on the competition.

I agree. The issue with the cost isn't so much the cost of LEDs themselves, the diodes have stayed around the .90-1.00 mark for a while now. While the cost of transformers and switches also remain set, the real issue with the cost of our fixtures is the plastic. We probably do 75% custom sized and built LED fixtures, designing around misting systems, different exos and custom rack set ups.

As for night lighting, this is something that we would do upon request. Its not even an issue as far as building into a unit. Where it gets fun, and probably something we'll finalize next year is programing the unit. Having it set up in line with a computer, and the flexibility of LEDs, you can mimic sun cycles through the day. Morning and evening more warm temps, mid day more cool, and both start with a dawn/dusk fade in/out...

Our light expert designed and did the software programing for a bird breeder where the lights through out the room actually followed a path like the sun, and the temps fluxed through the day cycle. if you wanted to get real fancy we have the ability to program the computer to mimic the actual day of any spot on the globe, so thus you could pick a location in peru, and the lights would cycle to the dawn/dusk of that actual location. Fun stuff. But while fun, not really cost effective (at least not in a hobby environment, in an academic/research situation maybe)

Right now, we're simply happy to be the first offering custom LED lighting for THIS hobby, who knows what will happen or where it will go, but its something that is needed, and we pride ourselves on our attempt to move the hobby forward with innovation.