Entry

Aqua Illumination to use new Cree XP-G for ~30% more light!

The freshly redesigned Aqua Illumination LED aquarium light we first shared with you weeks back, is getting more updates than initially thought, thanks to the recent commercial availability of the new Cree XP-G LED. Previously Aqua Illumination utilized the Cree XR-E;  a proven performer and robust LED for high output situations. Now Cree has bested [...]

Aqua-Illumination-LED 1

The freshly redesigned Aqua Illumination LED aquarium light we first shared with you weeks back, is getting more updates than initially thought, thanks to the recent commercial availability of the new Cree XP-G LED. Previously Aqua Illumination utilized the Cree XR-E;  a proven performer and robust LED for high output situations. Now Cree has bested the XR-E with the XP-G  which is 46% brighter and 64% more efficient than its predecessor. For AI, the XP-G will provide the white light, while the XP-E will provide the blue. This will result in a fixture that emits nearly 30% more light than the previous XR-E AI model at the same electric consumption–roughly 80w at the wall.

Cree XP-G

The transition from the XR package to the XP package is not as simple as swapping LEDs. Chris Clough and the AI team have been retooling and redesigning their fixture because the XP package is 80% smaller than the XR, while offering higher output via the XP-G (see LED Review’s image comparison here).

To top it off, earlier this month AI announced a new price structure that is 10% lower–this holds true even with the XP update.

  • 1x – 12″       $629
  • 2x – 24″       $1,169
  • 3x – 36″       $1,699
  • 4x – 48″       $2,239
  • 5x – 60″       $2,769
  • 6x – 72″       $3,299

AI has been itching to get these new LEDs and we’ve been itching to share the news. For those attending Reefapalooza (RAP) in California these weekend, a prototype of the new design will be on display (sans the XP-Gs).

Related Posts

  1. Redesigned Aqua Illumination LED Pops Up at Reefapalooza
  2. Redesigned Aqua Illumination LED Shipping Soon
  3. Unboxing the New Aqua Illumination LED Module
  4. Aqua Illumination Modular LED Light Gets Refined and Redesigned
  5. Aqua Illumination / Luxim Plasma Light Emitter Impresses with Spread

Meta

  • BRENT
    that is great when can we expect these new led's to be ready for sale. thanks
  • @BRENT, These have just begun to ship and are arriving at retailers across the U.S..
  • Jon 'hahnmeister'
    Moore's Law has come into effect with LED's in a big way. Remember microprocessors in the 90's?

    The process for making a LED is very similar. So these are about 1/4 the size of the outgoing XR-E, and with a MINIMUM 114lpw efficiency. The reason I keep comparing them to the Ushio 10,000/14,000K's is because of their spectrums as well: The Ushio's are 'white', but with a very large volume of blue and even more actinic. These XP-G's have a similar plot to the previous ones, but with a wicked blue spike. Even though the spike on the LED's is larger, its also about 1/2 as wide as the Ushio... but since converting lumens to par effects actinic through blue about the same, I bet the conversion from lumens to PAR will be similar to the Ushio based on the spectral plot.

    These LED's look like a combo of a white and blue LED together, like a pheonix 14,000K and a ushio 14,000K side by side or something like that. They are almost blue enough on their own to not need anything more (if you get the right color rating of course). And that is the most exciting part. Orbitech cant go after the company that supplies their LED's for making a LED that can be used in any fixture on its own to 'support marine life'. This LED pretty much makes the Orbitech impossible to enforce... just dont market it as a 'reef' or 'coral growing' lamp, and they have nothing. If Orbitech sued Cree, that would be shooting themselves in the foot. Speaking of... I know Cree doesnt like the Orbitech patent (creates a monopoly, hinders growth of an important early market... bottom line: kills their sales). Interesting that they came out with this LED then. I cant say its a 'direct response', but its pretty sweet none the less.

    Here is a copy of an article someone from a builder's site asked me to write as a contribution during MACNA. I think it was 'too technical', but I know reef clubs have been posting it in their own forums anyways:
    http://www.wireefsociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=13...
  • Richard from Texas
    why are they so cheap?
  • Daniel
    Definitely something to look forward to at RAP... can't wait to see it in action with or without the XP-G update. When will they go on sale is the question we are all waiting an answer for!
  • Jon 'hahnmeister'
    @Alex, K-ratings are marketing. Look at Cree's spectral plot of this LED and you will see how it is perhaps the most suited 'white' LED for this hobby ever. The great part is that it has a huge blue spike built in... so one could design or use a fixture with these LED's and circumvent the Orbitech patent all together... I mean, what are they gonna do, sue Cree for making an 'all in one' LED that allows a regular LED fixture to be used as one to grow marine organisms? Oh, yeah... Im sure. Then Cree can just cut off the supply of LED's to Orbitech.
  • Eran
    That is one pimp light!!! I wonder if one of these would cover a 36" wide tank?
  • I thought the Cree XP-G doesn't have the colors we're looking for in this hobby? I believe the color range maxes out at 6500k?
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