The newly redesigned Aqua Illumination LED reef aquarium light fixture is officially in house for testing by GBD. Aqua Illumination kindly sent us one of their first models for an exclusive review–a special thanks to Chris and the AI crew. After delays from overhauling the fixture to incorporate the latest Cree XP-G LED, the new [...]
The newly redesigned Aqua Illumination LED reef aquarium light fixture is officially in house for testing by GBD. Aqua Illumination kindly sent us one of their first models for an exclusive review–a special thanks to Chris and the AI crew. After delays from overhauling the fixture to incorporate the latest Cree XP-G LED, the new AI units are now shipping.
The 12″ module we received will retail for $629. A considerable sum, but if 75w is really the new 250w… it may just pay for itself. We’ll have to see ourselves. Expect to see these hitting fine retailers such as Premium Aquatics and Aquarium Specialty in the coming days.
Upon opening it my first reaction was that’s a big shipping box. In truth it was primarily bubble wrap. Hiding underneath all the protective wrap is a relatively small, simple, attractive and well designed box. On the back the full stats are listed–see the condensed version below.
Module Dimensions
- Length: 11.875″
- Height: 2.35″
- Width 5.375″
Power Supply
- Power Output: 72w
- Universal Input Range: 100 – 240 VAC / 50-60Hz
- Dimensions: 4.6 x 2.1 x 1.25″
The heatsink is anodized for an almost brushed metal look, while being more polished and less distracting to the overall fixture than bare metal. Below you can see the power and data inputs. The nice thing with this fixture, is that there is no ballast or large external driver. A lightweight 36v adapter is all that stands between the fixture and the wall outlet.
The Serial number has been appropriately blurred out… it was one of the early ones.
On the underside of the fixture, the first feature to catch your eyes are AI’s custom designed optics for the Cree XP-G and XP-E series LEDs. They also opted for a clear shield across which gives owners a glimpse at the PCB and internal circuitry.
The controller is incredibly simple to use. I spent a good amount of time using the interface and adjusting the manual controls and sunrise / sunset features. The programming ability is powerful, yet intuitive.
As a teaser, here’s what the 72w LED light is capable of: even spread and high intensity. Soon we’ll see just how intense the newly redesigned Aqua Illumination LED is and how this fixture stacks up against the competition.
