IMAC - 2006 - Chicago

**Amphibious** · 04-30-2006, 01:02 AM

Hey Everyone,

Thought you might like to hear a little about IMAC. I go to these conferences mainly to look for new ideas, innovative new products, meet new people, renew old acquaintances, buy neat corals and clams, and just hang with some really wonderful people. I am not disappointed in this year's show.

I'm in my hotel room with out a usb cable or I would be able to post pictures. That will have to wait until I get home.

The "best" new product IMHO is an awesome new light fixture from PFO Lighting, Inc. It's LED lighting for the coral reef. The first version produces as much light as 250W metal halides with out the heat associated with halides. Cool, huh? I mean literally, cool!!! The fixture uses 40% less energy than MHs, moonlights are included. Only 12V DC in the hood to minimize electrical hazards. You can dial in the exact color light you want from 6.5K to 20K. Control white LED, blue LED and moonlights independently. Built in timer to control sunrise, daylight hours, cloud cover, sunset and moonlights, and more. Oh one more feature you'll be interested in, no lamp replacement for over five years. Is there a drawback? One. The initial cost. I'll know more on Monday when I post pictures. Earliest release date is around July 1st.

I was the first person to order one. Patrick, the owner of PFO had several there that he gave to people, Sanjay Joshi for one, that test reef lighting to be sure these will work for corals. I'm confident enough in what I saw to place the order.

Wow, I just noticed it's midnight and my eyes are playing tricks on me. More when I return home.

Dick

**Jimm** · 04-30-2006, 01:23 AM

That's awesome Dick. I've heard a little about the LED fixtures. Didn't know that you could dial in the temp though. That's SO cool. I'm jealous, wish I was there.

***Rob*** · 04-30-2006, 02:53 AM

wow.. that does sound awesome..

i need to get my hands on some of those...

V · 04-30-2006, 07:40 AM

we have been talking about this subject for alittle while now. im getting excited already.!
all technologies cost alot more at the start of their existance, but once the companies can bring down their costings per unit, and others jump on the band wagon, (do i hear china put in a bid) the price tag will come into its own industry standard . but in the mean time, smokem if u've gottem! im looking forward to see the control settings panel! i do hope they made it look funky.

**Amphibious** · 04-30-2006, 08:06 AM

The proto type Pat had here at the show had dimmer switches for each color and the moons. The finished product will have a microprocessor with digital readout programmable via your computer and/or PFO's website. Talk about control. The control and LED readout will be mounted flush into the hood. Patents are pending.

The following is right off PFO"s handout.

"The blue LEDs, white LEDs and moon LEDs, are controlled independently and will be dimmed using Pulse Width Modulation. The control module has a built in timer and microprocessor which controls each group of LEDs independently. With the control module you can dial in the exact color of light ranging from 6.5K to 20K by adjusting the blue LEDs light output."

More later. Got to hit the shower and get to breakfast.

Dick

***Rob*** · 04-30-2006, 02:37 PM

i love it..
i think Talkingreef needs to do a long term "demo" of them and see how they work out.

V · 04-30-2006, 04:55 PM

hehe, like those road test mags, i dont see why not, most the time they get to keep the gizmos they are testing anyways. with the exception of car testers i would imagine!

**CarmieJo** · 04-30-2006, 09:19 PM

Probably need to send a set to NC to see how they function here

V · 05-01-2006, 03:02 AM

yes of course, location testing, im sure the first batch is for this purpose..... i do believe we have a different climate down here, with an added benifit of durability testing,these units should really be put through the strokes.. if it can withstand bbq grease and spilled beer finger marks all over it, it can withstand abit of salt creap!8O

**gwen_o_lyn** · 05-01-2006, 12:14 PM

So how much we talkin???

**Reefbaby** · 05-01-2006, 06:19 PM

Wow Dick! So that's where you are...was wondering where you'd been hiding! :-)

Show us some pictures as soon as you can! do they have a website?? I'm sure if this is successful, it will be the rage in Europe, as our electricity prices are so high. What kind of wattage are we talking about?

**Jimm** · 05-02-2006, 01:25 AM

http://www.theimac.org/

Looks like they are posting videos to their site. Maybe they are old videos. Something to check out anyway.

**Reefbaby** · 05-02-2006, 05:05 AM

you can also find the info about PFO lighting by going to the exhibitor page. The prices are up as well for the LED system. Pretty cool! Even though they're quite pricey, if you factor in that you wouldn't be exchanging bulbs for approximately 5 years and you'd be saving around 40% on electricity, it doesn't seem so expensive anymore!
......wonder if they're making them for international customers???

***Rob*** · 05-02-2006, 10:44 AM

wow... sticker shock...
christi you make a good point there, but idk if i could ever get past the initial cost...lol

**Amphibious** · 05-02-2006, 02:38 PM

gwen_o_lyn,

So how much we talkin???

There pricey, but, any new technology tends to be high in the beginning. I met and talked with the owner and developer of PFO, PatrickOrmiston, who has spent two years developing the technology. Working with LED manufactures to develop the correct wattage and colors. Today, he's leaving to go to China for more business meetings. This guy's developing the future of reef lighting today. Here's a couple of pics of the lamps lit-up.

There's a MH fixture on the left side of the tank. You can see the difference. Now a close-up of one of the banks of LEDs making up one section.

This is awesome stuff for us reefers. These fixtures will save an estimated 40% of your lighting costs. I'm excited about it. The cost?

A single bank fixture is $449.00, 2 bank fixture $799, etc. They are programmable for daylight and night simulation. Pretty cool stuff. Did I mention they generate little or no heat?

Reefbaby

Wow Dick! So that's where you are...was wondering where you'd been hiding!

Well, the week before IMAC I entertained my 18 yo granddaughter. You probably read that on my tank thread. What a treat she is.

Jimm, Thanks for that link. I could not find PFOs link to the information that reefbaby talks about though. ??

Reefbaby,

wonder if they're making them for international customers???

I'm not sure, but I'll ask, Pat. I ordered the first fixture and he's going to coordinate the finale developments with me as there will be several control choices available.

Hope this helps.

Dick

**Reefbaby** · 05-02-2006, 03:41 PM

I could not find PFOs link to the information that reefbaby talks about though. ??

Hey Dick - go to the IMAC homepage and click on "exhibitors". Follow the list down to "PFO" and then you can click on their homepage. :-)

**Amphibious** · 05-02-2006, 04:32 PM

Hi Christi,

I went there from the link above before and again now. For the life of me I don't see the PFO banner. But doesn't matter , you provided the link to their web site. Thanks.

That page was printed and handed out at IMAC.

Dick

**Jimm** · 05-02-2006, 04:41 PM

Dick - Are each one of those individual "lights" (the circular blue or white things that look like they plug into the main fixture) an LED with a reflector or a bunch of LEDs bundled together? What's the output of those? ie what kind of corals will it support?

V · 05-03-2006, 05:52 AM

ive just been shot in the buttocks by Qupet! the cells are to die for. if they are going to be made in china, im sure we will get them down here, if not, no big stress, a bit of electronics added and they can plug in anywhere in the world

**m8298** · 06-12-2006, 09:14 PM

Dick,

I am very anxious to hear more about how these lights are working out. How hot do they get? Can you "dial in " the spectrum? Come on where's the review????

***Rob*** · 06-12-2006, 09:23 PM

i just want to know where Dick is...
i thought he was going to be back a while ago..

DICK!!! we miss you around here!!!!

V · 06-13-2006, 06:50 AM

i saw him pop in 1-2nights ago, we are on different time zones, so i ether see all the early birds, or the late setters! i dont know if he left a post though!

**Amphibious** · 06-13-2006, 10:01 AM

Rob, veriann,

Sorry! I'm guilty of a bit of lurking around TR. I did respond to a couple of threads since I returned from Canada a couple of weeks ago. Besides the disaster in my tank while I was gone a close friend of mine came to FL for a visit and that took up a lot of my time. His daughters shared their concern with us about his deteriorating mental state. He's showing signs of dimensia. Even though we had a good time, it was sad to see my friend in this state of mind. To top his vacation off he had a minor health emergency while he was here. So, things have been kind of hectic around home. The adventure of living changes as we age. I'm 68, my friend 65. I don't consider this old and my life is still an adventure. I will continue to do my best to keep it that way until the day I die. My friend has a different opinion based on his past failures. Personally, I don't think he suffers from dimensia at all. I think he's severly depressed about his life. We create our own life day by day by making decisions and our history is but a collection of our decisions. His history is sad and his future questionable. His daughters are like daughters to me and we are in communication regularly about their dad.

m8298,

I too am very anxious about those LED lights. I ordered the first fixture of this type at IMAC, a 250 watt model. It's not due out until July. While on my trip to Canada the president of PFO lighting, Pat, called me and asked if I wanted to wait until September for my light fixture because by then he would be coming out with a 400 watt and because they are infinitly vairiable I could dial down to 250 watts.

I thought about it for a minute and deciced that I would never need 400 watts on my current tank (I'm burning 175s now) so continued with the original order. I haven't heard from Pat since and don't expect to until he needs payment and address to ship.

So, no review yet. But, yes, you will be able to control watage and color temp to your hearts desire. At least that's what I understand. As far as heat goes, the 250 watt at IMAC generated little or no heat.

That's why I ordered one immediately upon realizing the no heat benefit. My halides are cooking my tank. I had to buy a chiller. It helped. Then the weather got hot here in FL. Added a room air conditioner so we didn't have to cool the whole house. My energy bill hit $300 last month, yiekes!!! The new fixtures are purported to burn 40% less energy halides. GOOD BYE HALIDES!!! The down side is the cost. My 72" fixture is $2,000 retail. OUCH! But will save money in the long run with energy savings and the fact that LED lights will last ten years or more.

It's the light of the future. As soon as they are available to the public you will find them on my website. Discounted to TR members, of course.

Dick

**fat walrus** · 06-13-2006, 10:12 PM

welcome back Amphibious. i saw you pop in a few times and was disappointed to find no posts frm you. i wish your friend the best, he and his daughters are fotunate to have a friend like you. come back soon.