Aquatic Life Debuts LED/T5HO Hybrid Mounting System Fixture Reef Hobbyists Have Been Waiting For!

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cloggins

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Dont know if some one mentioned this but the a360x fits on the radion mount just the k link is covered so if aquatic life could modify this mount in a way to fit the a360x with out covering the k link they wouldn't have to make another mount for the a360x
I'll try to find the link I posted. It's possible to use the bar links, without obstructing the k-link socket. My post also lists the M5 screws I ordered from Amazon.
 

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I just ordered this fixture from BRS a few days ago (arrives tomorrow) but I’m just now reading through this thread and I see there is supposed to be a dimmable version coming out soon?!

Will there be an option to ‘upgrade’ the current units when the dimmable units come out? I’m wondering if I should just return the fixture for now and wait on the new unit. Is it still on track to be released this quarter?
Afaik, the dimmable version won't apply to the 60" fixture. So, if you have a 5- or 6-foot tank, you won't be able to have dimmable T5s anyway.
 

ReefyB

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Afaik, the dimmable version won't apply to the 60" fixture. So, if you have a 5- or 6-foot tank, you won't be able to have dimmable T5s anyway.

I’ve got the 24” fixture on the way. It literally arrives in a few hours but I’m thinking about calling BRS to tell them to cancel or just ship it back to them. I bought the fixture, decor endcaps, and 4 bulbs, but really need to know if I’ll be able to upgrade it ASAP. I’d hate to keep this and find out the better version comes out a few weeks later.
 

kkiel02

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Last I heard was that the dimmable version was a couple months out. It also only uses one cord vs two cords on the current fixture.
 

ReefyB

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@AquaticLifeProducts

Is the dimmable fixture still planned to be ready by the end of 1st quarter 2019? Also will the current fixtures be ‘upgradable’ once the new model releases?
 

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so how does everyone turn on their t5s in relation to the led lighting schedule? my current radions i ramps up to "full power" over the course of 45 minutes. seems pointless if the t5s are full blast.

my fixture is in the mail but my plan was to keep the ramp up/down periods and have the t5s go on after leds reach full power and off at the start of ramp down.

thoughts, whats everyone else doing?
 
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I
Dont know if some one mentioned this but the a360x fits on the radion mount just the k link is covered so if aquatic life could modify this mount in a way to fit the a360x with out covering the k link they wouldn't have to make another mount for the a360x
If the center M5 screw is used and not the two outer screws the k links can be missed completely. However, the new 360X brackets will be here next week and we will start shipping them ASAP.
 
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@AquaticLifeProducts

Is the dimmable fixture still planned to be ready by the end of 1st quarter 2019? Also will the current fixtures be ‘upgradable’ once the new model releases?

Looking like April for the dimmable release.

The existing units can be upgraded now to the HEP dimmable ballast with some slight modifications. It would need an additional wire connected to the yellow wire on the sockets and a 0 - 10 V output wire. This of course would allow control for the two lamps on that side of the fixture.

The big difference between the existing and the new dimmable is that the ends of the dimmable fixture have a channel built into them to allow wires to be run from the front to back. So one ballast will handle the two outer lamps and the other ballast will handle the two inner lamps. Both will be independently controlled on a 0-10V controller, two channels. This allowed us to use a single 3.5mm female stereo jack connector and have the ballast lamps split between the front and back.

The dimmable with the side channels installed will not be adjustable in width like the existing fixtures. So this may be a limitation for some customers???
 
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I see a market for aquatic life to create a retrofit/upgrade kit when the new fixtures come out

I like your thought. So would a new set of endplates, dimmable ballast and 0 - 10 V wire part kit work? or you thinking something else? Appreciate the suggestion.
 

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well alot of people are very receptive to the current fixture and would like to have dimmable functions, i think it would be a good customer service move to provide people an option for a upgrade (plates, ballast, and wire) vs having to purchase a new fixture. especially on a relatively new product. please keep cost low :)
 
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well alot of people are very receptive to the current fixture and would like to have dimmable functions, i think it would be a good customer service move to provide people an option for a upgrade (plates, ballast, and wire) vs having to purchase a new fixture. especially on a relatively new product. please keep cost low :)

Let me look into what would be required to do this, thanks for the suggestion.
 

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Yes an upgrade kit would be great, so many companies skip this and release a new version and leave the rest of us with the "older" version out in the cold.
 

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I like your thought. So would a new set of endplates, dimmable ballast and 0 - 10 V wire part kit work? or you thinking something else? Appreciate the suggestion.

I think the dimmable option and the better cable management (one cord, instead of two) are the two things everyone would like and would be more than worth the effort of temporarily taking down an existing fixture to install. So yeah if that’s all the parts we’d need to pull that off. Would we need the controller? I got my 24” fixture yesterday but still in the box because I can wait till Spring for the new model for those features if I need to. But upgrading the one I have to include dimmable ballasts and a single cable (it would be nice if it came with a sleeve or something to run the t5 cable exiting the fixture with the LED’s cable) with a simple enough kit and instructions, would definitely be worth it for me (assuming it’s not cheaper for me to just return this one and buy the new ~$499 fixture when it’s released) and I’d bet a lot of current users too. Exciting stuff!
 
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Yes an upgrade kit would be great, so many companies skip this and release a new version and leave the rest of us with the "older" version out in the cold.

We are wanting to keep both versions, I don't want to mislead that the new dimmable will replace the existing unit. We are figuring on having a few layers to the product assortment overtime.

Existing units with all the accessories, cost competitive
Dimmable 4 lamp
Dimmable 6 lamp, limited size and not final yet, might only work with the 48"
 
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So what connection would people want for the 0 - 10 volt output? With the existing hybrid version/conversion, I would need two wires to connect into one?
 
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I think the dimmable option and the better cable management (one cord, instead of two) are the two things everyone would like and would be more than worth the effort of temporarily taking down an existing fixture to install. So yeah if that’s all the parts we’d need to pull that off. Would we need the controller? I got my 24” fixture yesterday but still in the box because I can wait till Spring for the new model for those features if I need to. But upgrading the one I have to include dimmable ballasts and a single cable (it would be nice if it came with a sleeve or something to run the t5 cable exiting the fixture with the LED’s cable) with a simple enough kit and instructions, would definitely be worth it for me (assuming it’s not cheaper for me to just return this one and buy the new ~$499 fixture when it’s released) and I’d bet a lot of current users too. Exciting stuff!

I think the upgrade to dimmable is possible, the single power cord would be more difficult, I think. With the fixtures being adjustable in width, I'm not sure on the connection between the fixtures? We looked at a multi wire water proof connector between the fixtures but then when we allowed the fixtures to be adjustable it threw a wrench into the idea. To allow for the different widths, we would need to offer 3 different inter cable connectors for the fixtures.

Any ideas are appreciated.

This is one of the reasons the new dimmable was designed with all new tooling, the side channels. It allows us to run the wires between the front and back without exposure. The down side with the dimmable is that it is not able to expanded like the current model.
 

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With the 0-10 v port could you just have it hooked up to the apex? I’d think a good portion of the people with your fixture are already using it with the existing LED’s.
 

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