We had the chance to play with the new AquaIllumination Wave LED tubes here at MACNA and while these are still preproduction units, their performance is quite impressive. Each segment of this the modular tube LED measures in at just under 12 in. and features five Cree XP LEDs running at around a watt apiece. When the units go into production in the next few weeks, they will feature water resistant fitting – just in case of an accidental dip in the tank or some water splashes – and external, anodized heatsinks.
With one power supply, you can link up to six of these bad boys together in any configuration you want. The company is planning on offering all white, a white and blue mix, and a royal blue and blue combinations. What was great to see with three of these above a 15 x 15 x 15 in. cube and about 20 in. from the lights, we were able to get PAR numbers over 100 umol. Not bad at all under the three tubes (two blue and one white) set up on the display tank. We were even getting good numbers at the edges with just a few notches down on the scale.
Expect these to come in a starter kit along with a full line of accessories to get the exact look you are searching for. The starter kit should include the power supply and one tube and will run around $125-135 and each additional segment will be somewhere around the $90 mark and should be ready in late October or early November.
