Germany used to make some of the best aquarium lights in the world, and for some, they still do, but the best-selling high-end aquarium lights now come from America. Premium lighting brand Giesemann wants to change that, however, putting everything they have from a background of 30 years in producing the best HQI, T5, and hybrid fixtures into one all-LED fixture to rule them all. Say hello to the Aurora V12.
The Aurora V12 is an LED luminaire that comes in 36”, 48”, and 59” sizes, and two colors, Polar White, and Iridium Grey. It’s populated by up to 588 light-emitting diodes, drawing a maximum of 440 watts, only it’s what they do with the LEDs that are so different, impressive, yet practical at the same time.
The middle section of the AURORA V12 is equipped with powerful LEDs and individual reflectors for each LED, thus ensuring narrow light distribution and the desired shimmer effect. Its makers reckon it can produce 1210-1240 mol/m2s (PAR) and it can punch down through up to 48” of water depth. The LED clusters include six individual app-controllable color channels and are actively fan-cooled using noise-canceling technology.
The middle section is then accompanied by the outer matrix led panels on either side, this time with widely spread diodes and opaque diffuser plates for maximum spread and color mixing. A myriad of diode colors populates each outer matrix which, including UV, offers another three app-controllable colors comprising 15 different color diodes in all, on nine channels. Based on Giesemann’s own graphics the Aurora V12 has one of the widest, broadest color spectrums we’ve seen, peaking in blue and violet, which they claim can achieve 100% PUR (usable radiation,) and spread through 128.8 degrees due to those wide, angled diffuser wings. It’s an impressive unit.
For the half-blind psychopaths who crave even more power, and more than 1200 par, the Aurora caters to you too, allowing another two extension modules to be fitted, taking total available diodes up to 1092, and maximum power up to 650 watts, and all through one glorious, single power cable.
Giesemann isn’t the first to fit reflectors to some diodes while diffusing others but on paper, they do seem to have mixed powerful active cooled lights with spread out, blended, passively cooled ones in one unit, versus multiple modular lights and separate light bars. There’s only one way to really light a reef tank wall to wall, and eliminate shadow, and that’s by placing light over the entire surface area.
Lighting isn’t rocket science and you either tend to have high par in a small area or low par across a large one, but the Aurora promises to offer both. The three models are rated to light aquariums up to 200cm long, although they are too big and heavy for rear mounting brackets and need to be ceiling mounted instead.
The Giesemann Aurora V12 has spread, power, penetration, and spectrum to rival any other aquarium lights available right now, and is proof that we should never write off Giesemann and their engineering expertise, pursuit of quality, and excellence when it comes to a good old fashioned reef lighting showdown.
Prices range from 1499-1999 Euros. Extension modules range from 179-259 Euros.
It launches in March 2023.
