Testing the Philips Coral Care LED's claims - Are they realistic?

[Donovan Joannes]

It better be a good one.
Have you seen all the patents Philips pulled on the CoralCare?

Haven't seen one. European reefers must have seen this info somewhere. It's not available in Malaysia even though we are using the same electrical standard (UK).

 

[GoVols]

Haven't seen one. European reefers must have seen this info somewhere. It's not available in Malaysia even though we are using the same electrical standard (UK).

I'm not European, but I seen the patents.

 

[Donovan Joannes]

I'm not European, but I seen the patents.

Oh... Yeah, it should be available on the net for public viewing. I am just kidding about the knock off thingy, but I won't be surprised to see one very soon.

 

[Sherman]

When they coming to Singapore?

 

[sphiliplim]

When they coming to Singapore?

Its available at Aquarium Iwarna.

Cheers,
Philip

 

[Ryanbrs]

It better be a good one.
Have you seen all the patents Philips pulled on the CoralCare?

I haven't seen them, what do they cover?

 

[GoVols]

I haven't seen them, what do they cover?

Ryan,
Give me some time to dig it up.
I saw a press release not too long after you made the video.

Freddie

 

[GoVols]

@Ryanbrs
It was a press release like this.
https://www.philips.com/a-w/about/n...breakthrough-led-only-aquarium-luminaire.html

But it went into much greater detail of the leds / lenses / and glass diffusion plates for all aquarium uses and they were EU patents.

Freddie

 

[NeverlosT]

Pretty standard for a large company to do their homework regarding patents. This isn't like our little fishtank companies who are sporadically successful and basically learning the ropes as they go, this is a multinational corporation where there is a correct procedure to protect your IP and it is followed strictly.

Man I wish they would bring this to the US. I don't really want to run 220V to my tank... Surely they must sell the warehouse lighting on which this light is based in an 110V model, the expenditure to make a 110V unit would I am sure be worth it given the market in the states.

I don't mind the form factor. We have an odd idea of what is pretty in the reef hobby, a nice skimmer can be pretty for example. My wife will make me surround it with a hood either way to minimize light pollution.

I wish there was someone we could speak with at Phillips to make our case!

 

[Water Dog]

I will say this... I recall a long discussion of the Philips CoralCare on the other big forum where fanboys of a certain company were mocking the frosted glass light diffuser of the CoralCare, calling it a waste of par efficiency, ugly and nothing too innovative. Lo and behold that same company now offers a plastic diffuser cover and all of a sudden, it is hailed as a ground breaking, innovative game changer.

 

[GoVols]

@Terence @gus6464

You guys got any updates (incite) on your CoralCare fixtures?

Thanks, Freddie

 

[domination2580]

I once got told that they were coming to the us.... from Phillips it was "coming soon" in this forum. Ever since, I haven't heard a word.... a update is really due here...

 

[dragon99]

I once got told that they were coming to the us.... from Phillips it was "coming soon" in this forum. Ever since, I haven't heard a word.... a update is really due here...

Well, I was going to link back to their post, but apparently their forum is gone along with all of it's posts. THey basically said they hit a significant problem and likely wouldn't be bringing the CoralCare to the US after all. Quite unfortunate as I was really excited for this light. I'm just not sure I wanna try importing a couple.

 

[domination2580]

Well, I was going to link back to their post, but apparently their forum is gone along with all of it's posts. THey basically said they hit a significant problem and likely wouldn't be bringing the CoralCare to the US after all. Quite unfortunate as I was really excited for this light. I'm just not sure I wanna try importing a couple.

Dang...never saw that one. But yeah that is a shame....

 

[gus6464]

@Terence @gus6464

You guys got any updates (incite) on your CoralCare fixtures?

Thanks, Freddie

I'm getting out of reefing so selling it. Best light I've ever owned though and built like an absolute tank.

 

[rockskimmerflow]

I will say this... I recall a long discussion of the Philips CoralCare on the other big forum where fanboys of a certain company were mocking the frosted glass light diffuser of the CoralCare, calling it a waste of par efficiency, ugly and nothing too innovative. Lo and behold that same company now offers a plastic diffuser cover and all of a sudden, it is hailed as a ground breaking, innovative game changer.

It's so true. And what's funny is about 5 years ago or more now when the Sicce aquarium LED lights came out and I thought that was definitely the future in terms of LED form factor. -Square emitter with a lot of evenly spaced lower output diodes without secondary focussing lenses. Everyone else seemed to think I was nuts, but here we are and that's exactly what we've trended towards once people started to figure out that 600-1000 par in a 12"x12" region below a pendant wasn't actually that beneficial.

Diffusion. It's why T5HO and large reflector Halide systems were and continue to be so dominant at growing lush reef tanks. Still would love to see the Coral Care in US voltage models.

 

[NeverlosT]

I'm getting out of reefing so selling it. Best light I've ever owned though and built like an absolute tank.

Gus noooo! Don't go toward the light! Stay with us Gus!

I agree. I got frustrated reading the posts on some other forums. Folks that know nothing of lighting or of marine biology arguing with the engineer that designed these, and a marine biologist that tested them. You can argue that they don't look good to you, naturally, that is subjective, but ranting about "why use a diffuser, that must ruin the PAR" when they explain exactly why they use a diffuser and that the PAR levels are still excellent with it... just blows the mind.

I wonder what Phillips ran into? As far as I know the certification regulations for the US arent that crazily different from the EU. Not like Russia or Brazil, they have some wild requirements. I will say though, in my product development, sometimes we run into a country with a significant bill for certification and just have to make the call of whether we will see that money back, whether it is worth it. That being said, the US is the biggest reef market on Earth I believe, it has to be worth it??

 

[reefwiser]

While big it might not be big enough for a company like Philips.

 

[Reggae Reefer]

I have searched every thread that mentions the Philips Coral Care to find out if and when it will be coming to the States as i would love to add them to my set up, unfortunately that does not seem to be a priority for Philips
The updated fixture was featured on Meerwasser Kanal anker&meehr's You Tube channel at Interzoo 2018. The interview is in German.

 

[atoll]

For me I would rather have beautiful thriving corals and a not so beautiful fixture than the other way around...

Why can't you have both?