# Plasma Arc light over my tonina style cube tank



## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

I just received one of the last beta units of the new Seashine Plasma Arc LIFI light from Stray Light Optical. All I can say is that this light is freakin POWA. Here it is over my planted tank, as I hold it up. Keep in mind that the picstures were made after the lights had gone off, so many plant leaves had 'folded up' for the night. Burning at the same temperature of the sun, needless to say the 6000 kelvin plasma inside has a beautiful color rendition and I can't wait to hang this over my tank for real.


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## Jdinh04 (Oct 7, 2004)

No kidding! That is one powerful, bright, awesome looking light. What is your existing light? comparison shot?


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## johnzhou2476 (Nov 28, 2006)

That is freakin sick.


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## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

Jdinh04 said:


> No kidding! That is one powerful, bright, awesome looking light. What is your existing light? comparison shot?


I am using a 150 watt ADA DE halide and this light is about 250 watts to the light and another 30 watts to the electronics. I will definitely do some follow up and comparison shots of the tank with the two different lights, and how the plants grow differently under them.


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## ashappard (Jun 3, 2006)

Coralite said:


> needless to say the 6000 kelvin plasma inside has a beautiful color rendition


I'll second that, I've been wanting to grow under the plasma arcs for quite a while.
congrats!


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## Izzy (Jun 4, 2006)

More specs on this item can be found here: http://www.straylightoptical.com/seashine/seashinepreliminarybrochure.pdf


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## Scottso (Mar 6, 2010)

Wow that looks really interesting. What is the time-frame to market and do you have any idea what the cost will be?


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## CraigThor (Aug 5, 2007)

Any chance on some pics of the unit? Also How hot does it get and how much heat does it put out. That is pretty.

Craig


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## marrow (Mar 4, 2007)

A few cannabis growers are using them, as are some amateur projector people. I have seen kits going for about 600 bucks. I think in the fish world, the reef people are the first to go after this one.


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## wet (Nov 24, 2008)

I *love* how the different shades of green pop under it. Look forward to updates and I can't get enough of that tank.


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## Scottso (Mar 6, 2010)

Scottso said:


> Wow that looks really interesting. What is the time-frame to market and do you have any idea what the cost will be?


Wow $995! I'll have to see how my tax return is.


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## boink (Nov 29, 2006)

How did you manage to get one of these?


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## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

boink said:


> How did you manage to get one of these?


I am a beta tester, seeing how the ST40 version works over plants until the ST41 version is released. My plants have been rocking out under 150 watt ADA halide so I am almost afraid at how they will grow at 500-1000 PAR in the tank. I am gonna have to do all the nutrients in an IV drip to keep up, at least I have a huge CO2 reactor for this tank.


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## 4f1hmi (Mar 29, 2008)

Your lighting is freaking awesome!:jaw: Do they have anything lower than that for use in smaller tanks? The light resembles the arc technology in the *Ironman* movie.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

500-1000 PAR? Reefers are going to love that. I take it you're dumping off the fauna given the quantity of CO2 pumping in?


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## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

Philosophos said:


> 500-1000 PAR? Reefers are going to love that. I take it you're dumping off the fauna given the quantity of CO2 pumping in?


Fauna? What Fauna? Aside from the black Bar endlers and a few Ottos this is a plant dominated aquarium. I tried some snails once but they skidded across the water as their shells dissolved from the extreme acidity of the water.


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## Philosophos (Mar 1, 2009)

Ya, that's kind of what I figured.

That's one giant heat sink too. You must be able to grill on it given how much light is pouring out of that thing.


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## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

Thought I would report back. I installed the light over my tank a week ago and took it off line yesterday. The reason? The plasma arc was so bright that it was literally bleaching my Toninas and Syngonanthus even with running just 8 hrs a day. Guess I have to set up a larger planted tank just so I can use this light. 

A friend of mine has a 3' deep, 4' long 200 gallon discus planted tank. i think I will request a reflector to beam on a 2 x 4' area and see how that works.


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## mcarl (Jan 2, 2010)

I have a 400gal Madagascar plant tank going up that would be ideal to test this light on! Might even be a great trade for a free room and registration at some future conference!


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## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

mcarl said:


> I have a 400gal Madagascar plant tank going up that would be ideal to test this light on! Might even be a great trade for a free room and registration at some future conference!


I guess I may be able to toss you the late beta model once I get the latest and greatest ST41 production unit with transverse emitter mount and 20% efficiency bump.


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## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

Just kidding. I decided to stick with the plasma arc light and to tweak the duration and intensity to make it work. I have been able to manual turn the light down to about 80%, raise it up a little bit and to keep a very close eye on the photoperiod. In the meantime, all that 500-1000 PAR made my plants explode with growth. The CO2 bubble rate is practically a stream through the bubble counter. I should have taken a picture of the tank at maximum mass but here it is as I am halfway through the clearing process.


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## 4f1hmi (Mar 29, 2008)

We would love some updates from the masters tank!:tea:


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## Coralite (Nov 29, 2008)

Oh man, I think I only ran the light on the tank for like a week because it was way overkill. My 150 watt ADA halide was doing the job but stepping it up to stupid-bright just meant that I was burning through way more CO2 and nutrients than I wanted. A week with the Seashine turned my tank into a near-solid wall of stem plants. I am definitely keeping an eye out for new plasma with about 100-150 watts of power to put on this tank because the color was very pleasing.


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## 4f1hmi (Mar 29, 2008)

Coralite said:


> Oh man, I think I only ran the light on the tank for like a week because it was way overkill. My 150 watt ADA halide was doing the job but stepping it up to stupid-bright just meant that I was burning through way more CO2 and nutrients than I wanted. A week with the Seashine turned my tank into a near-solid wall of stem plants. I am definitely keeping an eye out for new plasma with about 100-150 watts of power to put on this tank because the color was very pleasing.


so are you thinking of saving energy or just giving away your cash to your power company? Is the plasma using 12 volts of power or pure AC?


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