Need peoples opinions on...

B

bennyd

Member
A light fixture... JBMynes has been kind enough to let me use his old CoraLife PC light until I am able to afford a better one...

The one he let me borrow is:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_Aquar...alife_lunar_aqualight_plus_deluxe_linear.html

And this is the one I'm looking at getting after the holidays....

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+18486&pcatid=18486

Any advice would be great, I'm trying to stay away from the Metal Halide setups because quite frankly they cost too much...

I'd like any feedback you people have on the light that I'm looking to upgrade to... Are T5's really all that much better than PC? Is there another light that you'd all recommend that might be better than the one I've chosen for around the same price?

The fixture I have chosen is only 216 watts apposed to the the 260 watts of the coralife. I'm not too knowledgeable on T5/PC though.


And one last thing, if the light I have chosen is much better, and I end up getting it... What kind of corals can it support and what can it NOT support? I'm not looking to get into clams or anything...
 
I would like to stay away from a canopy due to the tanks location and other personal reasons... The tank is a 48" long 55g...
 
T5 HO with good reflector will grow just about anything you want to put in your tank. For that much, look into a Tek fixture. PC is a good starter light (for softies or zoas) or good for FOWLR. T5 bulbs last longer.
Good thread in the equipment forum on RC.
HTH
Phil
 
I would think that for the $349 and shipping charges you could find a couple of used 175w MH pendants locally. Just my opinion.

Oh yeah, I have a 48" fixture with two 250w MH and two 65w PC actinics for $350 in THIS THREAD

I run T5s over my tanks but they are overdriven and using IceCap 660 ballasts with SLR reflectors. I did have a friend who ran a Nova Extreme T5 fixture over a 55g for a couple years and grow lots of corals just fine. I would just hate to see you get into the hobby like we all do and want more SPS and then clams and have to buy again.
It is always best to buy the bigger, better anything in this hobby so you don't regret it later.

I speak from experience after I just spent a few hundred upgrading my controller from the ACjr to the AC3. :)

Hope that helps.
-- Kevin
 
I just purchased a 60" current outer orbit fixture with dual 150 watt halide and 2 130 pc on ebay for $299. This was a factory refurbished new unit with full warranty. New price is over $700. Check out the auctions on ebay by currentusa. they had 48" fixtures last week.

If you are patient you can have quality at bargain prices.
 
I love the controller thanks kevin had i read this earlier and taken your advice i probably would have shopped for an ac3 :)
 
A "good" T5 setup will cost you every bit as much as a MH setup, and it's not really as cut and dry as watts or watts per gallon.

Yes a "good" T5 setup will smoke a PC unit, and really shouldn't even be in the same conversation.

What makes a T5 unit comparable to a MH unit is #1 the individual reflectors for each bulb, and #2 the ballast firing the bulbs. Without those 2 items, they're arguably no better than PC's.

I personally would stay away from Current fixtures. I've read too much bad press on them to trust them. I know a popular fixture of theirs is the Nova Extreme "PRO", because it has individual reflectors though.

However, I would recommend a Tek fixture, or a canopy with an IceCap retrofit setup like www.reefgeek.com sells.

What it really comes down to is that you need to make a decision about what you would like to house. As Kevin said, it stinks to buy something and realize you need to upgrade later or limit your stocking options because your light is insufficient.

Good luck with whatever you decide, and like Kevin suggested check out the local forums or used selling forums. You may be able to find yourself a nice setup, and save some cash. :)
 
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Thanks Tswifty, I have been told by many people now that there isn't anything that I could buy that couldn't be housed under the T5's of a Nova Extreme Pro... S

o no, I won't be having to upgrade later on cause honestly I already know that I don't want anything with extreme needs such as clams, though if that light really does work for that kinda stuff, hell you never know lol...

I have been looking at the Nova Extreme Pro's since I posted this topic... I'm really starting to lean that way...

I also do not want to have a canopy on my tank, So I need something that can sit on the tank with legs or somethin, and really the only thing I'm not liking about the Nova Extreme Pro is that it doesn't have any Moonlight LED's :-(... And for the price... Heh, it should also do other things for me haha
 
That is a nice fixture, I had been checking that out also... The only thing that pushes me away from that one is that it doesn't have individual bulb reflectors and from what I am reading while trying to do some research on these things is that the individual bulb reflectors make or break a T5 unit... You might also want to consider that.

Thanks for your input! It's all appreciated.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13907794#post13907794 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PirateFish52
I am getting this Nove Extreme fixture in the next few weeks for my 75.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI...y~FILTFIT58U~category~48in_Units~vendor~.html

I already have the 4 bulb version they have on my 55, and my corals are doing well.

You might want to check these out, as they have moon lights.
Click to expand...
 
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