Too good to be true MH's ?

[BigJay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14223324#post14223324 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jubjubrsx

when i came into some money i upgraded the bulbs to a XM 10k along with ice cap ballasts and then the coral really took off (lower kelvin rating on the bulb vs the stock 15k bulbs) but the great thing is i ran it for just about a year, and when i could afford the money thats when i upgraded....

That's the kicker. You can make an Aquatraders light really decent (ie your corals "really take off").

The problem is that it costs more to buy the fixture and replace the bulbs and ballasts with quality units than it does to just buy a halfway decent T5 fixture to begin with.

On top of that, you get:

1. Better color options with T5.
2. Superior PAR.
3. Less heat (well, better distributed heat).
4. Longer bulb life. T5's last slightly longer than halides and at least twice as long as the cheap power compacts.
5. A quality T5 fixture will have better reflectors than the aquatraders unit. Poor reflectors = poor performance.
6. T5 bulbs are more efficient than the power compact actinic lights that the AT unit uses.

Think hard before you go the other way.

 

[Wgluther]

Got the Hamilton pendant in Thurs. Decided to order the Aquatrader 36 anyway. I can use the Icecap ballasts, which are only 9 mo. old, and the Pheonix 10k de bulbs that came with the pendant to upgrade the Aquatrader fixture. Will probably sell The Hamilton pendant and the Nova Extremes and maybe come out fairly cheaply with a pretty decent fixture with fans , CF's and moon lights.