what light fixture would you buy with 1500 dollars for a 72 inch tank size
- Thread starter DARKSILENTTYPE
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DARKSILENTTYPE
New member
I ordered it through P.A. and got blue wave II ballasts and 14000 phonix bulbs at 250watt and true blue T5's
I just got it up yesterday and it looks great .
The light overflow is a little much but I'm still adjusting to see what I can do about it .
I just got it up yesterday and it looks great .
The light overflow is a little much but I'm still adjusting to see what I can do about it .
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Wait till you see a T5 superblue, I wouldn't trade them for a VHO actinic.
DARKSILENTTYPE
New member
I have it hanging about 7inchs above the tank and angled down in the front so the bulbs are not in my eyes . I have mine in the living room next to the couch too .The overflow is about 4 to 5 feet out . It really brightens up the place .The wife said she feels like shes in a tanning both .( I found that funny .....She did not .....) I'm still playing with it I'm going to lower it to about 5 inchs from top of the tank and lower my water line a little and see what I come up with .
I had vho 250watt before these lights and I will tell you these are much better .
I had vho 250watt before these lights and I will tell you these are much better .
rdmpe
New member
I'm going to have a similar problem with my wife (problem with wife, not lights hehe). I think I'm going to make a wooden trim ring that will sit on the tank rim and come up 4 or 5 inches. I think that will catch a lot of the glare without giving me the look of a large canopy. I really want the open top look, so I'm not sure if this is going to be OK or not from that point of view, but having a bright light in my eyes is also a real problem.
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
rdmpe said:
Just hit my gallery, there are some pics in there.
Herbert T. Kornfeld
In Memoriam
rdmpe,
I did the same thing for my tank...made a 7" collar that goes all around the top with birch plywood & SPAR. I like is much better than an enclosed canopy, yet it takes away all the disadvantages of a canopy (glare and carpet surfers), and I dont have to open up the top to reach in...
I did the same thing for my tank...made a 7" collar that goes all around the top with birch plywood & SPAR. I like is much better than an enclosed canopy, yet it takes away all the disadvantages of a canopy (glare and carpet surfers), and I dont have to open up the top to reach in...
Jive Turkey
New member
The Maristars are pretty nice, but three Luminarcs will blow them away in comparison, and cost less. 400w or 250w, depending of tank size and desired corals.
ReeferMonkey
Premium Member
Yes but Lumenarcs aren't as clean and neat as a Maristar or Giesemann fixture. If I was doing an in-wall setup I'd get them in a second (or a canopy, for that matter) but when you put aesthetics into play the Maristar and Giesemanns blow them away.
Also, Lumenarcs aren't really appropriate for tanks narrower than 18"-24". They're more suited to tanks of 24"-36" depth for optimum spread. For 18"-24" the ROIIIs are better.
Also, Lumenarcs aren't really appropriate for tanks narrower than 18"-24". They're more suited to tanks of 24"-36" depth for optimum spread. For 18"-24" the ROIIIs are better.
I recently decided on a light fixture too for a 72" long, 30" tall tank. I decided on the PFO fixture with 3 x 400w Hamilton 14k SE's on the PFO pulse-start ballasts. I think for a 400w fixture the $1600 price tag was pretty good and it does have 4 x 96w PC's. Mine won't be up for a few months but when it is hopefully I can find this thread and update with some feedback. I'm also interested to hear how the Maristar's work out because I really agonised on this choice. My tank is in-wall and open top so no worries about light glare. I heard the pulse start ballasts were pretty good and totally silent but I'm soundproofing the fishroom as I have 6 external pumps in there. :thumbsup:
The Grim Reefer
Ready for some NOBALL!!!
Super blue is not the same as blueplus. It is a Helios lamp, very crisp aquablue color to it, no pink or purple at all. I am currently running 3 250 watt 14K EVC halides on e ballasts with 2 54 watt superblue T5's. Even running pretty blue halides these things make s difference. Can't wat to get some 5 or 6 foot lamps so they double cover the length of the tank.
Here's a couple of cruddy pics of what the superblues do. The colors are pretty accurate but much more vibrant in person.
Ever seen a blue tip frogspawn? The green is more fluorescent but the tips are about that color of blue.
There is not as much blue as the pic shows in the centers. The burgandy zoos actually have a yellow/green center under these.
Here's a couple of cruddy pics of what the superblues do. The colors are pretty accurate but much more vibrant in person.
Ever seen a blue tip frogspawn? The green is more fluorescent but the tips are about that color of blue.
There is not as much blue as the pic shows in the centers. The burgandy zoos actually have a yellow/green center under these.
rdmpe
New member
I just picked up two Pheonix 250w 14K DE bulbs, 5 months old, for $60 shipped. Was that a decent deal? They are normally about $70 new plus shipping.
I thought it was a good idea so that if I decide they are too blue and I want to go 10K then I will not have as much money tied up in them as if I bought new ones. Of course, I'll still have to buy one new bulb for my 3x250w fixture... Will they be different colors due to the age difference???
I thought it was a good idea so that if I decide they are too blue and I want to go 10K then I will not have as much money tied up in them as if I bought new ones. Of course, I'll still have to buy one new bulb for my 3x250w fixture... Will they be different colors due to the age difference???
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