WTB: Mag 9.5

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8749329#post8749329 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yaitisme
No, that was a Fred/Jason Avitar reference.

What lights did you end up purchasing TJ?

I ended up getting the 36" Current-USA Outer Orbit HQI which is 1x150w 10K Metal Halide HQI and 2x96watt PC actinics. and 4 white lunar lights.

It comes with a hanging unit, so I am going to hang it from the ceiling.

unit sells for $450 brand new but I got it from a reefer in CA that bought one and never used it, never even opened the box. Shipped for $340.

 

[yaitisme]

Ah the old fell-off-the-back-of-a-truck-deal, those are the best!
It's amazing how expensive the all-in-one HM lights are.
The design looks very nice.
Hopefully Current USA sprung for a quieter fan than the ones used in in the PC Orbit fixtures.

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8749432#post8749432 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by yaitisme
Ah the old fell-off-the-back-of-a-truck-deal, those are the best!
It's amazing how expensive the all-in-one HM lights are.
The design looks very nice.
Hopefully Current USA sprung for a quieter fan than the ones used in in the PC Orbit fixtures.

I have the PC orbit on my tank at the moment and the fan is very quiet. (Its for sale BTW)

Yeah they guy I ordered from was kinda sketchy, but he opened up the box and took pictures of the light in working condition, so I'm crossing my fingers that everything is working correctly when it arrives.

I thought $340 wasnt bad, and it was cheaper than the T-5 unit I was going to get from Aquactinics. I would never had paid $450 though.

I'm just not a hood/canopy kind of guy. Plus I think the open top design with the lights handing down will look cool in my bar room.

 

[yaitisme]

I'll drink to that!

The fan in my Orbit could be quieter guess I am just used to high quality computer fans.

Looks like I am going to need a MH for a 36" wide tank eventually. Not sure about the T5's as I have not seen one in person yet. I will probably DIY a 175 watt in a hood to keep the light under control as it will be in my living room. Not sure if I want to add the actinics or go with a blue'er 14k MH bulbs.

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

I was going to go with just MH, but I wanted to run the lights throughout the day, and I don't think you can leave MH on all day.

If it was in my living room, I would build a hood too. The stand is short enough that the MH shouldn't burn out anyones eyes.

What 36" tank are you going with?

 

[yaitisme]

Bought a 30 gal off e-bay from a guy just south of Green Bay. Pictures looked good; tank, maple stand, glass cover (cracked), non-working cheap flores. hood, 20 lbs. of live rock, Elhem canister filter, misc. stuff.

I will be listing some of my extra homebrew bottling equipment (two cases of ez-cap bottles, bottle tree and bottle washer) in the Post Crescent if you are interested. Beats capping and 22-24 bottles does an entire 5 gallon batch!

 

[RCS]

You can run halides all day. I run mine from 7am-8pm or so. I'm happy with the 14k bulbs and no actinics, but you can do it either way...

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8750180#post8750180 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RCS
You can run halides all day. I run mine from 7am-8pm or so. I'm happy with the 14k bulbs and no actinics, but you can do it either way...

no kidding? I was told running them all day would kill my softies.

 

[RCS]

That's right...I forgot that whole sun up, sun down, sun up, sun down thing that leaves the ocean in total darkness in the middle of the day.

There's no reason not to leave them on all day (or, if you wanted to turn them off, you can get a multiple-set timer). If it will kill your softies, then you've got WAY too much lighting on the tank. I've always run mind full-bore without any issues. That goes for SPS, LPS, softies, zoanthids...whatever.

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

I should have researched things more. Lighting is a PITA.

I would have just gone with 2x150w MH 14k pendants had I known this. My tank is only 16"deep.

 

[RCS]

Figures...I've got a dual 150w HQI ballast sitting around collecting dust right now!

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8750753#post8750753 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RCS
Figures...I've got a dual 150w HQI ballast sitting around collecting dust right now!

Could that be used to hang from the ceiling? I'm not using a hood

 

[jmkarcz]

T - any light can be hung.

 

[FlipFlops24/7]

Do they sell pendants without a ballast? If my lighting for some reason doesn't workout, maybe I could buy his ballasts and install them in an empty pendant?

 

[RCS]

The ballasts will need to be house separately from the pendant. Too large and produce too much heat.

You'd need pendants and bulbs to use them, and the ballast case should be cut to fit (it's actually a triple 150w ballast setup, but one of the ballasts is fried), but it's definitely doable. I can get a decent deal on bare pendants from Custom Aquatic if you decide to go that route.

 

[jmkarcz]

T, who said it would kill softies? The most I have had happen is the softies don't open nearly as much from the excess light. The Montipora Capricorious that I have fadded a bit. That seems to be resolving itself since I raised the lights to a FULL 12 inches from glass to surface. Remember though I am running 2 @ 250 W 14k. I think I may drop them an inch or 2 but they may never get back to that 6" from the surface again.

When I bought my MH's I had to buy...

2 bulbs
2 ballasts
2 pendants
2 ballast enclosure boxes

The ballasts were almost located inthe basement, and wired upstairs, I would then have put a fan on them...

Fred, are those Electronic?

J

 

[RCS]

Nope, these are the standard magnetic ballasts.