48 inch Current USA SunPod 2x150W 14K HQI

darthsimon

darthsimon

Member
Guys,
I currently run an Extreme Nova T5 fixure on my 55 Gallon Reef.. 4 Total Bulbs..
Would this HQI fixture be overkill for my tank? Also I use the glass inserts on top of th tank, I pressume these would have to go??
LFS told me I would need a chiller for this Fixture...
Here is a pic of my current display...
 
ejensen

ejensen

Member
Nice tank. How long have you had a clam with that lighting?
As for the lighting, I don't think it will be over kill. You might have a temp problem. Just try some fans at first during the summer. I have the outer orbit and love it with Phoenix 14k bulbs. They are way better than what current uses on there fixtures.
 
darthsimon

darthsimon

Member
Clam for 2 months... My Condo is kept around 70 Degrees in the summer with AC. The HQI wouldnt cook my water in a 55?? Also how high of the water? LFS said minimum 5 inches....
 
darthsimon

darthsimon

Member
Just to have better lighting overall.
That fixture you have seems worth the money, fact that it also comes with PC...
 
nietzsche

nietzsche

Active Member
jw since t5 can keep pretty much keep most things like mh, runs cooler, costs less money, saves energy.. i think the odyssea fixture is pretty much the same thing as the coralife for less money. i'm going to get one in a week and upgrade the mh bulb with a 14k phoenix and see how it goes from there
 
jlem

jlem

Active Member
The 14K bulbs will not be as bright. The corals may react really well to the 14K but you will be disapointed with how blue the tank will look and how dim it will look. I have the 3X150HQI sunpod and was really disapointed. I complained to the company and they sent me 10K bulbs for free. After switching out the 14K bulbs for the 10K bulbs the tank was so much brighter. I did have to add Actinic supplimentation to get the crisp white look since the 10K's are a little yellow but a huge improvement over the 14K bulbs.
 
nietzsche

nietzsche

Active Member
Originally Posted by jlem
The 14K bulbs will not be as bright. The corals may react really well to the 14K but you will be disapointed with how blue the tank will look and how dim it will look. I have the 3X150HQI sunpod and was really disapointed. I complained to the company and they sent me 10K bulbs for free. After switching out the 14K bulbs for the 10K bulbs the tank was so much brighter. I did have to add Actinic supplimentation to get the crisp white look since the 10K's are a little yellow but a huge improvement over the 14K bulbs.

that's what i'm going for.... i like the blue color that the 14k phoenix produces.. ive already read the 100 page thread on the fixture on the other forum. i dont like the way a 10k bulb looks at all. i think a blue is just more soothing than a bright yellow bulb. the preference on the kelvin of the bulb for each person is dfferent
edit: the phoenix bulb doesnt stay that blue, i think someone already tested it and burned it in. it brightened up a little bit
 
jlem

jlem

Active Member
I agree. The Current bulbs are really blue. I actually put on some VHO 10K bulbs and was pretty happy with the look but did not like not having the dawn/dust effect that I have now with the VHO Actinics and the 10K HQI's.
 
ejensen

ejensen

Member
Originally Posted by jlem
The 14K bulbs will not be as bright. The corals may react really well to the 14K but you will be disapointed with how blue the tank will look and how dim it will look. I have the 3X150HQI sunpod and was really disapointed. I complained to the company and they sent me 10K bulbs for free. After switching out the 14K bulbs for the 10K bulbs the tank was so much brighter. I did have to add Actinic supplimentation to get the crisp white look since the 10K's are a little yellow but a huge improvement over the 14K bulbs.

I had the same problem when I switched to Ushio 14k's. I just hated the lighting because it looked so dimm compared to my old 10k's. I took them out and put in the 10k's. Those bulbs just did not like my fixture. So I tried Phoenix 14k's. Well what a difference. It was bright and blue all at the same time. The best part is all the colors come out. Everything looked 10 times better.
 
nietzsche

nietzsche

Active Member
Originally Posted by ejensen
I had the same problem when I switched to Ushio 14k's. I just hated the lighting because it looked so dimm compared to my old 10k's. I took them out and put in the 10k's. Those bulbs just did not like my fixture. So I tried Phoenix 14k's. Well what a difference. It was bright and blue all at the same time. The best part is all the colors come out. Everything looked 10 times better.
yup, the color of corals stand out more. i also liked that about the 14k. I always seem to hijack a thread and go off topic. sorry darth
 
darthsimon

darthsimon

Member
The fixture I have now has both Blue and Yellow Lighting. Are you saying the Sunpod will just have Blue Lighting? I run both Blue and Yellow lights together... Makes the tank look amazing... A shut the Yellow off then blue takes over. I simulate sunrise and sunset this way on a timer...
 
jlem

jlem

Active Member
The Sunpod fixture has just HQI bulbs and LED moonlights. There is no actinic supplimentation. They have the LED blue and white moonlights but those are just for at night time and do not effect the look of the HQI's at all.
It sounds like your tank has DAYLIGHTS and the ACTINICS. THE 14K bulbs are a combination of both but way more on the blue side. Keep in mind though that different bulb manufacturers have different looking 14K bulbs. It sounds like the Pheonix 14K HQI looks a lot better than the Current USA 14K HQI.
 
nietzsche

nietzsche

Active Member
this is the odyssea fixture...
FREE SHIPPING ITEM**
Total output 760W.
Approx Fixture Size: 48"L x 15"W x 3"H
System Support: 2x250W HQI, 4x65W CF, and 6xBluemoon LED
Odyssea Metal Halide System (Electronic Version) features:
non-corrosive powder coated housing
extra large built-in cooling fans
2x external electronic HQI ballasts
4x internal electronic CF ballast
individual power cords
tempered glass splash guard
mounting brackets
FREE item* listed below:
2x double ended 250W HQI bulb
4x compact fluorescent 65W bulb actinic blue
6x plug in bluemoon LED
*No substitution on FREE item
**Free shipping offer available within 48 contingent US states only.
359.00
if you dont like the color of the metal halide bulbs they can be bought really cheap online for 60 shipped each. but that's just me, if you can afford something better then you should go that route.
 
mojo46825

mojo46825

Member
I ise a 2x 150 hqi on my 65 and it works great. No issues. Its the sunpod/ current model. I did swith to a pair of uisho 20k bulbs. everything looks great. No heat issues and i run a glass top without the little plastic inserts that you would normally cut so it has a little opening in the back.about 78 at its collest and 80 at warmest. I run AC in summer as well. great fixture. I keep some soft stuff and a bubble tip. Nothing major yet.
 
gatorwpb

gatorwpb

Active Member
I have the 36" Sunpod as well and I love it. I dont think the 14k bulbs were blue at all, in fact, I added 21w t-5 actinic. The fixture is almost 1 yr old, so I plan on replacing the bulbs with Aqualine AB 10k and adding an additional 21w t-5 actinic. I want more growth, even though I have very good growth as it is. I posted in the Photography forums my sps growth in the past 5 months.
I run my lights at night, so that I dont have to run my AC all day. I also have a fan on my sump that turns on when the lights turn on.
 
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