Current USA Orbit PC Fixtures with Lunar Lights
- Thread starter hughes07
- Start date
alohami
Member
I too have the standard orbit, which I do like, but there is a new system called the outer orbit which is even better. It has metal halides in addition to the daylight and actinics. Comes in 24", 36" and 48" lengths. I plan to go with it for my next tank.
Just something to consider. :joy:
Just something to consider. :joy:
hughes07
Member
Aloha, can you email me the place where you found this outer orbit. i would be interesting in checking into it. please Mrphyrm3@aol.com
fishamajig
Member
well do you think 4.5 watts per gal is acceptable? I see what you mean. I dont plan on keeping any sticks and are looking into the usuial zoos, rics and polyps. I have seen people keep clams with pc's so i entertained the idea. plus do you think the watts per gallon would work for an anemonie? I want to get one for my pair of clowns.
doboy
Member
Fishamajig,
I can't tell you what will work and what won't. I am working as hard as you to put together as many different opinions from folks here and LFS people I trust to make my own decisions.
I can tell you what I've got.
I have a 55 gallon with 80 lbs of live rock. A sump, protein skimmer, UV sterilizer (on 6 hours a day), and a closed loop. I have about 18X to 20X turnover between my filter and my closed loop.
I have 260 watts of PC lighting which equates to about 4.75 watts per gallon.
I have stable water chemistry. Ammo zero, nitrites zero, nitrates less than .2 mg/l. Phosphate less than .2 ppm. SG 1.024 pH 8.2, DKH 8.
I have a Toadstool leather, mushrooms, zoos, yellow polyps, a hippopus clam, and a purple gonipora. The only loss I had so far was a torch, which I think died because I acclimated him poorly. Today I picked up a derasa clam (thanks for the encouragement sweetreef) and a sebae anemone.
Many, many folks on this site will tell you that a gonipora will croak in a tank. So, mine probably will. I was talking to the LFS owner about my lighting, and he said his opinion was that sebae do best under PC lighting, so I figured it's worth a try. I'm sure there are plenty of opinions to the contrary.
The point is that it's your tank, and your cash. This website is a wealth of information. You should do all the investigating you can stand, and make your best decision. I see this as more than a hobby, it's an experiment. Sometimes you gotta try things for yourself to learn.
I've had a few people tell me that 3 to 5 watts per gallon is a general good starting point for the soft stuff (mushrooms, zoos, etc.). I'll tell you that If I could do it over again (I probably will next year) I'd get something with metal halides.
I can't tell you what will work and what won't. I am working as hard as you to put together as many different opinions from folks here and LFS people I trust to make my own decisions.
I can tell you what I've got.
I have a 55 gallon with 80 lbs of live rock. A sump, protein skimmer, UV sterilizer (on 6 hours a day), and a closed loop. I have about 18X to 20X turnover between my filter and my closed loop.
I have 260 watts of PC lighting which equates to about 4.75 watts per gallon.
I have stable water chemistry. Ammo zero, nitrites zero, nitrates less than .2 mg/l. Phosphate less than .2 ppm. SG 1.024 pH 8.2, DKH 8.
I have a Toadstool leather, mushrooms, zoos, yellow polyps, a hippopus clam, and a purple gonipora. The only loss I had so far was a torch, which I think died because I acclimated him poorly. Today I picked up a derasa clam (thanks for the encouragement sweetreef) and a sebae anemone.
Many, many folks on this site will tell you that a gonipora will croak in a tank. So, mine probably will. I was talking to the LFS owner about my lighting, and he said his opinion was that sebae do best under PC lighting, so I figured it's worth a try. I'm sure there are plenty of opinions to the contrary.
The point is that it's your tank, and your cash. This website is a wealth of information. You should do all the investigating you can stand, and make your best decision. I see this as more than a hobby, it's an experiment. Sometimes you gotta try things for yourself to learn.
I've had a few people tell me that 3 to 5 watts per gallon is a general good starting point for the soft stuff (mushrooms, zoos, etc.). I'll tell you that If I could do it over again (I probably will next year) I'd get something with metal halides.
fishamajig
Member
a bit out of my price range and i am not trying to add a chiller. but i will be happy with what i can keep healthy in the tank. Corals are cool weather they are softies or sticks. but as long as the whole tank is healthy and my fish and critters are cool with it i am happy. so i will follow the adkvice as best as i can and grow the corals i can grow. Ill have to sent some pics with the progress. thanks for your help in the matter.
alohami
Member
Originally posted by hughes07
Aloha, can you email me the place where you found this outer orbit. i would be interesting in checking into it. please Mrphyrm3@aol.com
Just do a search. I have found it on several of the common sites including the big auction site.
I would email, but don't want to break the rules.
If you search, you should have no trouble finding it. In the 24" it has one 150 metal halide along with a 65w dual daylight and a 65w dual actinic. It runs $350.00 at auction.
I'm not sure if that would be enough for a clam. I would think you should be able to keep some species of clams becuase you would have over 7 watts/gallon, with 150w being metal halide, but I am by no means a lighting expert. Can maybe someone else can chime in?