Lights Are Out!!!

yukon

yukon

Member
Need some help guys!!! I got home from work today and I one of the balasts went out on my PC lights.
All thats working is my actinics.
I have really been wanting to upgrade to MH's and heres my chance. But I just recently started to research MH's and don't really know to much about them yet. I really need some help picking one out and Fast so I can get it ordered and shipped before my corals croak

I have a 55 gal tank w/ 20 gal fuge 65lbs of LR forgot how much sand but its LS. Tank has been running for about 3yrs w/ 265w of PC lights. mostly keeping soft corals but have some LPS. I really like the MH look and I think I want to go with it. I am however worried about the heat issue. Would VHO's be better? I'm not really looking to add any sps corals but would like to add more LPS.
Just looking around online at some complete systems heres what I'm interested in.
Aqualight pro 2 x 150w HQI 10000k + 2 96watt Actinic PC's & moonlights
or the sunpod 2 x 150w 14000k (no actinic) W/moonlights
or a Current USa outer orbit 2 x 150 10,000k HQI w/2 x 130w Dual actinic
Any suggestions, recommendations, issues on any of these or any others
 
schnutzzy

schnutzzy

Member
I have the Sunnpod 2x250's and love them. The lighting is nothing short of amazing, but no acticnics. It all depends on how blue you want the color. Phoenix makes a 14K MH bulb I hear gives you more of a blue look. So IMO I like the Sunpod whether you go with 2x150's or 2x250's. You will love the MH lighting. Good luck.
 
M

markeo99

Guest
I have a 55 gallon tank with a 55 gal fuge I got a 48" odessea light 2x250mh and then pc bulbs also and I love it for what it cost bulbs were junk I put in 14 k phoenix bulbs right away the 15k odysea were yellow. Heat has not been an issue for me had my lights for 4 years now
 
yukon

yukon

Member
Originally Posted by schnutzzy
http:///forum/post/2616041
I have the Sunnpod 2x250's and love them. The lighting is nothing short of amazing, but no acticnics. It all depends on how blue you want the color. Phoenix makes a 14K MH bulb I hear gives you more of a blue look. So IMO I like the Sunpod whether you go with 2x150's or 2x250's. You will love the MH lighting. Good luck.

The sunpod I'm looking at is comes with 14000k's so I think it gives off the blue light that I'm looking for. Would the 250's be overkill on a 55gal?
 
fishy pa guy

fishy pa guy

Member
I myself have used the Outer orbit and I am now using the coralife fixture on my 120. I liked the outer orbit because the ballast are contained in the fixture themselves which saves a lot of room. I would definitely got with one that has actinic because you get some real nice colors out of your corals. The actinic are also nice to turn on an hour ahead and after the halides come on.
The halides do give off heat but with the legs they stay a few inches off the water. The outer orbit had the fans on the end of the fixture and the coralife has them on the top.
 
schnutzzy

schnutzzy

Member
Some would consider it overkill, but one thing is for sure, you can have anything in your tank and you won't have to move anything up to the top. I have a 72 bowfront and had issues with front to back measurements of only 12" to work with. The sunpod is only 81/4"wide and looks real clean. I think my bulbs are 15K that came with the unit, so when it is time to replace I might go with the phonex 14K or a 20K which is alot bluer.
 
schnutzzy

schnutzzy

Member
If you think you have found what you want, what I did is get the best price and it was on that Drs. site and then I went to my LFS and asked if they could beat the online price for my business. I got lucky and they did and not only did I get a better price and delivery quicker, but any problems the LFS will take care of with the warranty rather than dealing with a dot com company. Good luck.
 
scsinet

scsinet

Active Member
Swap the lamps around in your fixture to buy you some time. Take the actinics out and put the regular lamps in those sockets so you don't have worry about super expensive shipping, etc.
 
yukon

yukon

Member
Well I bit the bullet and dropped some serious cash at the LFS.
I got the coralife Aqualight pro 2 x 150w HQI 10000k + 2 96watt Actinic PC's & moonlights. They gave me a fair price that was competative with major retail online stores. So I guess it's not to bad but it still hurt. I'll be hooking it up tonight and can't wait to see this badboy in action

Thanks to all for the Quick help and advice, I seriously considered all recomendations. I was up late online reading specs and reviews. Hopefully this light works out good for me and and I'll be posting good reviews on here for it. It just came down to needing a light soon and not haveing to wait a week for it to be delivered.
 
schnutzzy

schnutzzy

Member
It's great you found what you want. Now like the rest of us who took a big hit in upgrading lighting, the only thing left is to enjoy the new setup. Good luck.
 
yukon

yukon

Member
Ok new light is up and running and my corals are happy again

My only issue with this light so far is the legs that came with it. The leg kit is designed for a 75gal or 90gal so I had to improvise the mount w/2x4's till I can get the ceiling mount kit. No one local sell this so I have to order it.
But I really love this look!! These MH's are defiantly amazing I just wish I had bought them along time ago
The fixture itself is very sleek and is only about 2 1/2" tall.
So far I'm very happy with the purchase and I give it
 
schnutzzy

schnutzzy

Member
markeo99 did you have a large algae bloom when you changed to MH's? I am not trying to hijack this thread, but you brought it up and I am going through one as we speak. How did you handle yours?
 
M

markeo99

Guest
I just kept up water changes as usual and run my mh for only about 3-4 hours a day it only took about a week and a half to kinda even out again then I would bump them a few minutes every couple days until I got where I want
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top