Which MH's Should I buy

alextrif

alextrif

Member
Hello All:
I am going to upgrade the lights on my 75G from 260w PC's to MH.
I am debating between these two sets of lights:
Coralife Aqualight Pro HQI - 2 x 150w 10K MH and 2 x 96W PC Actinics and 3 Moon Lights
or
Current USA HQI - 2 x 150w 10K MH and 2 x 130W PC Actinic and 6 Moon Lights
Coralife is about $10.00 more and Current USA has about 68 more total watts (560 vs. 492).
Coralife is a known quanity to me and I've liked their PC's. I don't know much about Current USA. Any opinions or suggestions?
Thanks
 
speg

speg

Active Member
I dont know much about corallife.. I have debated this same thing personally.. trying to figure out which MH system I should buy from these two... it seems the obvious choice would be current usa's set up.. cheaper and more watts.. (duh?).
Current USA used to be known as CustomSeaLife.. but I hear they tried to make a cheap product and it ended up killing their cash flow and had to go bankrupt and started fresh with Current USA... This is what I heard.. could be wrong on some parts of the story..
I am currently using a CustomSeaLife pc on my tank.. and my tank is doing awesome and the bulbs are doing great and everything works as it should.
Personally I plan on going with the Current USA's outer orbit serious of lighting.. seems like the obvious choice to me.
 
db

db

Member
I wouldn't go with either of those. For $599 you can get an Aqua Medic Ocean Light 36" MH/T5 Combo that comes with 2x250w AB DE 10K bulbs and 2x39w T5 actinics. You will be able to keep any SPS or clams you want with this fixture, and the AB bulbs have some of the best PAR of any 10K bulbs on the market.
 
msd2

msd2

Active Member
My previous light canopy was coralife and I have to say it was a very well built setup. To give you an idea the orginal canopy outlasted my desire to stay with the smaller tank and I gutted it and used the ballasts, wiring, fans and reflector which all reside in the canopy for the bigger tank. After at least 5 years it is still going strong (well at least the parts).
 
alextrif

alextrif

Member
I guess another question comes up. I am interested in clams and SPS, but how will I be able to handle my existing Mushrooms, Torch, Finger Leather, Colt, Xenia, Open Brain and Zoo's? The tank is 75g and has about 115lbs of LR. Will any of these puppies be able to handle MH from the middle to top of the tank?
Last, when I get these next week, what schedule should i run them?
Thanks for all the input!
 
msd2

msd2

Active Member
Originally Posted by alextrif
I guess another question comes up. I am interested in clams and SPS, but how will I be able to handle my existing Mushrooms, Torch, Finger Leather, Colt, Xenia, Open Brain and Zoo's? The tank is 75g and has about 115lbs of LR. Will any of these puppies be able to handle MH from the middle to top of the tank?
Last, when I get these next week, what schedule should i run them?
Thanks for all the input!
if u acclimate u wont have a problem, cept for the shrooms put em on the bottom or an overhang. I run mh and have everything u listed except the finger leather. You will see much faster growth too with the zoo's.
 
snailheave

snailheave

Active Member
is current usa the same as outer orbit?
i like the outer orbit fixture because it doesn't have a bulky remote ballast.
 
reefnut

reefnut

Active Member
on a side note... if you are looking to keep a good selection of sps corals read up on "chemical warfare". You may not have any problems but it is something you should be aware of.
Dittos on the 250s
 
alextrif

alextrif

Member
thanks for the input - I may have to give you all some Xenia. If growth will be better with MH - I am going to have to learn to frag my Xenia - it already grows like a weed under the PC's.
How many hours would you run your MH after the acclimation period?
 
snipe

snipe

Active Member
After acclimating from 4 hours going up 1 hour a day I would run them 10 hours good medium mabey even 8 as the nut dose so your actinics will run for 1 hour before and after.
 
sammiefish

sammiefish

Member
I run my VHO actinics for 3 hours overlapping briefly to MH for 6 hours then overlapping to 3 hours VHOs again...
a total photoperiod of 12 hours... (MH for 6 hours a day preceded and followed by 3 hours VHO)
XM 20000K 2 x 250W on 75G
excellent results w/ Acropora, Montipora etc.
 
aldog51

aldog51

Member
I have the Coralife 48" the same one you are looking to buy. The moon lights totally rock compared to the the current ones. They are a cool blue which make the corals glow at night. The current moon lights are just a pale white.
 
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