Who makes 60" t5 canopies?

[ghost]

like the title says, who makes a 60" t5 canopy?

[hahnmeister]

Fauna-Marin, ATI, Grotech

[ghost]

any links?

[ReefRockerLive]

Fauna Marin UltraSolaris 4 Bulb Fixture (http://www.aquariumobsessed.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AO&Product_Code=FM-USOL4x80&Category_Code=FM-LX)

6 Bulb fixture (http://www.aquariumobsessed.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=AO&Product_Code=FM-USOL6x80&Category_Code=FM-LX)

You can email or call ReefGeek and get some pricing on the ATI fixtures.

As for the Grotech, I don't know where you'd find them here in the U.S, maybe Hahnmeister knows.

[hahnmeister]

http://www.captiveoceans.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=CO&Category_Code=APPL

not cheap though... FWIW, I would look into the ATI or the Fauna-Marin. Right now, they both seem to be having problems with the 60" fixtures... parts wise. See, in the US, 80watt ballasts are harder to find, more expensive, etc. When Fauna-Marin prices were posted on Aquarium Obsessed, I thought it was too good to be true... the full fixtures with active cooling, better reflectors, etc were the same price as a Tek retrofit at reefgeek.com!!! Thats a freakin' steal! See, in 220v, 80watt ballasts are more common and less expensive... but not 110v!

Within the last couple weeks though, I have heard that some people that F-M was having trouble filling their orders for the 60" fixtures... I dont know how much of this is just mumbo-jumbo though, or perhaps just back-ordering, since I know F-M is back ordered by about a month right now. Claude, owner of F-M (I think) has responded to requests for 60" fixtures on RC with positive remarks though, even offering to make a 8 bulb unit of something custom if needed.

For my order of dual 4x54watt Ultra-Solaris units, Claude even offered to ship direct from Germany if I needed my units faster.

As for ATI, Ive heard that they are having problems just getting things going. reefgeek seems to be offering good discounts to those who pre-order... matching the price of the F-M units and including bulbs like the F-M, as it seems ATI is having some problems and wont be able to start shipping ATI powermodules until late march. The ATI does seem that it would be the better performer of the two, and it looks dead sexy too, but there is just no telling how long until they actually make it here. The cool thing about the powermodules is that they also come in 10 and 12 bulb configurations, and arent that thick (I think the 10 bulb unit is 20" thick). Their main advantage over any other fixture is their output as well. They have double the PAR of the exact same bulbs running in a Tek. Silver coated reflectors, heat-sensing ballasts, active cooling, etc... hard to beat. The pre-order price is also a relative steal... theres just nothing for sure about when they will get here.

[mrpet]

hey hahn this is what i know so far from andrew at aq ob the problem with the 60" fm hoods is that they have to use six individual ballast and are worried about heat issues i have been waiting over a month and still do not have an answer. andrew has looked for a north american supplier for 2x80 ballast and there is none? now im kinda stuck not sure what im going to do?
guess i may have to go with 3 of the 6 lamp ic retros? tank is 72x48x25 unless u think i could get away with two of them. or i will just have to shell out alot more money for the ati 60" powermods? anyway any input would be great...

[hahnmeister]

Yeah... no good ones at least. See, with 220v, the ballasts dont have to 'upconvert' as much voltage... and they are in effect, more efficient ballasts. Its small, but if you compare most any company's 110v and 220v ballasts, the 220s are slightly more efficient. This doesnt seem like alot, but it adds up into more heat, more wiring, etc. So no, there arent 2x80wattT5 ballasts made in 110v really. And so yeah... that means 80watt fixtures need one ballast for each bulb. I dont think it means much for the heat output, but it does mean alot for Fauna's bottom line... those ballasts arent cheap. They cost more than a 2x54watt ballast, thats for sure. About half the cost of a 5' Tek retro is in the ballasts... the bulbs, reflectors, endcaps, etc are the cheap parts. Thats why when I saw those FM 5' units priced the way they are, I set off the alarm... the price is too good to be true almost. It seems Aquarium Obsessed and FM might have jumped the gun on those 5' units.

It might be in their best interest to stick with 220v ballasts, and instead sell their units with 110v-220v/60hz-50hz converters like Giesemann does. Then they can keep their 220v OSRAMs as is.

[mrpet]

well i asked i could get them in 220v which would be fine but i guess not what about giesemann do they have units that would work for me?

[hahnmeister]

I dont think so... the Giesemann units so far dont use the individual parabolic reflectors. Tunze doesnt have anything either, nor Aqua Medic... its a shame really... you would think that these big three mfg's that are already importing to the US would be on the ball... but no.