Nova Extreme by Current USA

[young_Skywalker]

I was wondering if anyone has used these fixtures and what your opinion was? I was under the impression that Current lights were a quality fixture, but someone has recently told me differently.

[dzeadow]

I have one and I guess it's alright. I don't have anyone local to me with any different setups that I've checked out to know any different. I know I've been told with the fixture I have (4x24) on my 45g cube, I'm borderline w/ keeping lps and "no-go" on sps and clams. But I think I might get another 2x24 and throw it on there and see what happens. They put out fairly nice light, but like I said, I haven't seen any other bulbs to tell you the difference.

[pIankton]

I had the 4 bulb 4 footer over a 75 for a while and it worked just fine for me. Once I went to a 24" deep tank though, it didn't cut the mustard at all. Personally, I'd go with something different if you can - something with individual reflectors. It does make a HUGE difference.

[Chibils]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11066016#post11066016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pIankton
Personally, I'd go with something different if you can - something with individual reflectors. It does make a HUGE difference. +1

[serum153]

I am using the 48" 4x54 nova extreme on my 55 and it does it's job. I am not having a problem with lps, softies, crocea clam or my nem. I would have gotten an aquactinics fixture if I didn't get this one for free. One of my moonlights went out which is a little annoying, but other than that it is a good fixture.

[Iguana79]

I have the 36" on my seahorse tank. Its 40g and I have some Pulsing Xenia's and Macro algae that is growing very well. Not Keeping anything major as I said, this is a seahorse tank. Tank has only been up and running for a month and already have seen a difference. Good luck!

[hahnmeister]

These fixtures may seem low cost, but you get what you pay for... and pay an pay and pay...

Due to lack of individual parabolic reflectors, the output is about 1/3 of what a unit with individual parabolic reflectors would make. You may say to yourself... 'yeah, but I dont want to pay for a higher end unit', but the truth is, you will pay more for this unit, and fast.

1/3 the output... Tested and proven. That means you can use a 2 bulb retrofit of fixture (usually about $130-150) and get more light. So right there, its been beat out.

Then, they are cheap chinese bulbs which have to be replaced in the first 6-9 months. More cost.

And then, you are paying for the bulbs and electricity that you could have just used 1.3 bulbs to get. So thats about 3x the bulb replacement cost, and 3x the electricity.

This fixture just doesnt make sense. Its a waste of money.

[young_Skywalker]

thanks for the info guys, but I do have another question then. I have a 10 gallon tank that I'm trying to find a light for. what would your suggestions be then?

[hahnmeister]

Get a 15L instead. Then you can use 2' T5s.

[Rekonn]

Would two T5's in a 15L be enough for lower light SPS? (stylophora, monti cap, birdsnest).

I'd like to set up a 15L that way for a QT tank, where I'd keep frags for a month or so before they get into the display. My main tank has a 4x54W SLS retro kit with 2 Blue Plus (http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/54W_Actinic_Plus_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_Giesemann) , 1 11K Aquablue (http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/54W_11000K_Aquablue_Plus_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_Giesemann) and 1 GE 6500K (http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Bulbs/54W_6500K_Daylight_T5_HO_Fluorescent_by_General_Electric).

[hahnmeister]

Not for long. Even with a 'power combo' of a 2x24wattT5 w/ 1x ATI blue+ and 1x UVL 10,000K, I get a reading on the PAR meter of only about 150 at the very very top of the tank. The good thing is that the bottom of the tank still gets 100. This would be good for medium to lower light corals, but even lower light SPS might starve out in the long run unless right at the very top (like 2-3" under the water surface). If temporary, they should be ok. Otherwise, for the long run, 4x24 is in order.

[Rekonn]

Thanks hahnmeister, good to know. Time to see if I can find something used, paying ~$300 for QT lighting is rough.

[glassbox-design]

hahn can you direct me towards those tests? i have yet to come across any hard numbers.

eric

[Mark75]

I have a 4-39watt Nova Extreme over a 30 gallon long tank. I have several sps growing great! I even have acros bleaching. I think if Current priced these fixtures higher they would not get bashed like they do. I do not believe 2 T5's with individual reflectors would put out more light than my 4 bulb single reflector. I am sure individual reflectors are better but not that much better. The bulbs and ballast have to be doing something, right? From the way some of you guys talk you don't even need bulbs or ballast just stick a bunch of these magic reflectors in there and you are good to go.

[siwelk]

do you have any pictures of your tank? im looking at the same fixture (Nova Extreme 4x39w) for my 30 breeder? most people seem to think that theyre not good cause they dont have individual reflectors but a guy at my LFS runs one over his 30 breeder and its sps dominated.

[saltysupply]

Ive heared mixed reviews as you can see, most have been happy with them...its all about budget with them really:)

[hahnmeister]

Flint&Eric,
I just did the test because I happen to have a 2x24watt SLR retrofit lighting my refugium with those bulbs (refugium is 24x13x16"h). I didnt do a grid or anything, but just moved the PAR sensor under the bulbs (UVL 10,000K and ATI blue+) at various areas to get a general idea how much light there really is. I got consistent readings (no hot spots like with halides) across every level, except the edges, as you would expect. The PAR readings even just a few inches under the water never went above 150. My bulbs are 6 months old. I did turn the fans off for the test though... my fixture has alot of airflow, to the point its almost not fair to compare. So its possible with fans that the PAR might be as high as 180. This is pretty much low range for SPS though, even deepwaters. Id shoot for something that makes at least 200-250 at the top or else those SPS wont do too hot long run. Most deepwaters I keep are in the 200-250 range.

Mark75, the light that gets reflected back into the bulb, or into another bulb, or exits the light fixture at an angle more than 45degrees from the water surface (glare) with the flat reflectors is huge. Its not so much that the individual parabolics 'make' more light, since its impossible to destroy energy, but that the individual parabolics direct more of that light down into the tank that much better. There was a test in Germany (www.meerwasserforum.com) that illustrated this on a grid. The indivudual parabolics dont 'create' 3x as much light, but they do create an average increase of light in the tank that is 3x that of a flat reflector... and the 'inferior' reflector they were testing to compare wasnt even a flat reflector, it was a single large parabolic where 4 bulbs were arranged inside. The individual reflector unit was either an Aquaconnect lumimaster or Fauna-Marin Solaris unit, so they are hardly the 'top end' for T5 reflectors even (like an Icecap SLR).

When I do the next round of T5 reflector tests, I can do a comparison with a flat reflector I suppose. I have done it before, but just not as 'controlled'. I have to compare the IC SLR, Tek2 (again with those two for a reference point), to the arcadia, Aquatinics, and a couple other T5 reflectors possibly. So you can see for yourself.

The short response to your 'challenge' though: yes, a 2 bulb system with individual parabolic reflectors will make more light than a 4 bulb system w/ a flat reflector.

[DarG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11180591#post11180591 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Flint&Eric
hahn can you direct me towards those tests? i have yet to come across any hard numbers.

eric

Me too. I asked as well, AGAIN, after this thread was first posted and was not replied to. I thought that maybe somebody actually did a real test, but I guess not. Still alot of smoke and no fire if you ask me. Now, claims of "tested and proven" are being made. But still no links to the numbers. Until I see them I will continue to guess that the single reflector Nova has a little more than half the output of the individually reflectored T5 set-up. Thats just my eyes based on personal experience with both reflector types over my tank, but as far as im concerned thats alot better and more believable than "tested and proven" without any links to the testing.

[hahnmeister]

http://www.korallenriff.de/artikel/427_Einzelreflektoren_bei_T5.._Wie_wichtig_sind_Sie_.html

That may not be the best one, but its a start. Most of the grid testing of T5s I have seen is at the German sites. I never posted/published mine... there was little demand since a few of us were coming up with the same results.

Here is another German one...
http://www.meerwasserforum.com/thread.php?threadid=28951

[DarG]

The Nova extreme reflector is not exactly flat. It does curve at the edges of the reflector (at the outsides of the outside bulbs). What this translates to I dont know but without testing I dont think one can infer that it is the same as a completely flat reflector. It would atleast have some effect on the light from the outer most bulbs. If it is just the outside bulbs that get any benefit from having the reflector extend down on one side of them, then on an 8 bulb Nova, percentage wise, it wouldnt make a big number difference. But it would moreso on a 4 bulb Nova and more again on the 2 bulb version (which I think actually already uses the "W" bent reflector.

Another issue is that generalizations about the Current USA Nova extremes will not be accurate as the reflector re-design is supposed to be in their fixtures soon. I suspect that these will be a single sheet that is bent "around" each bulb. Not a true individual if it ends up being like this but again, inferences from testing completely flat reflectors will not necessarily apply. These will have to be tested as they are.

Finally ... stating that "a 2 bulb system with individual parabolic reflectors will make more light than a 4 bulb system w/ a flat reflector" is not the same as "1/3 the output... Tested and proven".

I'm not using a Nova extreme, I use two T5's with SLR reflectors so it's not like Im taking up the cause for the Nova fixture from any type of user bias. It would just be nice to put the whole issue to be by actually measuring THIS fixture and comparing the number rather than hearing claims that range all over the place with no actual, real, valid testing to back it up. I already know that there is signifigantly more light in the tank from using individual reflectors vs. a single larger reflector. How much more is the question and it is still unanswered with any certianty.

[hahnmeister]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11182515#post11182515 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DarG
Finally ... stating that "a 2 bulb system with individual parabolic reflectors will make more light than a 4 bulb system w/ a flat reflector" is not the same as "1/3 the output... Tested and proven".

Its not the same, but one doesnt contradict the other. They are both possible at the same time, and I am not using one to prove the other. They are merely two similar results. It is in the details man... I did qualify each statement differently.

[geno658]

Customer service says it all for me! I purchased a 36" nova light and had problems after about a week of use, one of the ballast's was defective, Current USA did not want anything to do with troubleshooting, repairing, or helping out. Very rude on the phone and difficult to get answers from. The vendor I purchased it from thought the bulbs might be bad, however couldn't get any of the cheap bulbs current sells with the lights. After waiting several weeks for replacement bulbs, they arrived, worked for a couple days, till the defective ballast burned them out. After a month and a half I finally got a replacement fixture for the defective unit! Not a happy customer!! Aquatinics all the way if you can afford it!

[glassbox-design]

well said darG. couldnt agree more.

here a pic when we ran 4x24 nova over 20H. they are not the best lights, but they do work and grow sps well. we knew we'd only have them for around a year and then upgrade so they served their purpose well. i just sold the unit to a friend who will be gutting it and adding SLR's.

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y76/jettachez/DSCF1868.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y76/jettachez/DSCF1873.jpg

[DarG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11182817#post11182817 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by geno658
Customer service says it all for me! I purchased a 36" nova light and had problems after about a week of use, one of the ballast's was defective, Current USA did not want anything to do with troubleshooting, repairing, or helping out. Very rude on the phone and difficult to get answers from. The vendor I purchased it from thought the bulbs might be bad, however couldn't get any of the cheap bulbs current sells with the lights. After waiting several weeks for replacement bulbs, they arrived, worked for a couple days, till the defective ballast burned them out. After a month and a half I finally got a replacement fixture for the defective unit! Not a happy customer!! Aquatinics all the way if you can afford it!

And it's not always bad either ... I had nothing but friendly and helpful customer service experiences with Current USA on more than one occassion. Only one of them was because of an actual problem and it was a Demo unit that I bought for cheap knowing of and because of the issue. The ballasts are fine too (Ive been inside the fixture).


That said, if I had to buy a T5 fixture I would choose the Aquactinics in a heatbeat over a Current USA. It's a better fixture. But I can afford it. Not everyone can.

[siwelk]

just ordered the new Nova Extreme Pro (indiv. reflec.) T5H0 6x39w fixture last night from drsfostersmith.com for $300. we'll see how their attempt at individual reflectors goes.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+16770&pcatid=16770

http://www.current-usa.com/nova_extreme_pro

[DarG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11201618#post11201618 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by siwelk
just ordered the new Nova Extreme Pro (indiv. reflec.) T5H0 6x39w fixture last night from drsfostersmith.com for $300. we'll see how their attempt at individual reflectors goes.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+16770&pcatid=16770

http://www.current-usa.com/nova_extreme_pro

Are you sure those are the new Nova Extreme Pros?
I dont see anything about then being the new Pro fixtures on the foster and smith link. Current still has the regular Extremes with the single reflector and thats what it looks like those are in your link. Unless Im missing the Pro designation somewhere.

[siwelk]

the Nova Extreme Pros are listed under Nova Extreme Saltwater. they are listed as Model:

NEW 36" - 234w 6x39
NEW 48" - 324w 6x39
NEW 72" - 468w 12x39


i called drsfostersmith to verify, they said it was the new Nova Extreme Pro.

[DarG]

Cool.