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Bursa
12/11/2007, 06:03 PM
What do people think of these?

Looking at 2 to cover a 48" tank.

Are the reflectors big enough?

Thanks

zma21
12/11/2007, 06:07 PM
Cheap.

Save a bit longer and buy a worthwhile light.

Bursa
12/11/2007, 06:09 PM
Not an issue of $$ but rather an issue of space.

My other option is 2 MH pendants from the ceiling.

zma21
12/11/2007, 06:11 PM
I've owned both the viper clamp lamp and the hamilton reef star.

I recommend the reef star.

But also the coralife clip ons are NICE in my opinion.

Bursa
12/11/2007, 07:04 PM
Really? I have heard the opposite about the Coralife clip on. Most people dont like it.

racksteris
12/11/2007, 07:33 PM
Stay away from JBJ.

stevelkaneval
12/11/2007, 07:57 PM
sorry for hijacking, but would a clip on be enough to cover a 20 long its 30 inches long. if i got the 150 watt and put my shrooms off to the sides and the more light demanding in the middle?

3fins
12/11/2007, 08:16 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11365016#post11365016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by racksteris
Stay away from JBJ.



yes, far FAR FAR away!:)
cheap lights,
-James

cherubfish pair
12/11/2007, 10:06 PM
I have two Coralife pendants for sale or trade on the trading forum. They're very nice and adjustable. I decided not to go with a 48" tank.

zma21
12/11/2007, 10:08 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11365016#post11365016 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by racksteris
Stay away from JBJ.

:lol:

I can't belive you'd say such a thing!

Do you work for current?

the_anti_honda
12/23/2007, 12:56 PM
No its the truth. Most JBJ products are serious crap including those vipers. If you need something to clip on the coralife fixture is not bad at all.

tonyespinoza
12/23/2007, 02:27 PM
had a great experience with my 150W JBJ Viper over the past 6 months... i'll change the bulb in January and that'll be the real test (i've heard they are hard to crack open after they've been running for a while -- expansion, maybe?). Not sure what's so "cheap" about them... i run mine on a 29G AGA and it's just about perfect.

Rosseau
12/23/2007, 02:50 PM
For whatever reason I have 2 x 70W HQI's over a 24" long tank. (DIY, bought ballast, bulb and reflector). ballast ~ $40, bulb ~$20-70... there is a decent selection of bulbs out there.

Sometimes I wish I had more power, though they give me a great spread over the tank and I'm able to offset the on/off cycles as you mentioned above.

How deep will your tank be?

racksteris
12/23/2007, 05:13 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11444459#post11444459 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by the_anti_honda
No its the truth. Most JBJ products are serious crap including those vipers. If you need something to clip on the coralife fixture is not bad at all.

You are so right man. I would never get anything from JBJ again.

cwilson
12/23/2007, 05:26 PM
bursa,
two JBJ's are NOT enough to cover a 48" tank. disregarding quality of light, bulb spectrum, height off of water, or anything, you must consider the design of the light itself. those lights have TINY reflectors, which would really limit the area you can illuminate. if ou were to try to use the JBJ clip-ons, even with the 150W you would have a "spotlight" effect on your tank (two circles of light, and everywhere else is unlit).

if you want to use halides to get the shimmer lines and definition, i would look elsewhere. you can find some nice offordable, T5 lights in 48", but complete ballests for 48" will cost you all kinds of cash. but if you just want halides, which there is nothjing wrong with that (i had a 46gal bowfront with 2X150W), i would get 2X250W pendants. i know i just said i had the 2X150W, but if i could do it all over, i wouldve got 250's

please keep in mind that i have never used the JBJ's, it is just something i instantly noticed about them and i know reflectors can make a huge difference in lighting.

also, im assuming we are talking about tthe JBJ K2 Viper?
and im assuming the 48" to be a 55? (48X12X22). if your tank is 18" wide, WITHOUT A DOUBT go for the 250W

good luck and let us know what you choose to do! :)

3VoL
12/23/2007, 06:15 PM
for the amount of $$ you are spending why dont you buy a nice slim t5 set-up? Heat will not be an issue like Mh will. Also I have a viper 150watt Mh on my tank, they seem to work really well. The people knocking them, have they owned it?

Conductive
12/23/2007, 08:02 PM
I have had a 70watt viper over my 6 gallon eclipse for a few months now, and am pretty happy so far. My sps and clam seem to be doing fine. Really, my only complaint is that the color of the stock 14k bulb is a bit too blue for my taste. Also, ive read that this bulb loses intensity rather fast, so i'm planning on switching to a Helios 12,500k sometime in the near future.
Hello christmas moneys! http://www.commodityaxis.com/ProductData.aspx?id=57

cherubfish pair
12/23/2007, 09:08 PM
Rosseau, what do you mean off set on/off cycles?

I'm wondering how a 70w viper would do on my fuge.

racksteris
12/23/2007, 11:57 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11366466#post11366466 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by zma21
:lol:

I can't belive you'd say such a thing!

Do you work for current?

You have your self to thank for that.........

cwilson
12/24/2007, 09:13 AM
sorry i should have been clearer.

i believe the viper would be a poor decision for a 48" tank. i was recently considering setting up a nano, and that wouldve been the first light i choose. also, i would not hesitate to use them to light a sump/fuge

conductive- theres no doubt in my mind that the viper works wonders on your tank, but would you feel comforable putting two of those on a 48" tank with nothing else?

so i guess i was not knocking them, i was jst say i wouldnt use hem for that big of a tank. if im totally wrong, please let me know.

b0bby1
12/24/2007, 09:34 AM
i've owned the coralife and the jbj clip on and the better of the two is jbj. i get better coverage with it and seems pretty reliable. the coralife randomly stopped working one day. look at reviews on all of coralifes products, they are terrible. jbj make one of the best chillers out there and they have a pretty nice nanocube that they make. i don't personally have one, i have a finnex.

zma21
12/24/2007, 11:39 AM
Interesting post, bobby.

I have owned the viper, and I really liked the coralife. However, I'll do more research now on the coralife. Thanks!

the_anti_honda
12/24/2007, 06:18 PM
JBJ doesn't make their own chillers thats why they are good.

I have owned both lights and the JBJ puts out crap for coverage. Yea it might work well on a gold fish bowl but any real tank large then 5 gallons I wouldn't even bother.

Do yourself a favor and buy a good lighting setup it will be worth it to you 10 fold.

He who buys cheap buys twice in this hobby.

cwilson
12/24/2007, 07:50 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11451510#post11451510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by the_anti_honda


He who buys cheap buys twice in this hobby.



AGREED!!!

cwilson
12/24/2007, 07:50 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11451510#post11451510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by the_anti_honda


He who buys cheap buys twice in this hobby.



AGREED!!!

Rosseau
12/24/2007, 08:28 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11446797#post11446797 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by cherubfish pair
Rosseau, what do you mean off set on/off cycles?

I'm wondering how a 70w viper would do on my fuge.

Rather than turning all of the lights on at once and going straight from dark to light, with more lights you can turn one on and then the other on to limit the potential shock of light on/light off.

On your fuge! Is that necessary?

cherubfish pair
12/24/2007, 09:01 PM
Oh, not on my fuge.

cherubfish pair
12/24/2007, 09:03 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11451510#post11451510 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by the_anti_honda
JBJ doesn't make their own chillers thats why they are good. Who does?

Conductive
12/25/2007, 02:24 AM
conductive- theres no doubt in my mind that the viper works wonders on your tank, but would you feel comforable putting two of those on a 48" tank with nothing else?
[/B]

All I know is the coverage would be fine. Also, the unit seems to be good quality, though I havn't really had it long enough to bet the farm. As far as luminance, it's hard to say. If there are any other photographers here, i could get a exposure reading for a comparison.

cwilson
12/26/2007, 08:15 AM
then i appologize for assuming. :)

i was just always under the impression that the smaller the reflector the light has, that harder it is for the light illuminate a wider area.

and i know my halide (coralife advanced 2X150W) can cover a rather wide area, and ive seen other pendants/fixtures that connot do as good of a job.

but i have never seen the JBJ clip-on running. ive only seen them on shelves. again, sorry for the assumption.

we dont need any asses here, me or anyone else :rolleyes: