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View Full Version : Outer orbit vs sunpod


JohnDinSD
02/25/2008, 12:53 AM
Well, I finally have the money for my 30g 20"x20"x20" reef tank, but I need some help with the lighting. I am torn between the 20" SunPod 150w and 24" Outer Orbit 150w. My reasoning for going with the Outer obit is my assumption that the corals would look better and maybe grow better. My reservation with the outer Orbit is the length, it is 24 " long; it would extend 2" beyond the edge of the tank at each end. I have never actually seen an Outer Orbit fixture and am not sure how the fluorescent bulbs are arranged. Can anyone tell me if the bulbs would extend beyond the edge of the aquarium, or would it just be the light fixture? Also, I have never seen a set up where the light fixture extended beyond the edge of the tank, any opinions on wether it would look odd?
I am intending to stock mainly with LPS, but would like the option for some SPS. Does anyone have recommendations for other lighting fixtures.

khoile
02/25/2008, 01:01 AM
I would go with the 20" SunPod. And if you really want T5, you can always buy a T5 only fixture, like this one:
18 inch Current USA Nova Extreme 2x20 watt T5 HO 10K/460nm (http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem.aspx?SearchStr=2x&action=view&idProduct=CU01136&idCategory=FILTFIT5T5&category=18_inch_Current_USA_Nova_Extreme_2x20_watt_T5_HO_10K_460nm_<20in_Units&vendor=)

JohnDinSD
02/25/2008, 10:51 AM
As an after thought, would 250w be too much?

nismo driver
02/25/2008, 11:25 AM
I have both of these fixtures, the 24" 150w outter orbit and the 250w 20" sunpod.

if you would like a clean look, no overlapping no multipul fixtures then go for the sunpod. i dont see any reason why the 250 would be too much as long as you acclimate al your corals to the new light properly. the nice part about he outter orbit though is that you can run the florecent lights to view the tank with out blasting it with the heat and intensity of the HQI. i set mine for the actinic to come on an hour before the halide and stay on for two hours after the halide turns off. the LEDS on the sunpod do put out some light and accent the colors of the corals but its hardly enough to realyl illuminate the tank for observation.

I took the 250w parts out of the sunpod and put them in the outter orbit to get the best of both fixtures. now i can run the florecent for dawn effect then those shut off when the HQI fires and the actinics come back on at the end of the HQI cycle.

JohnDinSD
02/25/2008, 06:46 PM
Thanks for the reply. So if I used the Outer Orbit on a 20" tank, would the bulbs overlap or just the fixture. Also how lang does the MH stay on?
Thanks.

nismo driver
02/25/2008, 08:41 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11940801#post11940801 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JohnDinSD
Thanks for the reply. So if I used the Outer Orbit on a 20" tank, would the bulbs overlap or just the fixture. Also how lang does the MH stay on?
Thanks.

i have the older compact florecent version, so for that model you would have a few inchs of the bulbs casting light over the right side of a 20 inch tank. with the newer t5 model the bulbs are more centered because of the end caps on either side so you would have less bulb over the sides of a 20 inch tank. the legs are full adjustable so that would work or you can hang it.

JohnDinSD
02/25/2008, 10:26 PM
Thanks, I appreciate the help.