I have to ask the LIGHT EXPERTS...which one is better?

[pimp4cheddar]

I'm look around for Power Compact units and I stumbled across two fixtures... I can't tell which one is better.

Current Dual Sat:
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~30_inch_2x65_Watt_Current_USA_PowerCompact_Dual_Satellite_Fixture_Saltwater_Aqu arium_Supplies_Lighting_Light_Fixtures_Power_Compact_30_Inch_Fixtures~vendor~Current_USA~SearchStr~~ action~view~idProduct~CU01014~idCategory~FILTFIPCTH~tab~0.html (Light #1)


Current Orbit:
http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~action~view~idProduct~CU01022~idCategory~FILTFIPCTH~category~30_Inch_Fixtures-Power_Compact-Light_Fixtures-Lighting-Saltwater_Aquarium_Supplies~vendor~~tab~0.html (Light #2)



Both of them are made by Current...and include 2-65watt bulbs.

The Dual Sat has 2 fans and the Orbit has 1.

If anyone can please explain these two units to me alittle better and also point out some Pros and Cons...it would be great.


Thank you so much,

[ShootMe]

Can you tell why you are looking for a Power Compact unit? Both T5 and metal halide lighting systems offer several advantages compared to Power Compact lights which need to be replaced ever 6-8 months and will only allow for a very limited section of coral to be kept.

Between the orbit and the satellite there is no real difference between the shape of the hood. The orbit is described as being more "European".

If this is for the 30 gallon tank then i suggest you bite the bullet and get either a 24" sunpod or the 24" tek units. Both are very good units and are heads and tails above what any Power Compact light.

[pimp4cheddar]

I'm thinking of going Power Compact because it's cheaper and also fits my tank well... I have a 29 gallon tank and it's 30inches wide.


T5's are too expensive...and I'm not really picky about what corals I get...I'm going mostly for shrums and lps...

I should be okay with 130 watts of power in my tank right?

Thanks for the input.

Any other suggestions?

[pimp4cheddar]

Also... something like this:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~idProduct~SL2111.html


Is only 96watts of complete power...How is that better than 130 watts from a Power Compact unit... What should I look for and how is T5 better than Power Compact?

[ShootMe]

First you need to forget the idea that X amount of watts in a PC light = X amount of watts in a T5 or Metal Halide light. 100 watts of PC’s DO NOT equal 100 watts of T5 ect. PC’s are cheap because for the most part they are an old and obsolete technology only used on very small tanks that can not fit T5’s or Metal halides and even those are being replaced with LED lights. The bulb life of a PC light is only 6-8 months, so every 6-8 months you will be spending $40 on replacement bulbs while metal halide lights can last up to 12 months and T5’s can last a little bit longer then metal halide bulbs. In the long run the cost of replacing the PC bulbs more frequency makes it a more expensive unit to run.

T5’s are better than power compacts for a number of reasons. First there are many more types of T5 bulbs then PC bulbs which allows you to customize your lighting spectrum colors until you get the color you like the most. Second when fitted with individual reflectors such as the ones that come in the tek units it allows much more light from each bulb to reach the water. Light from a PC bulb is much more likely to hit the reflector and reflect back into the bulb due to the size of the PC bulb and the poor quality of the reflector.
At some point you will be in your local fish store, see a coral that you really want yet can’t keep with pc lighting. It’s better to spend the extra money now and get the best lighting upfront then having to upgrade later.

Head over to reefgeek.com as you can get the 24” tek with bulbs for about the same price as listed at marine depot which does not include the bulbs. You will also need to buy/make a hanging kit or the mounting legs for the light.

[nikon187]

agree whole heartatly. PC get old way to fast and heat up way to much.You will spend more money on the PC fixture within the first year with the replacment bulbs.

[Gregsgsr]

get the 30 inch t5 unit for sale. Dont waste money on power compact. I did the same a long time age and i had to upgrade not worth it for the money

[pimp4cheddar]

Thanks guys, I know your probably going crazy...but I'm new to this...

Hows this:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~category~30_inch_Current_USA_Nova_Extreme_2x24_watt_T5_HO_10K_460nm_30in_Units~vendor~Cu rrent_USA~SearchStr~nove+extreme%2ct5+ho%2c460nm~action~view~idProduct~CU01137~idCategory~FILTFIT53U ~tab~0.html

[pimp4cheddar]

My tank is only 29 gallons and is 30'' inches long. I'm not going to get crazy corals...but I want a nice blue tint to my water. I also don't want to spend $300 onlights...

[Milhouse]

Have you looked at the Current Sundial? It's T5's which seems to be a bad word to you, but they have a 30" version. I have it over my sons 29g. I think it's a great fixture for the money. I definitely recommend T5's.

[E.intheC]

I'd go with the T-5 lights then, for sure. especially because the tank is a bit tall

[pimp4cheddar]

T5's aren't a bad word at all...it's just their kinda pricy...that's all.

I love the way they look, but I have a 30 gallon tank. I honestly don't want to spend tons of money on lights if it's not needed. That's why I put the Power Compact idea out there. I just checked out the Sundials and they look beautiful...just $150 more than I wanted

[Milhouse]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14185998#post14185998 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pimp4cheddar
T5's aren't a bad word at all...it's just their kinda pricy...that's all.

I love the way they look, but I have a 30 gallon tank. I honestly don't want to spend tons of money on lights if it's not needed. That's why I put the Power Compact idea out there. I just checked out the Sundials and they look beautiful...just $150 more than I wanted

Well, unfortunately I don't think you'll get an answer you want since no one likes PC's, lol. So moral of the story is pick whichever seems like a better deal to you. I personally would just save up more money because I don't care for PC's, but it's your call.

[nikon187]

It may be chaeper now but within the year you will have spent the extra money that you would have on the T5 in bulb replacements for the PC fixture. PC aren't bad, they can grow the easier corals just fine they just are an old, ineffcient lighting source. They also get quite warm ( T5 do as well but not as much so less heat transfered to the tank)

A nice blue tint with PC would be a 50/50 bulb and an actinic but this combo will have lower par for growing corals

[fredddy]

I'm new to reef central,I do have pc lighting over a 46 gallon bowfront.36"coralife fixture 96 watt 50/50 and a 24" lunar aqualight fixture 2x65 watt(one true atinic and one 10000k daylight.)I do have to say the bulbs are getting more and more expensive all the time but I am satisfied with the lighting for now.softie tank(squamosa clam,bubble coral,blue and green shrooms.kenya and colti trees,leather corals lots of green star polyps all doing great .If I ever get enough money I will upgrade my lighting,but for now it's just fine.

[spsfreak]

If you are only keeing softies and or LPS, your fine with PC, otherwise I would go with something else. Agian, they are not as efficient and cool as t5's but they will get the job done.

[horsefarm5]

Just do yourself a favor and check the cost of the bulbs...you'll be buying pc bulbs twice each year...t5s less than one time each year

[pimp4cheddar]

Let's Edit This Post:

Okay...

How about this:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+13822+16770&pcatid=16770


I'm being honest here...I'm looking to spend as little money as possible. Any ideas or links for what I should be looking for. There's a limited selection for 30''inch fixtures.

Thanks folks

[Milhouse]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14188005#post14188005 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by pimp4cheddar
Let's Edit This Post:

Okay...

How about this:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+3733+13822+16770&pcatid=16770


I'm being honest here...I'm looking to spend as little money as possible. Any ideas or links for what I should be looking for. There's a limited selection for 30''inch fixtures.

Thanks folks

People will probably tell you not to bother with that and just go with the PC's. T5's work best with individual reflectors. Also, I'm not sure two T5's of that wattage would be any better than the two PC's. I really think you'd want 4 bulbs. No offense, but can't you just save up a little more? There's probably a t5 fixture with two bulbs with individual reflectors even.

[pimp4cheddar]

HOLY MOLY...

I honestly have no idea what to look for. I saw a few tanks with T5's and they look much nicer than PC...

I suppose I could save up and find some nice T5's, however, after reading all the post on this thread...I'm still uneasy about what to look for in a T5.

There seems to be about 10 different things to look for in lights. I'm going simple coral...I pretty much don't care about the coral...I just want my tank to have the color setup.


I suppose PC won't give me a tank looking like this:

http://www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=256287&st=0



So the question is...what T5 will? Keep in mind...it's only a 30 gallon tank, 30inches long...

[nikon187]

The fixture in your link looks to be a TEK light. Although i don't ever recall seeing those particular legs before but they coud be custom. What you are looking for in T5 is individual reflectors for each bulb ( Not one for all) Colour has more to do with the individual bulb choices rather than fixture though. A good mix would be
2 ATI Blue + bulbs
2 ATI Aquable + bulbs

[pimp4cheddar]

So what would the cheapest place to find some T5's be? I'm searched:

ReefCentral
ReefGeek
HelloLights
MarineDepot
DrFosters


Any others...???

Thanks for all the help folks

[Gilraen]

http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp18360/si2949168/cl0/currentusanovaextreme302x24wt510000kfreshwater

I've been told that 2 of those will grow pretty much any coral that I want.

Hope that helps :)

[Tahoe Reefer]

look at the slr current fixtures. could you hang a fixture? then you could put a24" fixture over your tank. the four bulb one is a pretty good deal at dr F&S. maybe you could double up the 30" 2 bulb fixture. How bout a retrofit kit? someone had some good deals on those over xmas maybe the sale is still going.

[Tahoe Reefer]

whoa im not that guy Lets Go Cubbies!!!!!!!

[cubsFAN]

im me again
good luck

LETS GO GUBBIES!!!!!!! I think RED HUT =Delicious

[zachfishman]

I too am looking to light a 29, and have been looking at both T5's and PC's. I am very tempted by this 2x65watt 30" fixture at Hellolights for under $150:
http://www.hellolights.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=214

T5's have efficiency advantages over PC for sure, but I doubt that a 2x24watt T5 system will produce the light a 2x65 watt PC hood would. I'd have to buy a 4x24watt T5HO hood for my 29 (at $200+) and also buy two new bulbs to swap out some stock ones (another $50) to get good spectrum. That's $100 more in total. Also, with T5's I'll have to replace 4 bulbs every ~18months vs 2 PC bulbs every 9mo, which is cost equal (4x$25 every 18 regardless of fixture).

I'm also not going after clams and Acro's so the PCs should serve my softie/LPS/zoo tank well. What do you think?

[zachfishman]

Also pimp4cheddar, PCs will grow your shrooms and LPS for you just fine. My 120 is lit by 130 watts of PC and a 40watt NO 20k tube - and I grow both just fine. (The LPS are all in the top 12" of the tank though).

EDIT: but this thread stalled in Jan! of '09!!! What did you end up buying pimp4cheddar? How do you like it?