how do current-usa hqi fixtures perform with quality bulbs?

[Nerdy Nudi]

I know everyone usually tosses the included 150w bulb, but how do the sunpod/sundial fixtures perform with replacements?

some of these fixtures are priced really well, probably due to a newer unit on the way, which is why I am looking to use one of these over a solana.

are there certain bulbs that do better with the current-usa hqi ballasts?

I wont be doing a full blown sps tank, but would like to be able to get a quality lamp that will retain its performance and stability with the c-usa hqi ballasts.

phoenix, ushio, giesemann? what do you use?

[DarG]

They dont use an "HQI" ballast. They use an electronic ballast that will fire HQI lamps. That said, the stock bulb isnt all that bad and I have seen yellower looking 10K's than what comes with the current 150 watt halide fixtures.

As with most any budget halide fixture, the reflectors are small, the light spread is limited and the hot spot is pretty intense relative to the top pendants which are also larger as well as better designed. Coverage should still be fine over the Solana cube (24 gal or 34 gal ... dont know if they have a larger one or not). But I thought they came with that cool looking globe halide fixture.

I used the ballast with one of their fixtures for a little while. It fired every bulb I tried in it. Obviously I didnt try every bulb made but they are decent electronic ballasts and should allow you to run just about any 150 watt lamp.

[Nerdy Nudi]

thanks darg,

I am getting the tank and light separately, not the globe pendant that it is usually accompanied with.

I am hoping the light spread is better on those fixtures rather than with the globe.

are there any ballast/bulb/reflector combos you feel perform appreciably better for $300?

[DarG]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14852790#post14852790 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Nerdy Nudi
thanks darg,

I am getting the tank and light separately, not the globe pendant that it is usually accompanied with.

I am hoping the light spread is better on those fixtures rather than with the globe.

are there any ballast/bulb/reflector combos you feel perform appreciably better for $300?

Which Solana is it? I know there are a few different models? What are the tank dimensions?

The thing is this ... the popular seperate reflector/pendants come in various sizes. THe smaller versions of the, probably, two most popular brands are square, symmetrical reflectors that are designed for optimum coverage of a 2 foot square area. This is with the pendants hanging about 8 - 12" above the tank. These provide a very uniform, even coverage over the entire coverage area. But again, there is no use talking about them if you dont need that much spread and/or dont want a pendant hanging over the tank with seperate wiring to a ballast etc. And, it is probably overkill if you are going with the smallest Solana. But you could probably just squeeze in at 300 bucks depending on ballast and bulb.

The Sunpod on the other hand can be placed neatly on the top of the tank and you dont have to worry about light spilling beyond the tank or having a more industral looking pendant hanging over the tank. So that is a huge advantage in terms of looks. You just dont get as uniform and even light spread as you do with the top pendants. But you should get good coverage with the Current fixture anyway. Even if it is the 24" cube, the rockwork is usually placed like a single island centered in the middle of the tank and so the Current should provide plenty of coverage.

I wasnt Knocking the Current fixture ... pretty much all of the budget halide plug and play fixtures are equipped with small reflectors and none of them provide the coverage and uniform spread that the highly regarded seperate reflector/pendants do. But again, there are aesthetic drawbacks to those higher performance pendants when used over a tank that is out in the open because they arent as sleek looking and need to be hung over the tank. So they dont look as neat or nice and there will be some light spill beyond the tank. The premade fixture like the Current are ready to go out of the box, they have the ballast located inside the fixture and you just place them on the tank, plug them in and they are ready to go.

So if looks are important, and you would prefer to keep things simple, compact and sleek, I think you will be fine with the Current fixture. And again, the ballasts are fine, they will fire and run any lamp that you wish to replace the stock lamp with.

If you want the most uniform coverage possible and dont mind hanging a more industrial looking light over the tank and dealing with some light spill and the additional wiring, then you can go the route of the seperate pendant. Probably most reefers with open tanks and no canopies opt for fixtures because of the better looks and convienence whereas in wall tanks or tanks with full hoods/canopies are better suited for the seperate pendants and components because the pendants wont be seen and the light spill wont be seen.

Im a huge fan of the seperate components after using both halide combo fixtures and some of the highly regarded, seperate reflector/pendants (lumenmax, reef optix). I realize the difference in performance in terms of spread, unform coverage, hot spot reduction, etc. But I have an in wall tank. Even with the advantages in performance of the seperates ... If I were setting up something like the Solana, out in the open, I wouldnt hang one of the seperate pendants over it. I would go with the globe or one of the small, plug and play units that I can place on top, like the Current that you are considering.

One of the LFS's has one of the Solana tanks with the globe halide fixture on the hanger accessory. I think that globe looks kinda cool. I think its the small Solana cube. Light coverage appears fine with the globe as well.

[chefmur]

I have the 48" orbit over my 75 gal and have been overall pleased.The 150 10K is not a bad bulb, I tried replacing it with a pheonix 14k and with the actinics was very blue so went back to the 10K. When it is time to replace the MH bulbs I will replace them with a higher end 10k. The reflector is small but I have had good success with my SPS. It has been running for 4 months I do have to pay attention to where I place my corals and have burned a couple early on For $500 on sale at Marine Depot it was hard to beat.

[sacremon]

I bought my wife one of the 24g Solana with the 150W pendants, and I would have to agree that for a all-in-one solution, it looks very nice and has nice coverage. I don't think it would look as sleek with a third party pendant hanging over it.

For myself I bought a 72" Sunpod (3x150 14K) for my 125g. It doesn't cover the entire tank uniformly, but that is fine for me - I have a cave at one end of the tank for a volitans, and he likes his shade. I've been doing some reading and was contemplating replacing the present bulbs with 14K Phoenix, but now I'm getting the impression that the Current ballasts might not be able to power them well, and I will end up with a bluer light than I want (and I imagine it can't be good for the bulbs).

[DarG]

The 150 watt current ballasts are electronics ballasts. There is nothing wrong with them. Well built, nicely sinked and I doubt youll find any advantage with a different electronic ballast in terms of bulb life or output or color.
The spec ballast for the 150 watt DE lamps is the magnetic M81. That would be the only replacement ballast that I would consider because again, I think going with a different electronic would be a waste of money and the M81 is THE ballast that 150 watt DE lamps are specd for.