Finally!!! Some Illumination!

[SirFragalot]

Ok, I just got back from a very well deserved vacation in Myrtle Beach and found that my fish were very well cared for while I was gone. Being gone only a week and a half and the trigger looks a tad bigger. Anyways, I am ready to upgrade my temporary bobo light set-up (rigged 2 flourecents and two power compacts = uneven and dingy) to something a little better. Due to a little money issue at the moment, I am trying not to go over $300 bucks for a decent fixture. I know that some of you might say to plan ahead for when I upgrade the tank. I do not plan on doing that for at least a couple of years, unless I move earlier. I have been doing a little research into the lighting i want under the following criteria. I have a standard 55 gallon tank with FOWLR and LS at the moment. Eventually, I do want to add a few corals but dont want to overload. Built in timers and moonlights with least plugs as possible. Not gonna shoot the electric bill through the roof. I think I have found the perfect lights for my situation. I would like some opinions other than the ones listed at the site which are all positive because you never know who puts them on there.

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewI..._4x54W_w__Timers___LED_48in_Units~&tab~0.html

Thanks

 

[DaveK]

My thoughts are that for the amount of money you have to spend, the fixture you have chosen is about as good as you can get. It will do he job for you on a FO ot FOWLR system. You should be able to keep things like mushrooms and zoos, and soft corals should be ok. LPS corals would be at best marginal, and SPS about out of the question.

The other possible thing you can do, if you want to keep costs way down, is to build your own fixture and install 2 or 3 NO fluorescent shop lights in it. NO bulbs are 40w each, not that far below the 55w T5s. Although T5 fixturess are usually built with better reflectors in them, so the effective light is better.

My personal preference, especially if you want corals, would be a fixture that contained two 150w HQIs or two 175w MHs. I'd use bulbs in the 10000K to 16000K color temp range, depending upon how blue you wanted it. I'd also recommend electronic ballasts. This would cost a bit more than you planned to spend.

 

[SirFragalot]

Lets say that one of the timers or fans quit on me. Does anybody have any experience in changing them out if needed?

 

[SirFragalot]

Ok, I received the unit yesterday but cant seem to get the timers down. Does anybody have any experience with the Current USA's units that have the built in timers?