[angie555]

:confused: Ok, I read and talk and read and talk to so many people about this subject, I hope some one can help me out here! I just ordered a compact 24hr duel bulb light from corallife. I want to make sure that this is a good light for my new reef tank! Please help me before I unpack it.
Thank you:confused:

[RyanG]

the coralife unit is power compacts correct?

[angie555]

Wow, it looks like I am not the only one confused by lights! Yes, it is a a power compact with leds for moon light.

[volitan_fa]

Do you know which model or how many bulbs and watts?

[NYreefNoob]

better yet what size of tank do you have ? what all do you plan to keep in tank ? fish corals ect ? dont listen to what a store tells you, they are there to sell and make money. do alot of research before just buying thing's, it will save you alot of headaches and money

[angie555]

I have a 30 gallon to start with...I also have a 55 but I am starting with the 30 for cost reasons. I plan on having a few corals, fish, and inverts. I have a seaclone pro. skimmer and the light I ordered is a coral life compact with lunar leds they are 3/4 wats and that is all it says I know that it has 1 of the duel white lights and 1 duel blue lights. I ordered it from fosterand smith. I hope that will be enough info for you to help me!
Thank you again one day I will hopefullly know enough to help others.

[volitan_fa]

I know which lighting fixture you're talking about now. This will work for fish and for some softer corals and leathers. What's gonna piss you off though....you could have gotten a better Current Orbit T5 system for about the same price ($199).

[volitan_fa]

I'm sorry, I meant a Current Nova Extreme ($189 for a 36" model).

[angie555]

Hmmm....not to late it arrives monday! So we are thinking we should send it back? I was wonder about the t-5s how long do the bulbs last?

[angie555]

Oh...and btw I am very greatfull for all the help that I get here! It is so nice to be able to talk to people who dont wrok for a store! I never know it they are just trying to make a sale or giving me good advice! I am not sure what kind of corals to get yet I have spent hours trying to decide. Do you think I will need a wave maker? I have my fileter a sea clone 100 protien skimmer(hope its a good one for the price that it was) and a power head.....please let me know

[dphilbert]

don't send it back just yet! for that size tank, i'm pretty sure the only way youre going to get better lighting is with metal halides, and that is probably going to heat the water too fast, as well as cost over 250 dollars. t-5s wont give you more wattage, vho's might, but only if you have four and thats still gonna cost a lot more. Im guessing you have the 24" or the 36", and if its a double strip then its 130 watts (2x65, 1 actinic and one 10000k). I have the 24" and it lights my 20 gallon very well. I dont know if im going to be able to do any intense light demanding corals, but i dont think thats much of an option anyways with a tank our size. Bottom line, thats probably going to be the best wattage you can get for the size/price, and metal halides arent really reasonable to put on a tank that small(IMHO). I'm actually having a little bit of trouble with the power compacts heating the water. Wait till you switch to your 55 gallon to upgrade to metal hallides

[angie555]

Thank you! all the feed back that I can get is great! and yes the price on my lights was reasoniable at $136.00, I found then online which was way cheaper then anywhere else my lfs wanted $200 for a lesser light!

[angie555]

Oh...and btw I am very greatfull for all the help that I get here! It is so nice to be able to talk to people who dont wrok for a store! I never know it they are just trying to make a sale or giving me good advice! I am not sure what kind of corals to get yet I have spent hours trying to decide. Do you think I will need a wave maker? I have my fileter a sea clone 100 protien skimmer(hope its a good one for the price that it was) and a power head.....please let me know

[dalamar96]

You may want to check the bulbs when yo uget them, if they are the 36" bulbs they could be 96watts instead of the 65 mentioned above. I have the 4x96 Orbit which has 2 daylight and 2 actinic plus the 3 lunar lights, this is over 350watts during the day (but my tank is deeper). The other question you need to think about (and I see you are) is will you have enough water movement for the corals. A Wavemaker could work, but you should read up on those, it may be better to have 2 powerheads pointing towards each other to get the turnover and the turbulance that you need in the tank for corals.

[angie555]

Thank you, I was windering about the current my lfs said that with the skimmer and the filter that I would not even need a power head? But the thought of 2 of them sounds good to me ty!

[volitan_fa]

You would probably be ok with just powerheads in that size of tank. And as for the lighting...you may not get more wattage out of a T5 setup, but you will get more USABLE watts out of it. T5s are generally designed so that each bulb is individually reflected into the tank, instead of having one reflector for the whole get up.

[angie555]

Got ya I see the differance now Thank you so much!

[mcintosh]

Volitan FA the Current T-5's don't have individual reflectors. Just a single reflector so, it probably won't make a difference. I guess I should have phrased that in a question. As I think they don't have individual reflectors on the Current unit, right? Still, T-5's are designed to function at higher temps and to last longer than other fuorescent designs. You may not get more light, but you will get the same light more efficiently with T-5's they are the current rage , until LED's take over the scene entirely.

[volitan_fa]

Ahh yes, LEDs....can't wait until they come down in price . I think you're right about the Current models, but you also bring up another good point about their efficiency. I believe that you can buy a kit to individually reflect the Current T5s....not entirely sure though.

[angie555]

Holly wow, I just got the light and the legs were soooo.... hard to get in that is just crazy! Keeping them croosed hope it works! Ty