Please help me decide between 2 lights for my 125 Pros and Cons. Any help appreciated

[sasscuba]

Please help me decide on lights and manufacturers...

First off I have a 125 gallon with 150 pounds of LR.

Want to be able to do Soft Corals/Softies, Polyps, Mushrooms, Zoos and maybe some LPS Corals.

Do not want to get into Halide and no retrofit kits. Want plug and play. Don't have a canopy yet but want to be able to run lights until I build one.

Looking at first is Coralife Lunar Aqualights Compact Fluorescent Strip Light with 384 Watts and 5 Lunar lights for $330.99 from Doctor Fosters. 4-96 watt bulbs. 10,000K and Actinic.

Second looking at Orbit Compact Fluorescent Lunar Lights with 576 watts and 6 Lunar lights for $662.99 from Doctor Fosters. Includes SunPaq Dual Daylight (6700°K/10000°K) and Dual Actinic (420 nm and 460 nm) bulbs.

Doctor Fosters has a great 60 day return policy unlike most places so if I don't like it I can return it but I would rather not.

I would like to put both units on the glass and build a canopy with open back and a couple of exhaust fans to get rid of the heat.

I read where some people don't use glass tops but evaporation is a concern. I have 2 HOB filters to hopefully have enough gas exchange along with 2 inches of open area behind glass.

Any help or concerns are much appreciated.

Is one manufacturer better than the other?

Thanks Scott.

Pic of my tank.

 

[bjohanson1234]

I use a coralife 130 watt CF with two lunar lights over my 30 gallon tank and have plenty of light for LPS and mushrooms.

I have had good experience with coralife but cannot comment on the orbit lights

Brian

 

[sasscuba]

I use a coralife 130 watt CF with two lunar lights over my 30 gallon tank and have plenty of light for LPS and mushrooms.

I have had good experience with coralife but cannot comment on the orbit lights

Brian

That is 4.3 watts per gallon? If I go with the 576 watts that is 4.6 watts per gallon. Pretty much the same I guess?

 

[squibley2]

How long is the tank?

 

[sasscuba]

How long is the tank?

6 feet

 

[squibley2]

Something you might want to look into.
Current USA: Premium Aquatics

They are usually cheaper and have ordered from them several times you can call them and talk to jeremy he is a really good guy and might be able to help you out of the price a little. Also Current has a 36" 4x96 that you could get 2 of them one for each side of the tank which would give you about 6.4 WPG. I would also say you might want to reconsider a little and at least look at Metal Halides of a combo unit. Depending on how deep the tank is all florecent lights don't have the penitrating power that MHs do so if it is a deeper tank you might think about going with MHs. Just a couple thoughts. I hope this helps.

 

[sasscuba]

Tank is 22 inches high but the actual water column is 17 inches with substrate to the botttom.

 

[squibley2]

Well you are right at the deepest that I would go with anything but MHs and I can understand the cost issue. I would just say give it some thought, trust me it will save you alot of money to go with MH from the start rather then doing something else and then upgrading later. :) But this is coming from someone who loves a lot of light over their tanks. I am currently running 2 250W MHs over a 55.

 

[sasscuba]

Well you are right at the deepest that I would go with anything but MHs and I can understand the cost issue. I would just say give it some thought, trust me it will save you alot of money to go with MH from the start rather then doing something else and then upgrading later. :) But this is coming from someone who loves a lot of light over their tanks. I am currently running 2 250W MHs over a 55.

I am now looking at 2 of these,,,http://www.aquactinics.com/Store/T5_HO_Lighting_Systems.htm

 

[squibley2]

Aquactinics Lighting Systems

Same site has a really nice looking combo system which you can choose 175 or 250 or 400W MHs with T5s. LOL :)

 

[sasscuba]

Aquactinics Lighting Systems

Same site has a really nice looking combo system which you can choose 175 or 250 or 400W MHs with T5s. LOL :)

LOL? Am I missing something?

 

[squibley2]

I was talking about the 72" unit with 3 175s and 4 39W T5s. Then on the right you can choose what wattage to do the MHs. 175, 250, 400 and the prices seems good. I did a test on it and with 3 250s and the Pro Actinics it came out to just over 1000.00 Nice price for a total of 906 Watts which should be about 7.5 WPG for your 120. That would give you alot more flexibility on what coral you wanted to eventually put in there.

 

[sasscuba]

I was talking about the 72" unit with 3 175s and 4 39W T5s. Then on the right you can choose what wattage to do the MHs. 175, 250, 400 and the prices seems good. I did a test on it and with 3 250s and the Pro Actinics it came out to just over 1000.00 Nice price for a total of 906 Watts which should be about 7.5 WPG for your 120. That would give you alot more flexibility on what coral you wanted to eventually put in there.

I called and am going to order the 2 36 inch units. Did my research and 390 watts of T-5 with individual reflectors equals 960 watts of PC lighting. I should be able to keep anything I want in that kind of light.