Slim profile lighting suggestions needed

[Samw]

I am going to get a dual MH system for my 36" long tank. But I don't have a lot of room. What are some of the slimmest profile 36" MH fixtures (175W Mogul or 150W DE) available? Also, what are some of the slimmest profile 175W Mogul reflectors out there in case I want to DIY?

Currently, this Coralife Advanced Aqualight is the slimmest canopy I've seen at 2.75" tall.

http://www.esuweb.com/cardfile.asp?ItemNumber=53604&IDProductRelationship=331

Two things that I don't like about it is that it doesn't have electronic ballasts and the included lamps are 20K. I would like something like this but be able to plug in electronic ballasts of my choice and have 10K lamps.

The Finnex fixture is 3 7/8" tall.

As for Mogul reflectors, the slimmest profile reflector I've seen is the Optix II at 4.5" tall.

I've already looked at the mini pendants from PFO, Optix, IceCap, Aquamedic, Cooltouch, etc.

I'm leaning towards the Coralife fixture and replacing its bulbs or a DIY option with a slim reflector. I noticed this slim reflector but know nothing about it so I'm skeptical: http://www.innovativelights.com/pfo-74048bb.html

What else is out there that I have missed? The PFO Optimal and Parallel reflectors are way too tall and way too wide.

EDIT: Fixed link

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

The Aqualight Pro has a 10000k 150w DE. 2.75".

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/details/l-mh-esu.php?product_ID=mh-calp36

I think Jiliguala was selling one in August. Never posted whether it was sold yet or not. You can check it out.

Anthony

PS. I love my 6' Aqualight Pro - sweeeeet unit.

[Samw]

Thanks but all of the 36" Aqualight Pros that I've seen only have 1 MH bulb. In my case, I want to place the hood only inches from the top of the tank and my center brace would block most of that light.

The Advanced Aqualight has 2 bulbs. So I'm interested in Dual fixtures or a long slim reflector w/ 2 moguls. Mini pendants might be ok but I don't really need the housing which adds weight and cost.

Oh and my tank is 12" wide so I'd like the canopy to be around 10" if possible.

[LostMind]

http://www.innovativelights.com/esu-53604.html so this is what you are looking for then?

I've been looking for something similar myself. Wonder what JL charges for this unit.

[Troy F]

I've been looking for something similar myself. Wonder what JL charges for this unit.

I don't think they have them yet but it'll be a lot more than the link you posted. I'm actually buying the one Anthony mentioned and the only thing negative I've heard is that the cooling fan is too small and the bulbs shift their spectrum more rapidly. Marc from Hidden Reef has seen a few in action and couldn't comment as to whether they did "yellow" more quickly but did say the fan was undersized but that it shouldn't be a problem.

[LostMind]

http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/metal_advancedhang.htm

Maybe this link works for the Coralife Advanced Aqualight. I was checking it out at JL's the other day over a nanocube. Really nice light, even though it's made with mostly plastic.

[LostMind]

I could see them being quite expensive here. I hate how much it costs to get stuff across the border to here.

Does hidden reef carry these units?

[Troy F]

Yeah, and I think Mike's pricing is better although J&L will probably match.

[Samw]

http://www.innovativelights.com/esu-53604.html so this is what you are looking for then?

I've been looking for something similar myself. Wonder what JL charges for this unit.


Yes, that's the one I'm considering right now. I've Emailed J&L last night. But I'd prefer one with electronic ballasts and 10K lamps. I guess there's not much hope for that.

But I may just get that slim reflector and add some moguls and go for 175W if the reflector is 3" tall and less than 10" wide.

[Samw]

I've been looking for something similar myself. Wonder what JL charges for this unit.

I don't think they have them yet but it'll be a lot more than the link you posted.


Just got a quote back from J&L and the price is almost identical to the one in that link once foreign exchange is factored in. However if you add shipping and brokerage fees, the J&L price beats that.

[Troy F]

That's good then Sam. They look like a hell of a system. Will J&L do the bulb exchange? HelloLights had a little drop down thingy that allowed you to select your bulbs.

Might check and see what Mike will quote for ya.

[LostMind]

Hmmmm, thats not a bad deal then...

I'll have to email them as well :) or pop by on the way home one day this week.

[Samw]

Yeah, its a really good deal and its my backup plan if I can't get what I really want. I haven't asked about the bulb exchange but I will when I am serious about getting them. These are my other choices and I would get them if they can reduce the width from 13" to 10". The bulbs are extra.

http://www.aquariumlight.com/product_info.asp?dbid=132

http://www.aquariumlight.com/product_info.asp?dbid=522

[Troy F]

Those look like top notch options too Sam. The 36" Geissman is pretty nice also :eek:

[Samw]

Those look like top notch options too Sam. The 36" Geissman is pretty nice also :eek:


Haha. That's over 2x my budget.

[crusty1]

I bought an Arcadia 2 x 250W MH DE HQI. It is less than 4" high has no fans and internal ballasts. Its worked great for the pst 6 months and I don't think Arcadia would put their name on it if they didn't think it would have satisfactory cooling. Although expensive I ebayed mine for a great price. Hikari is the north american distributor, however I don't know who retails them. It could be worth a look. Mine is the series 3 pendant
http://www.arcadia-uk.info/

[Samw]

Wow, the Arcadia is a nice fixture. Won't work for me though as it is 14" wide and I plan to put my fixture directly over the 12" tank and I need space to mount my autofeeder and autotopoff and other accessories so my fixture needs to be 10" wide or less.

Cooltouch replied to me and said that they can customize their HQI fixture (for a fee) to 9-10" so that's perfect! Looks like I'll go that route. Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

[Samw]

My fixture will be customized as follows:

- 9" wide

- electrical cords to come out of the back instead of the side

- enough space to hold one 55W PC lamp (for my GE 9325K lamp)

- mounts/holes for my own fans (I plan to use temperature sensitive silent computer fans)

- 2x150W IceCap Ballasts

- 2x150W DE IceCap 10k bulbs

[Samw]

Its here! Wow. My tank is much brighter now and no more center brace shadow. Previously, my single bulb was hung over my tank about 12" from surface and lots of light escaped into my bedroom. Guests thought I was shooting a movie in there. Corals and clams weren't happy. Now, with the dual fixture, I place it directly over the tank and all of the light is channelled into the tank. Its awesome. Worth every dollar.

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/Equipment/Cooltouch/img_8015_std.jpg

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/Equipment/Cooltouch/img_8018_std.jpg

[Delphinus]

Looks pretty slick.

[muck]

wow Sam that looks sweeeeeettt!!!
Now we just need a pic of it on the tank.. :mrgreen:

[Samw]

Thanks guys. Hey Muck. Over the summer, I lost some clams and SPS. The fish, zoos, softies, anemones, shrimps, snails, crabs etc are still going strong. However, my tank doesn't seem to look as good as it once did. So, I'm going to restock some SPS and clams and then take a tank pic. :) I'll keep my old lighting system too so I can take comparison pics in the future.

Next upgrade is an overhead refugium that I'm trying to plumb into the tank tank. It'll provide my system with 24/7 photoperiod which should keep my PH stable rather than fluctuating between 7.7 and 8.5 throughout the day and keep my O2 stable instead of fluctuating between 40%-130% saturation throughout the day/night.

[Samw]

OK, finally some pictures.

First, I've recently serviced my DO meter probe and so I was able to measure oxygen levels again in my 38G tank. As before, I found that when my halides are on, my DO is about 120%. If I shut off both the lights and Millenium venturi, 3 hours later, it drops to 37% (When I turn on my venturi at MED flow, the DO would go up to about 56%). However, in my similarly stocked 3.5G nano with PC lights and AquaC Remora, DO is 90% all the time. I think the difference is that 1 is heavily aerated while the other one isn't. PH is affected by CO2 http://www.kernsite.com/uwp/modules/pH/pH.htm so I think the low DO and wild PH swings in my tank was a main reason why I couldn't keep Acros.

I can't wait to run a good skimmer on my 38G again. I've had nothing but problems ever since I took out my Remora. I've stopped skimming for about year or more (skimmers are too noisy for my bedroom) and my tank has suffered. Things will stablize for sure once I plumb in my in-cabinet sump and start aerating and skimming properly again. In the meanwhile, leaving at least 1 MH lamp on 24/7 in my 38G has stablized the DO to at least 90% 24/7 and my Acros seem to be doing much better than before. I'll see how it goes once I'm skimming properly again and take more DO measurements.

Here are lighting comparison pics. I really don't like the MH-only look. I'm hoping to add PC supplementation again.

[2x150W DE IceCap 10K]

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/FullTank/200512/img_8153_std.jpg

[250W SE AB 10K plus 55W 9325K]

http://www.hyperdream.com/~samw/reef/FullTank/200504/img_7299_std.jpg