Any Aqua Pro, AM Ocean Light or Current Outer Orbit owners out there?

Mr.Limpet · 08/28/2006, 10:42 PM

I am considering all of the above for my new reef. Any pros or cons ? Can other manufactures bulbs be used on these fixtures or do they just fire their own bulbs. Are exterrnal ballasts a nuisance to store? Tia

Mr.Limpet · 08/29/2006, 10:39 PM

Anybody own these ?

bureau13 · 08/29/2006, 11:06 PM

I have the 72" Aqua Medic Ocean Light in the 4x250W HQI/4x39W T5HO configuration. The primary reason I wanted this one is that its the only one I've seen that has four metal halide lamps in a six foot package. Due to the two fairly large openings in my tank, I preferred this to a three lamp configuration with the middle lamp directly over the acrylic top.

I would have preferred something with two dual rows of T5HO, rather than two single rows, as this would give more flexibility in lamp colors (I would like to experiment with mixing some actinic in with the Ocean Blues) but those are either very hard to find in the states, or very expensive (e.g. Sfiligoi).

I've been quite happy with mine. I did have a problem with one of the halide plugs that go to the ballast working loose and melting, but Aqua Medic was fantastic about rushing me out the replacement parts.

As for the external ballast...that light fixture would be HEAVY if the ballast were included! Or, it would be electronic, and from what I gather, the light output would be reduced.

jds

argi · 08/30/2006, 05:26 AM

I own a 24" Outer Orbit. It has been running close to a year now and so far I have been very happy. I ran it for the first few months with the MH bulb it came with and then swapped it out for a 14K phoneix bulb. FWIW when the 10K original bulb was in place a friend took a reading with a PAR meter and at about 10" underwater it was reading about the same PAR as a 250 watt SE bulb.

Some people have complained that the fan can be noisy, but I have not experienced this at all. Mine runs very quiet. I also like the internal ballast as I was very tight on space and had no room for anything external.

Based on my experience with the unit, I would have no problem buying another one.

HTH,
Keith

08/28/2006, 10:42 PM	#1
Mr.Limpet Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: S.F. Bay Area Posts: 118	Any Aqua Pro, AM Ocean Light or Current Outer Orbit owners out there? I am considering all of the above for my new reef. Any pros or cons ? Can other manufactures bulbs be used on these fixtures or do they just fire their own bulbs. Are exterrnal ballasts a nuisance to store? Tia

08/30/2006, 05:26 AM	#4
argi Everybody Talks Join Date: May 2002 Location: East Haddam, CT Posts: 3,210	I own a 24" Outer Orbit. It has been running close to a year now and so far I have been very happy. I ran it for the first few months with the MH bulb it came with and then swapped it out for a 14K phoneix bulb. FWIW when the 10K original bulb was in place a friend took a reading with a PAR meter and at about 10" underwater it was reading about the same PAR as a 250 watt SE bulb. Some people have complained that the fan can be noisy, but I have not experienced this at all. Mine runs very quiet. I also like the internal ballast as I was very tight on space and had no room for anything external. Based on my experience with the unit, I would have no problem buying another one. HTH, Keith __________________ "We're so busy watching out for what's just ahead of us that we don't take time to enjoy where we are." Calvin & Hobbes "Never become so much of an expert that you stop gaining expertise. View life as a continuous learning experience." Denis Waitley

08/29/2006, 10:39 PM	#2
Mr.Limpet Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: S.F. Bay Area Posts: 118	Anybody own these ?

08/29/2006, 11:06 PM	#3
bureau13 Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,936	I have the 72" Aqua Medic Ocean Light in the 4x250W HQI/4x39W T5HO configuration. The primary reason I wanted this one is that its the only one I've seen that has four metal halide lamps in a six foot package. Due to the two fairly large openings in my tank, I preferred this to a three lamp configuration with the middle lamp directly over the acrylic top. I would have preferred something with two dual rows of T5HO, rather than two single rows, as this would give more flexibility in lamp colors (I would like to experiment with mixing some actinic in with the Ocean Blues) but those are either very hard to find in the states, or very expensive (e.g. Sfiligoi). I've been quite happy with mine. I did have a problem with one of the halide plugs that go to the ballast working loose and melting, but Aqua Medic was fantastic about rushing me out the replacement parts. As for the external ballast...that light fixture would be HEAVY if the ballast were included! Or, it would be electronic, and from what I gather, the light output would be reduced. jds