Purchasing new lights help

[mom2reds]

Well I finally got the go ahead to get the lights I have wanted from my husband, now I need help getting the best lights for my money. I have about 200 to 250 dollars to spend I want to do low to med. light plants. I was looking at possibly these Catalina Aquarium 60" 36W 3 BULB COMPACT LIGHTHOUSE HOOD or these Current USA Orbit Compact Fluorescent Fixture, 4X65 Watt, 60 inch
Sorry I don't know why the link for the catalinaaquarium lights did not connect.
I was just wondering which one was a better fixture I had heard that the fan on the current fixture was kind of noisey?


Open to any suggestions, Thanks for any and all help.

Tess

 

[pitt420dude]

Hey Mom2Reds,

Looks like you already found, what is IMO, hands down the best two options there are. Maybe add the $220 4x65w Coralife Aqualight (on Bigals for 220) into teh equation for consideration as well. Though I would recommend sticking w/ Catalina.

Some really great info about lighting can be found here: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f24/some-lighting-questions-101003.html. This thread was really great for me and I imagine you have similar/identical questions. It even has reviews of the current and catalina lights in the thread. there are also reviews for some fixtures in the reviews section of AA.

Hope this helps and lemme know what you end up with.

I'd personally suggest going w/ Cattalina.

 

[mom2reds]

Well I just bought my lights from Catalina, I got a 60 inch hood with 2 65 watt bulbs and enough room in the hood to add another bulb if I want, moon lights and leggs delivered to my door step for 210$ total. I thought that was a great deal, Hope I was right . Thanks for your help pitt420dude. I am so excited.

 

[pitt420dude]

Ha, thats so funny.

On my drive home I ordered from Catalina too! I got their 48" HO T5 4x54w with lunarlights and 4 plant bulbs. It was a special they had for 150 w/ 30 for the lunar lights. He took some off of em though and I ended up getting them for $185 total.

Now onto substrates, reactors, valves, solenoids, test kits, ph regulators, a CO2 canister and fill, and a partridge in a pear tree.

 

[mom2reds]

Sounds like we both got a good deal, I am going to wait a bit on the co2 It took me a year and a half to convince my husband that I needed the lights, he thinks my fish tanks are a waste.