Current USA Satellite and Orbit fixtures question

[gfink]

I am planning on ordering one of these fixtures for my 29 gal as a lighting upgrade.

A few questions:
1) Do anyone want to share some good or bad experiences with them?
2) Looks like satellite can mount without legs directly on a glass canopy, but orbit must have legs. I am concerned that having the light raised up a few inches on legs may be visually distracting as light may be visable at sitting level. This will go into my family room, and when I sit on the couch I want to see the tank, not a side view into the bottom of a blazing light.
3) I;ve noticed how much cheaper these lights are than the coralife fixtures. Are they low quality or something?

Thanks!!

 

[nitrous]

well i havent used those fixtures but when i bought the shop light for my tank it shot light out of the bottom and the 2 sides so it went into my room so i took white tape and covered up the sides so its good now
but thats just my experience with blinding light

this is it right?
http://www.marineandreef.com/products/Orbit-Dual.jpg
if it is then you should be fine looks like the sides are curved so itll just shoot down and not up at you

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I don't have those fixtures either, but as for the legs, I find them quite nice. I have then on all my tanks now. My 26G has a 65W CF raised with legs in my front room next to the entertainment center. My 55G is in the Master Bedroom, with a 260W fixture (running only 130W, 1 bank, 2nd bank is spare), and my new 75G is the entry piece when you walk through my front door, it's the first thing you see. It has 2 260W fixtures raised with legs. I think it's quite appealing to me. But everyone has their own taste. If you get the fixture, try it with the legs. You can always take them off if you don't like the look. Some of the fixtures come with the legs free, so cost of legs isn't an issue. All my fixtures are Odyssea.

 

[gfink]

Well, I think the legs look fine, but I wonder how much light escapes out the sides. I think I'll stop by a few lfs and see what the light look like when you squat down to siiting level.

I could always create some light block strips like nitrous suggests.

I do like the swing up legs that coralife has. Can you get those for other fixtures? Maybe generic ones?

 

[Florida8]

I have 29g sw and just bought the ORBIT/ MOONLIGHT 30" FIXTURE 2x65 watt *130 Watts Total... I love it! The light between the fixture and tank does not bother me, although I had concerns for this as well. I know I can't use it on glass, too much heat and issues with PH will be affected on SW... not sure about fresh.

He has it for great prices and shipping is free...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ORBIT-MOONLIGHT...ryZ46314QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I say got for it and be sure to get a coralife timer so you can hook all 3 timers up the way you want them

 

[gfink]

Check out this deal! $135 plus 2 timers and a tshirt!!

http://www.bigalsonline.com/catalog/product.xml?product_id=29621;category_id=2281

Drfostersmith.com has it on sale also. I bet current usa is discontinuing the model.

 

[Florida8]

Very cool! Well I say it's a deal and you ought to grab it, I love mine and think I will look for the larger one for the 90g while the price is right Thanks for sharing!

 

[ringfinger]

I have mine up on legs, and the light is visible from a sitting position. I guess it could be distracting, but I haven't thought about it much before.

 

[degbowl]

I have the current usa orbit and love it. I would go for the bigalsonline deal with the timers and t-shirt. Well worth it for that price.

 

[gfink]

Do you have to take the light fixture off the tank to open the glass cover for feeding etc..?
Or is the light on hinges?

 

[degbowl]

I have it raised on legs. It can be put on glass, but I think it looks better on legs.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Do you have to take the light fixture off the tank to open the glass cover for feeding etc..?
Or is the light on hinges?

If using the legs, it's on a swing hing and can be propped back for access to the tank. Also, you can slide the glass tops out if you want too. But if it's just sitting on the tank, you have to remove the lighe everytime you need to do anything. Or if it will slide far enough back, can do that too. But mine is wide enough to where if it was sitting on top, even when sliding it back to the filter tubes, it's still sitting on the glass hinge. So I'd have to remove it every time. So I have them on the legs. Looks better too, IMO.

 

[travis simonson]

I've got two of the 36" CurrentUSA Orbit (2x96w) fixtures over my 125G and love them. Because of the way the tank is braced I can't use the legs so the lights sit directly on the glass. It may be because of my tank's depth, but I have no problem opening the glass lids to feed my fish, work in the tank, etc. with the lights still sitting on the glass covers. Being in contact with the glass, they do increase the water temp somewhat during the day, but no more than a few degrees. Great lights