Cichlid tank lighting question

[mjinxed]

Hi everyone! I'm new to the forum and new to keeping cichlids. I've got a new 75gal and am evaluating the Current USA Satellite Plus & Orbit lines of LED lights. I know the Orbit is intended for saltwater but I really like the ramp timer capability that's not available on the Satellite Plus. The Orbit is also somewhat cheaper. Any thoughts on drawbacks of using the Orbit for a cichlid tank instead of the Satellite Plus?

 

[Brookster123]

What kind of cichlids?

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[mjinxed]

A variety of lake Malawi Africans

 

[Brookster123]

Yah, the orbit should make them fish pop! (Not literally, color wise). I was running heavy blue light over my electric blue Acara and blue angels, made them look awesome. I'm pretty sure you can control individual color channels?? That would allow the blues to be dimmed if need be. You will be lacking reds and greens though.

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[mjinxed]

Yea you can control the blue/white channels independently. No RGB in the Orbit. I saw some videos that make the Satellite Plus look somewhat but significantly better looking light on a cichlid tank but the ramp timer on the Orbit really draws my eye. I think in the end the ramp timer vs the slightly better colors is a matter of preference but I'm just trying to find out if there's any reason NOT to use the Orbit.

 

[Brookster123]

You can get a ramp timer for the satellite I believe?? Are you dead set on a ramp timer vs a 24 hour cycle? The finnex 247 is pretty sweet.

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[mjinxed]

The Current timer works with the Satellite but only for on/off. No ramping. I don't know if timers from other manufacturers add ramp capability but Current says they can't do it with their timers because there's an integrated controller in the Satellite but not the Orbit.

http://current-usa.com/ramp-timer-compatibility-with-satellite-led-plus/

 

[mjinxed]

According to Current (Ramp Timer Compatibility with Satellite LED Plus - Current-USA) their timer is compatible with the Satellite+ but only for on/off operations, no ramping, due to conflicts with the controller in the remote and the controller in the Satellite+. The Orbit doesn't have a controller in it so there's no conflict. Not sure if ramp timers from other manufacturers would work with the Satellite+

Which Finnex 247 are you referring to? I see there are several of them, looks like most for either Marine or Planted. Obviously there are no plants in my cichlid tank, no real ones anyway.

 

[coralbandit]

I use a lot of marine spectrum lights on FW and they cause/encourage algae of many sp. IMO
It is the abundance of blue and possibly the higher k of the white.
The lights I speak of are current true lumen pro fusions.Even dimmed[not separately by channel] they seem to cause trouble IMO.

The blue does make blue fish look awesome!

 

[mjinxed]

Thanks for the info!

 

[Brookster123]

Finnex 24/7 planted plus. I run one and it's a heck of light, I the knock off viva grow 247 works about the same yielding less power. Depending on the look you're going for? Heavy rock scape covered in green and purple algae looks sweet Imo. The marine orbit would get you there.

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