Lighting died / question

[colby85]

Well today my lighting fixture died was an odyssea metal halide pc fixture, from everything I read they were junk but It was something to get me started I guess when I was new to the hobby. Anyhow I wasn't particularly surprised when it happened so I ordered the Coralife Aqualight Elite Series Metal Halide Lighting Fixture today. My question is what are people's thoughts on this fixture from what I could tell it seems pretty good and will my coral be fine for the time without light/ is there anything I could do to keep them going while I dont have a high power fixture. I suspect it could be anywhere from 7-10 days for the light to get here.

 

[Len]

Hi Colby,

The Coralife should work fine. MH systems are actually very simple equipment. The Odyssea likely could've been repaired, but it probably is easier just to replace it.

For your corals, do you have any fluorescents around? 7-10 days is way too long for corals to go without any lights, but if you have a few fluorescents (perhaps your Odyssea fixture has some actinics in them), the corals can survive for a week.

 

[colby85]

The fixture was definitely fried, ballast was crazy hot and the lights actually started smoking and burned out.

 

[Len]

Yikes. Ya, definitely a safer and easier option to replace it.

Get some temp lights on the tank to tie you over. A cheap fluorescent will be better then no lights.

 

[Buffalo]

Best to replace , In my opinion a MH Ballast should last at least 5 years if its not electronic. The old technology may not be power use friendly but they last a long time

 

[colby85]

Well after ordering that lighting fixture I received an email today that the coralife fixture was out of stock so I called them and I basically ended up 48 inch Outer Orbit with T5s & 150W HQI Bulbs which was a more expensive fixture but got it for the same price but it wont get here til tuesday at the earliest. Any thoughts on this fixture vs the coralife?