IceCap 660 w/4 vho bulbs.

[ojreef]

Hi RMRC's,

After some research and input from fellow members I think I am ready to get IC 660 with 4 URI VHO bulbs. I do have a few questions:

1. Is four 110 watter's right for a 72 gl bow front or, could I get by with Three 110 watter's?

2. What are your thoughts on bulb combo's?

3. Since i'm electrical and wood working challanged, I am about to order the Ice Cap four light 660 (48") installed in a metal box hood with a mirror reflector and CSL fan installed. I have a price from a LFS of $550.00 plus tax. Good deal?:confused:

This is a major investment for me, would really like lots of input.

[Tommyc]

OJ, based on a lot of reading and talking to other reefers, I too opted for the ICECAP 660. I liked the flexibility to run power compacts on it if I wanted...currently I'm running four VHOs with it though. It is a pricey investment, and I was planning on simply buying the ballast, wiring harness and bulbs seperately and building my own canopy (I was willing to do the wood/electrical work). I've got it running on a 75 gallon reef. Here's my humble opinion regarding your questions:

1. Go with four bulbs. It gives you a little bigger range of what you can keep under them. The frags other members traded/gave me at the last frag swap (sept?) are all doing well. Thanks again.

2. I just bought new lights. Four URIs from Marine Depot. Two Aqua Sun and two Super Actinics. 110W each. Total cost to my door was $110 I think. I haven't put them in yet, but will this weekend and will let you know how it looks. I've got a new canopy I made that I've got to wire before I can.

3. I looked at all the complete set ups and compared them to the cost of setting it up myself. As you know, it's a pricey investment for some of us. I had planned to buy it in pieces and set it up myself. And then I stumbled on a deal...(I just can't stop looking through the classifieds). I found someone selling a complete 75 gallon set up (stand, canopy, skimmer, sump, rock, some coral, IC 660 ballast with four old bulbs, another ballast with two more bulbs, and all the assorted junk we end up gathering) for $400. After persuading the fiancee that this was the best way for me to get my ballast, I got the whole system and just set the old canopy on my tank. After having bought the new bulbs, the total was $510. And I've got all the gear for another 75 when the time comes. I sold most of the rock which helped too.

A bowfront with a IC 660 ballast and a canopy might be harder to find, but I think it was well worth it to make a few calls. Icecap has such a good reputation for durability that I wasn't worried about it not being uner warranty. They run cool, never flicker, and I have no complaints. Hope that helps.

[JEMichael IV]

Hal, i saw bowfront canopys in wood and black (i think they had black) for 72g bowfronts over at Exotic Aquatics in Boulder going for rather cheap, if my memory serves me they were for $65-$100. The canopy completely wraps around the front of the bow, they were nicely made. I was looking at them and asked if they had any for the 46bowfront but they didnt. If your looking for a canopy that would be the way to go. They would hold 3-4 bulbs nicely. That LFS is 10 minutes from my house if you want to go on sunday to go look. Here is there number, give them a call tomorrow morning and check to see if they still have them

Exotic Aquatics (303) 442-5363