Metal halide options for 29 gal.

[danfrith]

Hi, im looking for a metal halide light for my 29 gal. biocube. Im pretty sure I want a 250 watt fixture. So far im stuck between the sunpod 250 watt 14k bulb fixture, the odyssea 250 watt 20k bulb fixture with 2x24 watt pc actinic bulbs, or the aqua medic 250 watt pendant with 20k bulb. Cost is also a factor with odyssea being the cheapest then the aqua medic then the sunpod. Any other suggestions are welcome. Which one do you think would bring out the best color and growth in my corals?thanks.

[samc99us]

can you post links? Having 2xflourescents gives you more options...however odyssea=crap as far as I know....reports of ballasts catching on fire etc.

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=Metalhalide
http://www.hellolights.com/
http://reefgeek.com/

For cheap and good, I would be looking for a 250 watt de metal halide pendant. premium aquatics did have a complete pendant for like $230 but I can't find that on their site anymore.

Update: This is a very slick unit:

http://www.hellolights.com/ocli25hqiame.html

[danfrith]

Thanks for the reply. But I am looknig for somthing with mounting legs and moon lights. Also, the knew odyssea fixture comes with an electronic ballast which supposedly solves the catching on fire problem. My only concern with the odyssea fixture is it might be too blue with the 20 k bulb plus the two actinic's. Anyone else?

[samc99us]

I agree that would be too blue. The bulbs in that fixture are junk IMO anyway. I would keep the actinic's (they will work for 6 months anyway and are only supplements) and replace the halide with a 10k coralvue reeflux from here: http://www.thereefstop.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_22_95_108&osCsid=3f1607c103a72319c1f77f3fc982b41b