Current USA 60 inch Outer Orbit 2x250w review

[deepbluesea]

Hi All,

I'm about to setup a new reef tank (170gals). The tank is 60X24X30. I'm looking at "Current USA 60 inch Outer Orbit 2x250w" lighting system and wonder if this is a fit. Please let me know what your feedbacks on this MH lighting system. Any comments or suggestions are welcome.

Thank you so much!

Daniel

[davocean]

I've had both the 60" and 72", both worked great, quiet, and great CS

[deepbluesea]

DavOcean,

Thanks so much for help on this. I just got the tank and still collecting equipments. I will use 60gal acrylic sump, custom euroreef cs80 and iwaki pump around 1400gph for main pump. For wave maker (I heard people said good thing about tunze wavebox) but I don't know if there is a cheaper and decent wave maker out there that I should use. What do you think about what I just got so far?

Thanks,

Daniel

[davocean]

I would rather have an eheim 1262 for return, and an MSX, or BM, or cone skimmer.
Not a wavemaker exp, but tunze everything is good

[deepbluesea]

Dave,

Is there an advantage between external and internal pump? Like iwaki are external and eheim is internal. Will internal pump produce more heat?

Thanks,

Daniel

[Packard970]

I have the identical tank as yours and use the 48" Current fixture with the 250 watt halides. The 60" would be much better for your tank, I have had to supplement my lighting to cover the sides. The only problem I had with the light fixture was that the T-5 ballast went out and I had to replace it. Customer service was also very good and it helped that they are local to Southern California. I keep rics, palys/zoos so two vortechs move more than enough water for my needs.

Justin

[deepbluesea]

Justin,

Thanks. I'm a newbie and this is the first time I setup tank this size so I'm trying to get a lot of info ;)

Thanks again,

Daniel

[davocean]

The eheim is pretty efficient, very low temp, quiet.
I personally would go that route rather than all the head pressure from running it a long ways away like you said in chat.
Keep in mind watts equal heat in EVERYTHING you buy.

[deepbluesea]

Dave,

THanks for help. Prior to join this forum, I have called to online stores like Marine Depot and Dr Fosters and Smith for info regarding to pump/flowrate and they all said for saltwater it needs to be 5-10x of volume of the tank. So now I'm really confused. I really like to use internal pump to get away with drill holes on sump and extra PVCs works. I have looked at the eheim1262 couple weeks ago but those folks told me this pump is too low for my applicable (6 feet heads) and sump is not directly under tank. Is your sump place right below the tank?

Thanks,

Daniel

[davocean]

Yeah, I didn't know sump was way away.
That's why I suggested posting a build thread for more opinions/choices, cause there are plenty, and everyone has pref.
Hard to give off cuff answers in chat.
Also, this forum is product review, try member tanks or reef related.
3-5x turnover for sump is normal rec.
Those people may be acounting for head loss.

[deepbluesea]

Dave,

Thanks so much for suggestions. I have posted a thread out in general discussion. Hopefully I can get more info about this.

Thanks,

Daniel

[deepbluesea]

Dave,

Ok. with the sump set outside in the garage complicated things quite a bit. I'm thinking of place the sump under then tank now. With this setup I could use Eheim 1262 maybe a better way and maybe I don't need to use water chiller where as I would need one if I place sump in garage which can get quite hot in summer. Do you also have a water chiller on your system?

Thanks