Anyone own a nova extreme or sundial fixture?

[tidalsculpin]

Looking for reviews of this fixture and current's lights from local folks.

 

I am interested in the 30 inch sundial for a 20 long 12 inch deep tank. Is it adequate for sps? Especially if I change out bulbs for a higher par bulb?

[Algae]

Joel,

I can't say that I am a fan of an integrated timer into a lighting fixture. I would prefer that they are seperate so that if one goes gunnysack I only need to replace/repair one componet. A part of the most recent Curreent line has individual reflectors which they say boosts light output by 20% (believable). I am running a 4 X 54W Nova Extreme (older model) into a 22" deep tank. I have been getting "adequate" sps growth with my acro/sps 14" down. However, I have this nagging feeling that I could do better ( I will be changing my light fixture). Also the feet for the fixture are complete junk.

I assume with a 12" tank you are trying to avoid excessive evaporation and this is the reason you are not going to MH?

Looking forward to the meeting on Saturday!

[tidalsculpin]

Thanks Franklin. I guess you are right about the timers. I am thinking t5 because of the shallow depth and effciency. I am leaning towards my own icecap retrofit, but saw a pretty good deal on a sundial. They seem like cool fixtures, but I guess building my own sounds like more fun. I think that getting more output from an icecap ballast and true indvidual reflectors is probably the way to go. I just wince at the cost.

[pledosophy]

I was very unhappy with my Nova Extreme.

 

I got my first one and it lasted two days before it went kaput. They did honor the warranty and were very expediatant about it. I took it in to my LFS, back in Cali at the time, and they had a new one for me two days later. + on that end.

 

There is only one reflector, which at first I was like no biggie, but after I got a fixture with individual reflectors I was amazed at the difference. Same bulbs even the difference was huge. I was actually worried it was that much brighter at first, but those reflectors make a big difference.

 

I had to replace my fixture within a year and a half. The actinics would not fire, the bulbs were only a year and a half old, no biggie I thought I went and bought more bulbs. When I took the fixture off to change it there was burn marks around both sides of the end caps. When I went to unscrew the bulbs the plastic on the end caps cracked, making them useless.

 

When I got my Tek fixture my old bulbs worked just fine, so it was the fixture not the bulb.

 

IME they had bad reflectors, bad wiring, cheap endcaps and bad stock bulbs. They get an F on my scale. I was lucky I did not have a fire.

 

If you wanna go T5's I'd Tek based on my experience.

 

I have had a Sundial too. It was a PC version. It was fine for a few years until the switch started leeching electricity. I've never used there MH fixture.

 

For a 20g long I'd go with a Tek or a retro fit T5 unit. I tried using a 150w Jalli HQI fixture on mine, but even with the bulb 12" off the surface of the water I still had shading and I had a hard time getting corals to grow in the center of the tank. Sounds silly but with that depth the light was kinda to much.

 

JME, not that I know anything .