Originally Posted by mseepman (Post 376751)

If you aren't too unhappy with your Odyssea fuge, then you might want to look at an Odyssea light...okay price and though people have started some interesting rumours about this light brand, most people seem happy enough with it. Here's a link to a 30" version that has both MH and PC so you can cover a better range of light periods.

http://www.aquatraders.com/30-380Wme...c-ballast.aspx

Originally Posted by BlueAbyss (Post 376763)

14K bulbs are more blue than 10K bulbs, as the numbers get higher it gets more blue. A 6.5K bulb would look significantly less blue (or more yellow depending on how you look at it) than a 10k but will likely still look quite white, though they are rarely used in reef aquaria (more common on freshwater planted tanks).

On a side note, I myself would go with a 30" hood for good even light coverage unless you were planning on having a lower light region in the tank for organisms that would not do well in an intensely lit position. I have looked into this rather extensively and it seems that if you are planning on having a large variety of different organisms, ie: not dominated by SPS, having a lower light area is a good idea, to approximate the different zones of a reef better.

Originally Posted by MCC (Post 376861)

This has nothing to do with my Odyssea refugium

I have looked into the Odyssea MH set up, but I have read the 250 watt ballasts are crazy dangerous..... It either fries or smokes.... I don't want to come home one day with a fire !!
That why I am shining away from it....

Originally Posted by mseepman (Post 376920)

Haha, I think those are some of the interesting rumors I was speaking of. (you know the kind, "my friends brother knows this guy who has a friend who had one of these"...lol)

There's a pretty huge thread on RC about these and for the most part people are happy. They don't find the ballast putting out the right power though and so some have replaced the ballast to get better PAR.

Given your thoughts about the 20" versus 30" fixtures...maybe this one might be good for you. I don't know much about these guys but I've seen them mentioned here before.
http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/prod...oducts_id=1347

Another option might be this:
http://cgi.ebay.ca/24-CORALIFE-AQUAL...3A1|240%3A1318

Originally Posted by kipsix (Post 376994)

There's also a 24" set-up that has t5ho to supplement the metal hallide.
Might give you slightly better coverage than a 20" fixture (primarily due to longer t5's).
http://oceanaquatics.com/store/produ...-HQI-T5-24%22/

Could just hang something like that above the tank?

Originally Posted by MCC (Post 376862)

But here is the thing... A SunPod 20" vs 30" ... its the same thing.. with the MH bulb in the middle... It doesn't make a difference what the size of the hood..... Or if you are working with a MH Pendant... its the same thing isn't it??? Light is dispersed across the 30 inch tank no matter how long the fixture is... with only one MH bulb in the middle.... I understand as you get larger the fixture 36" and up... it has two MH bulbs or even 3 MH bulbs.... so from my research it seems like 30" or lower fixtures... its all the same.. you are paying the extra $$ for a better "fit"