# ADA HQI Solar I



## Little

Helllo,
Sorry for my poor english but I'm sending this message from France.
People in US seems to know more about ADA products than here.
I was wondering if many people were using ADA's HQI Solar I?

I just wanted to know what was the biggest tank size that a Solar I 150Watt could afford for a planted tank.
And secundly, I was wondering what was the best solution for a 100cmx40cmx50cm(180-200liters) tank: one Grande Solar I(one 150watts HQI + 2 Compact fluorescent bulb) or 2 Solar I(single 150watts HQI) or one Solar I?

Could someone inform me? :-o 
thanx


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## Gomer

The problem will be light spread. Without fluorescents to help suppliment, I wouldn't use a single HQI/MH bulb over more than ~ 50cm. Amano uses the grand solar light (the biggest single HQI setup) on a 90cm tank.


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## Little

Gomer said:


> The problem will be light spread. Without fluorescents to help suppliment, I wouldn't use a single HQI/MH bulb over more than ~ 50cm. Amano uses the grand solar light (the biggest single HQI setup) on a 90cm tank.


My Wallet would surefly prefer one grand solar.... but the light spread would still be good comapred to 2 simple solars?
Do you have pictures of a 90cm tank with a grand solar?
Maybe for the reglation of the photoperiod, the grand solar is better? can the compact fluorescent can be turned on while the HQI is of?

(PS: we don't have ADA here but we have Penacs   )


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## alex93se

The general rule for light spread on a metal halide pendant is 2x2 square foot area or 60x60cm. This of course, depends on the height from the water surface and reflector design of the pendant.


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## Little

alex93se said:


> The general rule for light spread on a metal halide pendant is 2x2 square foot area or 60x60cm. This of course, depends on the height from the water surface and reflector design of the pendant.


But do the 2 compact fluorescent increase the light spread area enough for a 100cm tanck?[smilie=p:


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## Raul-7

The problem with ADA lighting is that the PC lights don't have reflectors and they are overpriced, I'd suggest you go with the Aqualight Pro series. More bang for your buck, IMO.


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## Laith

Or look into the Arcadia T5 systems. I've got two of them and they are excellent.

www.arcadia-uk.com


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## Little

Laith said:


> Or look into the Arcadia T5 systems. I've got two of them and they are excellent.
> 
> www.arcadia-uk.com


Yes here we can have an arcadia T5 lighting.
however I guess that the HQI is better for gardening.
Maybe I should ask J. Senske, but I think that ADA lighting is particular when we come to the spectrum of the light: that's why I was asking information on them.

Also, it was said by ADA, that for the grand solar we could use specific photoperiod, using the compact fluorescent for 10hours and completing with 3-6 hours of metal halide: this is a quite seducing option.


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## Raul-7

Little said:


> Yes here we can have an arcadia T5 lighting.
> however I guess that the HQI is better for gardening.
> Maybe I should ask J. Senske, but I think that ADA lighting is particular when we come to the spectrum of the light: that's why I was asking information on them.
> 
> Also, it was said by ADA, that for the grand solar we could use specific photoperiod, using the compact fluorescent for 10hours and completing with 3-6 hours of metal halide: this is a quite seducing option.


Any MH/PC combo light, such as Arcadia and Coralife, can be operated on seperate timers. And you can just buy ADA's MH bulb instead of the whole unit if you're just looking for light spectrum. The bulb can work on any other fixture.


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## Little

Raul-7 said:


> Any MH/PC combo light, such as Arcadia and Coralife, can be operated on seperate timers. And you can just buy ADA's MH bulb instead of the whole unit if you're just looking for light spectrum. The bulb can work on any other fixture.


That's a good iead. Are you sure that ADA MH bulb will fit in that one (mini 150W)? : http://www.europeen-trading.com/PRO...150-w-14-000-K-COULEUR-NOIRE_product_614.html

2 mini 150 Watts would be ok?

However
2xADA SOLAR I with 2 bulbs===>1100€
2 mini150 ARcadia+2ADA BULBS====>130x2+273X2====>806€

The arcadia fluorescent/MH mixt is only with classic fluorescent here...


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## Nick

My understanding is that you cannot get the Grand Solar unit in Europe-I had an e-mail from ADA Europe and some info by the only supplier of ADA to the UK-aquaessentials.co.uk. You can only get the Solar I, with the 150W HQI bulb. Also, the Grand Solar doesn't appear in the European version of the 2005 ADA Catalogue. I'd vouch for Arcadia units for quality, but you might also want to look at AquaMedic Oceanlight Plus, if you want a MH/T5 combo.

Thanks,
Nick


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## Little

Nick said:


> My understanding is that you cannot get the Grand Solar unit in Europe-I had an e-mail from ADA Europe and some info by the only supplier of ADA to the UK-aquaessentials.co.uk. You can only get the Solar I, with the 150W HQI bulb. Also, the Grand Solar doesn't appear in the European version of the 2005 ADA Catalogue. I'd vouch for Arcadia units for quality, but you might also want to look at AquaMedic Oceanlight Plus, if you want a MH/T5 combo.
> 
> Thanks,
> Nick


I also got the info yesterday, can't have the grand solar here

I guess I can't get Aquamedic stuffs here in France...

Have you been using Solar I?

Thank you very much anyway...


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## Laith

This company in Germany ships to Switzerland so I assume they'll ship to France. Here's a link to their AquaMedic lighting systems:

http://www.aquazoo24.de/Lightning.41/HQI.82/Aqua_Medic.87/


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## Little

Laith said:


> This company in Germany ships to Switzerland so I assume they'll ship to France. Here's a link to their AquaMedic lighting systems:
> 
> http://www.aquazoo24.de/Lightning.41/HQI.82/Aqua_Medic.87/


Thank you very much for the tip, it is really interesting.! rayer: rayer:

However, do you know the size of these lighting systems(the 150W and the 150W+)?
wouldn't it be to big for a 100cm long tank?
Do you use these? Are you satisfied? If yes on what size of tank do you use them?


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## Laith

No, I haven't used the AquaMedic lighting so can't help you with that one...


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## Little

Laith said:


> No, I haven't used the AquaMedic lighting so can't help you with that one...


Thank you, i've just found my answer here : http://nanotuners.nanocustoms.com/nanotuners/product_info.php?cPath=43&products_id=110
However, it seems that the ballast is seperated from the pendant. the other pendants seem different (ADA, arcadia)


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## Raul-7

The 150W bulb will fit in the Arcadia fixture or any fixture that uses double sided bulbs. Make sure the fixture uses double sided bulbs before you order the bulbs.

Are you going with the AquaMedic instead of the Arcadia? The Arcadia units look really sleek, especially with the built-in timers.


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## Little

Raul-7 said:


> The 150W bulb will fit in the Arcadia fixture or any fixture that uses double sided bulbs. Make sure the fixture uses double sided bulbs before you order the bulbs.
> 
> Are you going with the AquaMedic instead of the Arcadia? The Arcadia units look really sleek, expecially with the built-in timers.


I'm taking the time to study the positive points and the negative points...

I'm wondering by now if 1 pendant with 1 MH 150W + 2compact fluorescent is better than 2 pendant of single MH, or not.
I'm starting to think that 2 single MH of 150W would be better for the light spread, with keeping the possibility of hanging them higher.
The single pendant of Arcadia doesn't have the built in timer...

I guess there is not a perfect answer, each pendant has advantages/disadvantages...
If someone has good advices to give I'm reading


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