# PC fixtures: which one is best?



## Aaron (Feb 12, 2004)

I am in the market for a 36 inch pc light fixture and was looking for some suggestions. Although I like the diy thing, I do not want to go that route this time, so no ahsupply kits. I'll be making the tank which will be 36''x12''x12'' so a single 96w bulb might be perfect. Any comments on the quality of JBJ and Coralife fixtures? Any others out there I might be interested in?

Thanks!


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

Coralife is much quietter than JBJ. I'd go with Coralife, they even have the flip-up legs now.


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## Simpte 27 (Jul 16, 2004)

I think JBJ have better reflectors............


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

Even All Glass makes a decent 36" CF fixture (110 watt). www.petsolutions.com usually has pretty good prices on them.

Just offering another option, since you asked.


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## trenac (Jul 16, 2004)

Coralife or JBJ


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## Roy Deki (Apr 7, 2004)

I'm a Coralife fan myself...although i've never owned a JBJ fixture before. Coralife seems to be alittle more affordable.


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## gnome (Jan 27, 2004)

I am, by no means, an expert on lighting. However, I have always been very dissatisfied by Coralife bulbs. The ones they make for planted tanks seem to make everything look too green or yellow. I have a 28W Aqualight on my 10-gallon tank and although I haven't really looked very hard, I do wish I could have found a different brand of a square-pin PC bulb. The fixture is great, especially if you're partial to an open-top setup, but the bulb itself and the color it puts out is annoying. I believe "Colormax" is also a line of fluorescents put out by Coralife, and I don't like those, either. Then again, maybe I just ended up with crummy bulbs. 

-Naomi


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Coralife has no fans in the units. The current JBJ line has three fans. They are a bit noisey though. The JBJ bulbs tend to burn out in less than a year, at least their 65 watters do.


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## Aaron (Feb 12, 2004)

Wow! Thanks for all the responses. Quality light fixtures are nonexistant in the LFS here. All we have here are cheeply made stuff from china like JEBO, Odyssey, and Jalli. There is a Coralife rep here and all the LFS sell bulbs but they do not bring in fixtures. I really liked customsealife. (is that what they were called?) Those fixtures were built really well and the bulbs lasted forever. I think Sunpaq and the Orbit/ Satellite systems were their replacements, is this correct and does anyone know how these fixtures are? 

I actually don't want a fan, mainly because I have never had one that did not get noisy down the line. Besides, I'd run it open top and find using a small fan near the tank works a lot better in keeping the temp down on the fixture and the tank (evaporation) 

Gnome, I know what you mean concerning the color of Coralife bulbs, that can be said about PC bulbs in general. There just isn't the selection of color temp for PC as there is for T-8, T-12 yet. My old 72" Customsealife fixture came with 8800k 96w and those were great. Don't know where I'd get something like that now though. I also have some German made 55w PCs that came with my old Perfecto SHO light (one of the very first pc fixtures to hit the US market about 7 or 8 years ago that had to be recalled cause they would catch on fire!) and believe it or not, they still work and look as intense as a year old coralife bulb! 

oops, sorry for going off topic.


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## dennis (Mar 1, 2004)

For bulbs, check out www.hellolights.com


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## Raul-7 (Feb 4, 2004)

You're correct, Compact USA did replace CSL. I heard their fixtures are much improved version of the old CSL fixtures, with those prices they seem like they're the best bang for your buck.


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## ShaneSmith (Feb 15, 2004)

Current-Usa is custom sealife pretty much. The Orbit lights are great, sound ballast and good reflector. www.aquaticeco.com can get these fixtures pretty cheap.


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## arellanon (Jan 2, 2005)

ShaneSmith said:


> Current-Usa is custom sealife pretty much. The Orbit lights are great, sound ballast and good reflector. www.aquaticeco.com can get these fixtures pretty cheap.


Yes. Those Orbits are just fantastic! Wouldn't buy anything else! I got mine from:

www.marineandreef.com

I HIGHLY recommend these!


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## Robert Hudson (Feb 5, 2004)

Personaly I would reserve judgement on Orbitz until someone has had them for a year or two, or three. How long will the ballast last before its burnt out? How long will the bulbs last? Is it UL listed for safety? It is the cheapest chinese knock off out there. How does the American importer stand behind it? Will the company still be in business in three years? These questions can only be answered over time, until then you take your chances.


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## bharada (Apr 17, 2004)

dennis said:


> For bulbs, check out www.hellolights.com


Also try Champion Lighting


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## frmrreefr (Jan 5, 2005)

*My .02*

If I may interject my .02 here, I have owned both Current and Coralife fixtures before and I can say that there is really no diff between the two other than the fans in the Coralife fixture seem to be quieter. I have owned both for over a year and they are still going strong, although I did replace the bulbs in the Current unit about 2 months ago and the Coralife bulbs do not appear to have lost any punch. I think all in all the prices are comparable between the 2 and build quality is a little better on the Coralife....that's just my opinion though and YMMV.....


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## dwhite645 (Jan 9, 2005)

I'm really pleased with my JBJ fixture, and I'd buy another when I do another tank. My brother bought a coralife PC and returned it. He wasn't happy with the reflector and said the quality wasn't that great. I have no expreience with them though, so I can't say directly.


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