Current USA orbit marine lighting questions

[Chaley88]

Hi everyone I'm quite new and dont know lighting very well, I have a 90 gallon and was wondering if 2 orbit marines would be strong enough for my 90 gallon or would I need something else with those for a Lps and softy tank. Would maybe adding a orbit marine pro or ic help?

 

[Oscaror]

Welcome to R2R! I'm sure the LED pros will help you out I'm more of a T5 fanboy

 

[Lovemyreef2015]

Welcome to R2R. I believe the issue you'll have with those lights is getting par at the bottom of the tank, 90 gallons are pretty deep. IMO, save the money from buying orbit marines and try black boxes.

 

[Dsnakes]

I liked my orbits when I ran them. I believe a 90g would probably be too deep for them though.

 

[Chaley88]

Thank you everyone, I have an odyssea t5 fixture with 4 bulbs, would that be worth it to just replace the bulbs? I was told it's an old fixture. I also dont know what bulbs to replace with for the right colors. It has 4 blue tiny led lights for night but a few dont work and I dont know where to get those from either. I already have the orbit marines, where would be the best place to sell them if I dont need them? I'd like to have the freedom with my lights to get anything I want if ever I come across say a sps or maybe a clam when I get more experience, if I need to purchase a new light what would be the best for around $500. Tank is 48x18x24.

 

[samnaz]

I started with Orbit Marines and was very happy with them at the time. Tank was a 20L, so only 12" deep. I now have upgraded to Orbit Marine Pro, on the same tank. Still no complaints. I think they are very underrated lights for the price. Especially for a softy LPS tank, they are certainly adequate.

 

[samnaz]

if you decide to sell them, the best place to do so (by far) is here, on the dry good selling forum. That's where I sold mine, also have purchased lots of great used items for great prices.

PS welcome to R2R!

 

[Reefrookie220]

@Sarah24!

 

[Chaley88]

I started with Orbit Marines and was very happy with them at the time. Tank was a 20L, so only 12" deep. I now have upgraded to Orbit Marine Pro, on the same tank. Still no complaints. I think they are very underrated lights for the price. Especially for a softy LPS tank, they are certainly adequate.

Would maybe in addition to the 2 I have, Getting a marine pro make up the difference and help make it stronger? I like the ability to control the lights, I can't do that with the t5 fixture.

 

[rob safron]

I had 2 marine pro’s on a 125. For softies I think you will be fine. I can tell you though I went to them from an old t5 fixture and my corelline algae began fading away. So if you ever will switch to SPS or want corelline you won’t have luck with them.

 

[samnaz]

Would maybe in addition to the 2 I have, Getting a marine pro make up the difference and help make it stronger? I like the ability to control the lights, I can't do that with the t5 fixture.

I want to say yes, but since your tank is twice as deep as mine, I'm not entirely sure. Currents website has spec sheets with the exact par levels at certain depths. Check those out, that's the best way to know for sure if they will suffice.

 

[samnaz]

I had 2 marine pro’s on a 125. For softies I think you will be fine. I can tell you though I went to them from an old t5 fixture and my corelline algae began fading away. So if you ever will switch to SPS or want corelline you won’t have luck with them.

My coralline growth is out of control with an Orbit Pro, as well as montipora growth, so it can be done...

 

[samnaz]

here ya go....

https://current-usa.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Orbit_Marine_Light_Specifications.pdf

 

[Bayareareefer18]

I'm running the IC pros on my 75. All LPS tank and all doing great. Only running whites around 50% at the moment

 

[Sarah24!]

Hello,

This all depends on which marine pros she has. If she has the ic loop version, they probably should not be used on anything above a 125, and if you have sps it needs to be at the top.

However, if she had the orbit marine pros with the 60 degree lens she can grow clams, sps, anything she can throw at those lights. My tank is a 240 and is 34 inches tall, and using a ly-core 1500 I have had accurate readings of 200 par on the sand bed. I currently run them at maybe 30% whites and is too strong for most of my sps, and my maximus clam does amazing.

These lights have been absolutely amazing and my growth rate has been quite a bit better than using hydra or Ecotech.
The lights will absolutely burn up any coral and clams (the one I do have really loved the light intensity they produce). Depending on size of tank, if you use the 60 degree lens you will need two to cover front to back. I would highly suggest finding the critical angel, and sin/cos of the angel to find the best spread on them.

These pics are of my lol annoying anemonie living on top of my holly wood stunner. The tank is almost a year old and that stunner has been trimmed twice already and grows like a weed. Same with the birdsnest and some of the other sps. So they will absolutely grow clams and sps and (maximus clams which is what I have). My tank is quite a bit deeper than a 90, it’s actually 34 inches tall. (I have to drown myself to clean the bottom), but par is not an issue with these.

 

[Chaley88]

Hello,

This all depends on which marine pros she has. If she has the ic loop version, they probably should not be used on anything above a 125, and if you have sps it needs to be at the top.

However, if she had the orbit marine pros with the 60 degree lens she can grow clams, sps, anything she can throw at those lights. My tank is a 240 and is 34 inches tall, and using a ly-core 1500 I have had accurate readings of 200 par on the sand bed. I currently run them at maybe 30% whites and is too strong for most of my sps, and my maximus clam does amazing.

These lights have been absolutely amazing and my growth rate has been quite a bit better than using hydra or Ecotech.
The lights will absolutely burn up any coral and clams (the one I do have really loved the light intensity they produce). Depending on size of tank, if you use the 60 degree lens you will need two to cover front to back. I would highly suggest finding the critical angel, and sin/cos of the angel to find the best spread on them.

These pics are of my lol annoying anemonie living on top of my holly wood stunner. The tank is almost a year old and that stunner has been trimmed twice already and grows like a weed. Same with the birdsnest and some of the other sps. So they will absolutely grow clams and sps and (maximus clams which is what I have). My tank is quite a bit deeper than a 90, it’s actually 34 inches tall. (I have to drown myself to clean the bottom), but par is not an issue with these.

I have the regular orbit marines, the 2.0 version with the loop. Would an additional light help so I wouldn't have to sell them or would it be best to sell and get something else? I'm so confused, I read reviews before buying them saying they were and went strong enough. Contacted or it and was told should be ok at 90+ blue and 65+ white. I feel like a squirrel in the middle of the road that can't decide if I should go left or right.

 

[shoelaceike]

For softies, LPS and BTAs you will be fine. I've used them and currently use the fluval which is similar

 

[Chaley88]

Does adding lights increase par or just coverage?

 

[Sarah24!]

I have the regular orbit marines, the 2.0 version with the loop. Would an additional light help so I wouldn't have to sell them or would it be best to sell and get something else? I'm so confused, I read reviews before buying them saying they were and went strong enough. Contacted or it and was told should be ok at 90+ blue and 65+ white. I feel like a squirrel in the middle of the road that can't decide if I should go left or right.

Hello,

If you have the ic loop version they are a 120 degree angel lens, they are not quite the scooter power of the 60 degree lens. However with that said, if you did buy a third one and placed it in the center and used 100% blues only then the other front and behind (equaled centered) at 100% blue and maybe 70% white you should be fine.

This also depends what you will grow, like if you want sps you wouldn’t be able to grow it on the sand bed or lower sections. Upper middle to high for sps and clams if that is what you are wanting. Remember most coral even the highest demanding coral only need 200 par to grow. The whole idea of one needs tons of light and par to make coral grow is untrue. With that said, they do need the proper photosynthesis, uv, and 400 range light section. Red,green, and cool white are still needed but in very careful moderation. Too much of cool white etc will bleach your corals, and too much of red and green can give you cyano (along with the cool white). You have to find that happy medium and every tank is different.

If your corals are use to these lights, swapping them with a t5 or another led may shock them too much even with acclimation. Then again if your tank has no corals in it then it won’t matter etc. when I moved my tank, the local fish shop and aquarium only had t5 and mh lights and my corals didn’t like it at all. Once back under my lights they went back to normal. Coral are little animals so changing their environment drastically is not good. Adding in a t5 say a purple plus or blue wouldn’t be a a terrible idea, but, also has some not so great ideas. It comes down to what you find appealing and how you want your ocean to be.

 

[rob safron]

Does adding lights increase par or just coverage?

Both