Thoughts on Current USA Orbit Marine light and pumps

[selmer_paris3]

I am looking at the current USA system on Amazon. It looks like a good deal and nice system, anyone have thoughts on it?
I have a 27 gallon AiO that is roughly 16” deep, do you think I will get enough par at the bottom/how can I tell?
Right now I just have 2 clowns but I want to get some easy coral like Zoas and Xenia soon!

 

[Spare time]

There are better lights for the price. Their pumps are nice though. What are the dimensions of the tank?

 

[boacvh]

I loved their system. Lights are on the weaker side but for me they were more than enough for zoas and LPS. I upgraded because I wanted some SPS. I still have all their pumps and the loop system.

 

[smacbride]

I'm using an Orbit IC light on my Red Sea Max 130, it's the only light I could afford that would fit in the existing canopy. I didn't want to go the route of being topless and having to install an ATO system when I travel.

 

[smacbride]

Here are some full tank shots with 100% and then the blue fade out at sunset, you can see I have about 12" from the light to the top of my soft corals. This is after about 2 months with the lights. I run them from 10 am sunrise to 10 pm sunset which gives about 11 hours of full 100%.

 

[Dolphins18]

Here’s a 30 long with 2 over it. Fairly happy with the lights, not my favorite. I have one of the pumps as well, it’s okay, nothing to write home about. I added a aquamai KPS and am a big fan. I ALMOST prefer it to the vortechs but not quite. This is a planted reef in its early days so it isn’t the best looking tank, my tangs love the algae I feed them from the small tank.
I really like the clean and sleek look of the lights. I have two over this IM 30 and it is just a sleek light. It’s performance is outperformed by competititors though. I wouldn’t go with their pumps if I re did it.

 

[selmer_paris3]

Those are some great looking tanks! Awesome job! Thanks for the replies

@mstoneman17 what light would you prefer over these if they aren’t your favorite

 

[selmer_paris3]

I loved their system. Lights are on the weaker side but for me they were more than enough for zoas and LPS. I upgraded because I wanted some SPS. I still have all their pumps and the loop system.

Tank is 22 wide, 15 deep, 16 high. It’s a aqua Japan rimless all in one.

what light do you think is a better chioce? I was looking at a used ai prime 16hd

 

[LadyMac]

I have the pro loop set (so two lights) on my tank. I like them, as I’m not out to grow the higher send stuff. I also have two of the powerheads and plan to add the return pump soon as I can.

I also have a regular orbit marine that I use to add my whites with as the loops are just blues green and red.

 

[Dolphins18]

Tank is 22 wide, 15 deep, 16 high. It’s a aqua Japan rimless all in one.

what light do you think is a better chioce? I was looking at a used ai prime 16hd

Go with a hydra if you can, but if not the prime is an excellent light, unless you want a really sleek look on the top of the tank, that’s the only way I’d say go with the current USA.
Every few years CURRENT comes out with some new products that look super cool and sound amazing, they just dont ever quite do it for me. Not a bad product, just not my favorite.

 

[boacvh]

Tank is 22 wide, 15 deep, 16 high. It’s a aqua Japan rimless all in one.

what light do you think is a better chioce? I was looking at a used ai prime 16hd

I personally don't have experience with many. I went with the 360x kessils when I upgraded from my orbits. Perhaps others have a view on the ai primes. To me the look/profile of the lights was an important factor too since it sits in my living room. That's why I liked the thin orbits in the first place.
I think the current usa, like others have shown here have enough par for what you listed above at that depth. But if you are thinking of maybe upgrading later I would then perhaps spend a bit more on a better light.

 

[MightyMO]

I got 2 of them sitting downstairs in my spare parts bin... They would only grow softies for me... So I replaced them with a single a360x kessil and it has out performed those lights by a landslide...

 

[Dw79]

I have two 36 inch IC Pros on my 46 gallon tank with the loop system. Lights will grow softies and lps just fine, but not enough for sps. The pumps work good, but I just had to replace one not long ago that stopped working for some reason

 

[selmer_paris3]

Thanks everyone for the recommendations! I think I will give the system a try. I like being able to control all the main tank components from one system. Down the line I’ll probably get a ai prime 16hd!

 

[un5tab1e]

Can't speak for the lights but, their return pumps are pretty good and their waranty is great. Had a pump I had bought 3 years ago from ebay but, never used. Brick was bad when I hooked it up a month ago and they sent an entire pump not just a new power brick.

 

[Hairyteeth]

I had the pumps only, in my nano, one died pretty quickly (7 months and yes I cleaned themevery 3 weeks)... thought about replacing, but with how ticked my euphyllia and sps got over a day with 1 dead pump out of two, I replaced with the pump I should have gone with in the beginning.

 

[Bpb]

That system will work perfectly fine for your goals.

 

[WirelessMike]

I ran Currents for about the first year in my tank. They will do zoa and Xenia with no problem. My mushroom and leather also did well under them. For what you are trying to accomplish they will work great.

 

[selmer_paris3]

I have the pro loop set (so two lights) on my tank. I like them, as I’m not out to grow the higher send stuff. I also have two of the powerheads and plan to add the return pump soon as I can.

I also have a regular orbit marine that I use to add my whites with as the loops are just blues green and red.

How many gallons is your tank? Mine is 27, I was trying to decide between one and two power heads

 

[Arabyps]

I run the loop system in my Waterbox Peninsula (130 DT) with dual Marne IC Pro with 2 eFlux power heads and eFlux return pump. The integration and Bluetooth control is great. The look is clean. I'm only plan on having LPS, Zoas and softies in my tank. I works for me.