I have been an amateur coral grower for a little over a year now. My tank is 75 gallons with an overflow port drilled into the side leading to a 20 gallon sump with all the filters and accessories. Over this time I have used three light fixtures. My original lighting fixture was 4 power compacts; I bought it used and it was heavily corroded. When I decided to replace the unit I went with a 4 T-5 fixture. It was a cheap unknown brand and this was noticeable from the shoddy construction as well as the LED moonlights failing after 2 nights. The other problem was my coral were not responding well to the lights. After putting up with that fixture for 4 months I was ready for an upgrade.The Fixture:
I came across the Coralife Aqualight Pro from marinedepot. It was the highest rated fixture they have and I can see why. The first thing I noticed when I unboxed this item was the quality and attention to detail Coralife puts into the design and construction. Everything on the fixture has a very solid feel to it. The installation of the bulbs, which I will address later in my review, involves removing panels from the underside of the fixture. With the panels removed I was able to see the internal components and circuitry. Unlike the mess of wires that was my last aquarium light, every wire was neatly spot-tied and cleanly soldered or crimped to a terminal lug and attached to a securely fastened component. I have not internally inspected the 2 ballast but they seem to be functioning correctly, albeit very hot. Overall the whole package has a very sleek profile for 2 power compacts, 2 metal halides, 4 LEDs (the product photo only shows 3, but there are 4), all the reflectors, and a fan. The fan only runs with the 2 MH bulbs; the sound is noticeable but not loud, guessing I would say around 25 dB. It does a good job at cooling the unit. I have not noticed a significant temperature change in my water. One final thing I would like to say about the fixture is I also purchased the Aqualight Suspension Hardware Hanging Device to hang it from the ceiling. It makes it look as if the light is floating above my tank, I would recommend it.
The Lights:
If you are contemplating purchasing this, then you probably already know how important the right spectrum of light and intensity is to marine microbiology and the health of your tank. If you keep coral, metal halide lamps are unmatched. After about a week with the MH bulbs only running from 10 am to 4 pm, my coral have taken on a vibrant color and really seem to be flourishing. The 2 actinic 96 watt power compacts are very intense as well. The 4 moon LEDs really give the tank a shimmery pale blue look that draws observers in. They also highlight certain organisms with a brilliant incandescent glow. I have to mention though, the bulbs are the biggest detractor from the total package, specifically the metal halides. While some will say that 10k spectrum lights will promote coral growth I feel it casts a yellowish unappealing light. I intend to change to Phoenix 150W Metal Halide HQI 14,000k DE Bulb next and replace the PCs with Coralife 54074 50/50 Square Pin Compact Fluorescent Lamp, 96-Watt.
Overall, I am extremely happy with the Coralife Aqualight Pro lighting fixture. I would highly recommend to anyone serious about their salt water aquarium hobby. It does seem expensive, but for what you are getting I feel it was worth it. It really showcases the tank and will draw anyone passing by in for a closer look. Have a look at my photos.
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