Current lighing question

OK call me old but I see a lot of people pushing current lights, now my big question is have they gotten that much better in the past few years?

I could see them getting better due to the fact that they needed to survive in the market place but back when I had a set years ago they well didn’t stack up to the rest of the market. To this day I would rather have a Sunlight Supply product (Tek) for my T5’s.

Just wanted some of your input.

Thanks

 

im not sure if you are refering to new products or new manufacturers(due to you last statement) but certain aspects have improved alot, such as electronic ballasts have gone down alot in price, im not sure if they were even available when i first started all the stores i went to to look at lights had magnetics. maybe they just went down in price but i see them alot more now.
but if your comparing t5's and halides to older style lightings(even though halide is kinda old) but yes they are alot better then power compacts and even vho's. for reasons such as light output and size. even the bulbs have improved in my opinion(well the high quality ones).


edit oooh your talking about companies lol, disregard everything above the edit. currents ok but tek is still better

 

Current(the company) is trying to enter the "higher" end T5 market with the Nova Exreme Pro that has individual reflectors instead of just one. It is a step in the right direction, BUT unlike Tek, Aquactinics, Ice Cap and others the aluminum is NOT Miro German highly reflective(98%) and from everyone I've talked to that has used Current setups, the bulbs are garbage. The few people that do use them switch the stock bulbs out instantaneously. On my retro build I used the Aquactinics reflectors as they are only 2" wide and I could cram alot of them in there. For all you prospective T5 uses I would recommend skipping the Current regardless of which model, save some $$ and go w/ a Tek, TX5,Solar Flare or other HIGHER END AMERICAN made T5, you won't regret it!!

 

True on the skimmers ETS was the big guy about 6 yrs ago.

I am mostly asking about the quality of the light fixture.

The bulbs have gotten much better as in the output for T5 and MH. Killer for the MH is the energy loss from heat. T5 is a much better light for that aspect and reflector design seems to work better. But to the MH defense Dave at Coralvue seems to have a really good pendant reflector that comes close to matching T5 reflectors as in out put. I could go on MH vs. T5 but I’ll save it for a different thread.

 

Thanks DR. thats what I wanted to know. Like to see that 180 all lit up

 

I always enjoy a good MH v T5 thread! I honestly think T5s are pulling up to if not ahead of MH, MH is still tried and true but as more people like myself show that T5s can light a big tank and with less watts it will pull ahead, I mean I have only 640watts and granted the light has only be in opertation about 2 weeks but the few SPS that I've slowly added from my other tank are getting SCORCHED half way down even. I will try to post some pics of the retro and the tank shortly.

 

For all of you current PPL out there found this on RFF