WELCOME TO OUR ULTRA REEF

LIGHTING SYSTEMS 

REEF TIP: BUY A GROUND FAULT DETECTOR ASAP AND INSTALL IT IN YOUR REEF ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE. YOU THEN WILL NOT NEED A GROUND PROBE. A ground fault detector will immediately trip the circuit if you become part of the circuit or if any of your equipment fails. They are available at your local hardware store. Have it installed by a competent person.

Need an odd sized tank hood?

E-mail us or call for quotation. We custom manufacture lighting hoods in Professionally finished real Oak Plywood (only veneer core will do, it is lighter than particle board and much more water resisitent). All your ballasts and wiring are located out of sight in the Top above the Bulbs. To provide maximum cooling, the Top is open and is called our bare bones unit. (Top Cover $20. option with an aluminum plate)................Call!!

NEED A RETROFIT KIT?

Do it your self.  We will send you our Super "Pearl White" powder coated reflector fo $25/ft available in 1/2/3/4/5 ft lengths plus $30 per mogual/bracket fitting and you can build your own hood. Fans are available for $40 (including grill). Pick your ballast/bulb combo and away you go.

USA RESIDENTS PAY NO TAXES.

URI - VHO FLORESCENT LIGHT BULBS with internal reflectors

Super Actinic 03 - 4ft...VHO
Code 60400..................................(USA$24.00)......................................................... $37.00


Call for pricing on 5 foot and 6 foot bulbs Note: There is a $10 boxing charge for bulbs per order if not picked up locally(best to buy some spares and save $$). We have 4/6 ft VHO actinic and Actinic White instock for local pickup.



REEF TIP: All of the above bulbs contain insignificant amounts red phosphors which greatly reduce the growth of green hair algae. The Aqua suns give the best green light spectrum of any bulb that we have seen in VHO design while the Philips 7500K bulb (available in 40 W rating- Remember, used with the IceCap ballast you get VHO output light or our Super HO Electronic Ballasts) is by far the most exact match to sun light that we have seen! Experts state that most corals live in the green light zone. You decide, the spectral output of this bulb matches that of the Sun the absolute best that we have seen of any bulb. We have looked for a long time to find this bulb!) Green light is what red things (red coralline algae, red coral pigments) use the most. By combining with these bulbs and adding 1 to 2 actinic bulbs you get a strong white spectrum with very little red, and no peaks in the Red zone PLUS you get a bit of ultraviolet light needed by most of your corals! Also your red mushrooms will not turn brown (as they can with Metal Halides only with the 5500K bulbs not the 10,000K or the 6500K, personal observation KWM) with these units(European expert Peter W.).

WHAT ABOUT BULB TEMPERATURE?

What it means and what people think it means are two different things. The main problem here is some people will over state their rating (this was confirmed via personal conversation with experts who have the equipment to test the bulbs). For example an Actinic Blue bulb has a temperature rating of about 7200 K. Some people like URI seem to under state their temperature? We have seen a 60/40 actinic/daylight bulb state that its temperature is 7500 K? Hence, it is bluer than the blue light but is only 60% blue? Therefore we can only trust the spectral output curve. Try to simulate how the light would be distributed at say 10-15 ft. depth. Eliminate red and try to get a flat white spectrum and then add your two blue actinics. Who cares what the temperature of one bulb is. If marine life only used blue light then all corals would be brown. Boring! If you want to simulate light at the surface to 1m depth then you must use 4 bulbs with the IceCap (VHO's or Philips) or Metal Halides
We are now carrying the best of the lot 150 W, 250W and 400W bulbs 6500K look much better than all the rest. Check out the curves and make up your own mind. An Iwasaki 150W bulb with an adaptor will fit into a standard 175W mogal and in the one we tested started with out any problems. This bulb is design to give 250W in its light chamber so all you will get is more light output with no appreciable loss in bulb life. Remember that a 7200K bulb 03 Actinic peaks at 420nm and all the other bulbs except our 6500K and German 10,000K peak about 465nm ie red shift. Always ask your supplier for the spectral curve of the bulb before buying if you want to get the total picture. We believe the best curve is the 6500K bulbs followed by the 10,000K German. The new Philip 7500K bulb also competes with the metal halide spectral curve by combining with your 03 actinics. This curve gives more light in the green light zone which red coralline algae like along with the corals. The greatly reduced red light spectrum of the new metal halides help reduce hair algae growth. Spectral curves are below

NOTE: A bulb's rating VHO,HO,STD is based on the internal filament's resistance. With IceCap this filament is by passed because the ballast does not cycle at 60 Hz but, 60,000 Hz. Bulbs with a broken filament work with an IceCap ballasts.

GREAT PRICE!!

Philip 03 Actinic 40W Super price on 03 Actinic bulbs. Use with our HO ballasts and VHO ballasts to give you long bulb life and super output. (a $10 boxing fee applies for shipping)
Code 60603 3 ft bulb...................................................................................................$19.00

Code 60600. ( US$17) ............................................................................................... $20.00

Code: 60605. 5 ft Philip VHO 03 Actinic bulb............................................................$40.00

Philips 7500K full spectrum bulb . THIS IS THE BULB THAT WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR FOR OVER 5 YEARS! The best spectral curve that we have seen for a Reef tank. CRI=95 ! This curve closest matches the Sun at at about 10 feet depth. Add your actinics and that is it. You be the judge. With these bulbs, you get 110 Watts of light with the IceCap or 80 Watts of light with our Super HO ballast. (power consumption of 60W and 40W respectively). We recommend two of these bulbs plus two actinics with the IceCap Electronic Ballast. You also need your secondary actinic lighting systems for 12-15 hrs per day. (bulb rated power 40W)
Code: 60750.(4ft)............................................................................................................ $25.
Code:60753 (3ft-5000K similar bulb)..............................................................................$20.

Note: With an Ice Cap ballast the Philip bulbs glow like VHO and draw 80 W, the same as VHO. What gives a bulb its rating is the internal filament, like a resistor. The IceCap Ballast by passes this filiment and the bulb light up! We TESTED two VHO's and two STD bulbs and got the same amp draw or the same power consumed. We contacted Philips and they confirm that it is the ballast not the bulb that gives the great light output. The Super Electronic also uses 30W or 40W with these bulbs and gives you HO output. A great value. $$save $$ There is no loss in life or lumens. It is the 24,000 cps that give you the great light in our Super electronic ballast. You get soft start, long ballast and bulb life.

German End Caps - Highest quality plastic guarenteed for 5 years. Price per pair
Code 60800................(USAL$7 each).............................................................................$20.





METAL HALIDE BULBS AND EQUIPMENT AVAILABLE. CALL FOR PRICING
GERMAN METAL HALIDE 10000K from manufacturer? 175 Watts

Code 60175..($100USA).................................................................................................$155.

6500K METAL HALIDE BULBS- make a great reef light (These are the ones we use in our Metal halide system plus VHO actinics)

JAPAN 150W -6500K BULBS
Code 60150.......($82USA)................................................................................................$135.
JAPAN 250W -6500K BULBS
Code 60250...($78USA).....................................................................................................$129.
JAPAN 400W -6500K BULBS
Code 60400...($78USA).....................................................................................................$129.


PLEASE SEE NOTE ABOVE ON METAL HALIDE BULB BREAK IN.

A Word on Reflector Design: Are you getting the light into your tank or your eyes?

The MH bulb does not give light out of the end of the bulb, but rather from the side. You therefore need to have a good Reflector. Direct light from the bulb is at best 80 degrees. The other 280 degrees comes from your reflector. It should have the following:

1.0 A Full Spectrum high reflective index.
2.0 Be easy to maintain/clean
3.0 Be long lasting and durable. Able to resist salt water corrosion.
4.0 Angled to bounce light down into your Reef. It should not trap light or let it reflect out into the room.(very important to get the light into your Reef!)
5.0 Conduct heat away from your bulb and prevent any possibility of fire.(Aluminum conducts heat 10X's better than steel!)

With a good reflector design (deep) like our tappered Oak hood (or aluminum unit), you bounce the light back into your tank as it does not get trapped as with a square reflector. We have known for a long time that flourecent tubes distribute the light power better over the tank. The choice is yours. Glossy "Pearl White" is a good color as it reflects full spectrum light. You can see your self in our reflector's glossy " Pearl White" powder coated finish! Next time you see one of those Coral Life Hoods take a good look at the way the light spills out into the room. The reflector look great but it is the function of the reflector to make the light go into the Reef and not into your eyes. We see over and over again people having to put pieces of something up against the reflector to shield their eyes from the light. We have re-engineered the tops to reflect the light down into your Reef. This means that it costs a bit more to make as the tops have to be deeper than the ones you see. We also give you a full 24" wide by 4' and 24" wide for 5'or 6' reflector built the way good reflectors are with our "Pearl White" powder coated electrostatic baked finish (for long life and high reflective index). The flat white surface as recommended by Sprung has a reflective index of about 50% that of our glossy white surface. Hence you lose 40% of your bulbs output! We have a photo of ours for you to see. We also have a tank mount as an option that allows you to mount the reflector just above the tank at the correct height above the water and hence you do not need to hang unit. The design of the unit balances unit very well if you so chose to hang the units


Reef Tip: Put a power head under the MH bulbs to make small waves to pulse the light and increase it's intensity by upto 2 X's (Nilsen pg 200, Vol 1).

ULTRA-REEF LIGHTING SYSTEMS

Reef aquariums do best with (need) a two tier lighting system. One actinic and one intense VHO or Metal Halide system. Our Ultra Lighting Systems are matched to your every need. You can mix and match the various options to meet your individual requirements. All systems incorporate the following features:

1.Energy efficient electronic ballasts for HO actinics, and standard metal halide ballasts for dependability.
2.Quality Oak (Black) professionally built and sealed for protection against water sprays.
3.Internal "Pearl White" aluminum reflector sheet for full spectrum reflection (full coverage). This is the heart of the reflector. We use a 24"x 48" for 4' tanks and 24"x 60"' for 5' and 6' systems (yes, that is right- almost 150% the size of the others) wide aluminum sheet finished in electrostatically baked "Pearl White" powder coated finish for outstanding performance
4.CSA and AL approved ballasts and wiring fixtures.
5.High capacity 112 cfm fan (additional two fan option available for 4',5' and 6' hoods)
6.Extended bulb life for both actinics.
7.Hanging units above tank/or mount on tank (14"). Special VHO enclosed hood available.
8.Ballasts enclosed in hood away from water spills.
9.Optional 24h heavy duty electronic timer, LCD, for auto control of light startup.
10.Optional VHO IceCap upgrade for actinics
11. Available in 3 ft, 4 ft, 5 ft and 6 ft sizes. (Aluminum flat black finish in 4'/5/6')

12. For the restricted budget we offer the PICTURE OF HOOD "BARE BONES OAK" reflector that is built to the same standard with the same material but does not have the solid oak end caps of our best top of the line oak units.
Actinic Options: 2'-3'-4' HO actinics bulbs(1/2/3 bulbs)
2-3-4 Bulbs VHO actinics(3ft,4ft, 5ft) (IceCap)

24h 7 day timer with battery backup LCD/heavy duty
Second 112 CFM fan

Metal Halides

6500K bulbs included with Lighting Hood. Standard Ballast (non- Electronic Ballasts) Options: 175 Watt: 250 Watts:



Caution: Corals from low light regions require time to adjust (1 month or more) to high light systems. Raise lights and or cut back time to prevent oxygen poisoning of the Corals. Not every Coral needs 400W of light. Many types prefer the intensity of the 150W and will open up fully under these bulbs. It is always recommended to add VHO actinics to all of these bulbs. Remember that PUR (photo usable radiation) is more important than W/gal as it takes in the absorption of the corals and algae within the corals. By the way, according to one source who has measured the Spectral output of the 10,000K and 20,000K bulbs, he can find no difference except in the price. We believe that the 10,000K/14,000K is the maximum you need to go in bulb temperature as you will over shift the 430 nm mark as you go higher.

See Spectral Curve for 6500K and 10,000K German bulbs. We recommend the 6500K bulbs for shallow water corals. The 10,000K are better suited for deep water corals.
As all metal halide lights start up slowly, you do not need to dim up or down. Putting several bulbs on different timers and if you desire dim your Actinics up and down will help you to match the light on the Reef.



REEF TIP: We have the spectral curves of the 6500K and 10000K German bulbs. The best bulb for your Reef in our opinion is one that gives little or no Red light, lots of light from 400-600 nm. Click on the bulb to get the spectral curve produced by IceCap with these ballasts. IceCap claim the ballast has no effect on the spectral curve and that it is a function of the bulb. A comparison with the 5200K (called 5500K) bulb would support this information. We make no claim to accuracy or reliability of this information but do hold it to be true. I6500K curve from manufacturer. Add as much 03 Actinic light as your can! For shallow water corals, add UV to give proper pigment formation



Aluminum Hood finished in White finish available (paint to meet your needs). Units are only $25(4'), $35(5') or $45(6') more than our bare bone Oak. These units are built to professional standards with seal welded ends. The manufacturer is a leading lighting manufacturer. We pass our savings on to you

RETROFIT KITS AVAILABLE FOR SINGLE BULB OR COMPLETE

SYSTEM 1.0 4-Foot metal halide hood with 2- 175W or 2-250W Japanese 6500K bulbs(can use 10,000K German bulbs also) and 2-HO Phillip 03 actinic with electronic ballast. Bulbs powered by Standard metal halide ballasts. Hang above tank. Oak finish with the best colored (Pearl White") reflector. Comes with 112 CFM fan to blow your socks off. Most other fans are around 55cfm. Optional with two 10,000K German bulbs(add $60.) (IceCap VHO option add $175)
Code:60515.......(USA Price $699 + delivery).................$1027. Canadian


COMPARE: We priced a similar unit in the USA without electronic ballasts for the Actinics with bulbs. Cost was (USA$820) We ship these units in Canada and continental USA for about $75. Remember, USA pay no taxes, hoods are 95% product of the USA, assembled in Canada.

Code: 60520 Upgrade Actinics with IceCap 430 VHO ballast(Philip03 actinic)
......................................................................................................($820USA).............$1199.
Code:61325 Upgrade to 5 ft Hood add $40.00 Canadian


SYSTEM 2 6 foot length dual (3 bulbs) either 3- 175 W or 3 - 250 W 6500K bulbs, 3-400W 6500K standard ballasts plus two 4' HO actinics TWO 112 CFM fan(add $95 for German 10,000K option available only in 175 W)
CODE: 60615.....................................................($1020USA)............$1499.
Code:66215.............with 5ft VHO upgrade.......................................(USA$1210)............$1715


.
3-400W bulb 6500K units with VHO actinics $1730.




SYSTEM 3- For your 4ft tank.  One center mounted 400W - 6500K bulb and two HO actinics.  This system gives incredible light out put and fantastic coral growth of SPS corals.  Light out put is very close to that of the sun blow the bulb. All you really need.                                                                       ($499USA)........................................$749.00

SYSTEM 4 For you 5ft tank. Similar to our SYSTEM 3 with two 400W bulbs and 4 ft actinics.................$1049.

SYSTEM 5 For your 6 ft tank. Two-6500 K 400W bulbs with 5 ft VHO-430 IceCap actinics                                        ..........................................................................................................................................................................$1349.

ICECAP VHO HOODS WITH HO 03 ACTINICS

Mount on tank or hang from above.

Your choice of systems: 2/3-bulb HO actinic systems, VHO IceCap actinic systems, and 3 or 4 bulb VHO main lighting systems- choose your bulb type.

Starter system 2-HO actinics with 3 VHO bulbs(IceCap model 430 ballast) with all electronic ballasts 2-03 and two Philips 7500K.

3 or 4ft with Ice Cap VHO ballast and VHO bulbs/endcaps installed in hanging top (Oak) or mount on top of tank.

SYSTEM 8 -3 Bulb Units.. With hanging top. VHO's only- 3 or 4 foot plus one 112 CFM fan
Code 54430.......Add .....................................................................(USA$421).............$619.00

SYSTEM 9 -3 or 4 foot hanging Oak top (or mount on top of tank) with 3 Bulb(2-7500K 1-03 Actinic) VHO IceCap 430 and 2 HO Actinics-4 foot with 112 CFM fan(3ft units use 5000K bulb
Code:54433......................................................................................(USA$564)..............$829.
Same with 2-3 or 4ft VHO(7500K) and 2 HO actinic
Code:54435.......................................................................................(USA$530)............$779.

SYSTEM 10-4 Bulb VHO( Your choice of 03 actinic and Philips 7500K bulb/5000K for 3 ft) (model 660). With hanging Oak top/tank mounted VHO's only 3 or 4 foot -112 CFM FAN
Code 54660........Add............................................................................ (USAL$509).....$749.

SYSTEM 11-4 Bulb VHO's(Your choice 03 and 7500K Phillip bulbs) with 2 HO actinics 3 or 4 foot with Oak top plus 112 CFM fan
Code 54662.........................................................................................(USA$632).........$929.00


NOTE: There is a $30 boxing/handling fee for all lighting systems and retrofits plus shipping.