PFO Retrofit Kit

Tim224DT · 10-29-2005, 06:56 PM

Hello I am thinking of getting this retrofit kit. Just wanted to see what you guys think of it. I will also be getting the 4 ft reflector to mount inside my canopy. I like this unit because it has two power cords and two switches. I would like to get ICE Cap but they only have one power cord and one switch. I plan on getting the bulbs from my LFS they sell them for $28 a piece and on Marine Depots site they are $24.

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...Product=PF5117

Tim

Tim224DT · 10-29-2005, 09:12 PM

Anyone? Good or bad before I place the order?

Tim

dobejazz · 10-29-2005, 09:18 PM

I wish I could help you Tim ! Looks good to me but I don't know anything about lights

coralfreak · 10-29-2005, 09:36 PM

Looks like a good deal, how many watts? If they turn on 4 46.5" VHO bulbs the ballast must be capable of 440w, if that's truth that's a great deal. It also came with a 2 year warranty.

Adam · 10-29-2005, 11:10 PM

Well as with any lighiting its hard to say yay or nay without knowing what the targeted photosynthetic creatures are to be....having said that PFO makes very high quallity products

Adam

skeety · 10-30-2005, 07:23 AM

only bad thing about TRT and forums in general:

We tend to order things on the weekends more often than weekdays.

We tend to want advice on what we're about to buy.

There are a LOT less people logged in on the weekends here.

Sorry you couldn't get more help...hopefully, you're happy with it!

(don't know a whole lot about lighting myself...sorry)

Tim224DT · 10-30-2005, 08:57 AM

I wont be ordering it for some time like 3-4 weeks. So i have time to wait and get more replies. Thanks everyone so far for your input on this unit.

Tim

Tim224DT · 10-30-2005, 09:00 AM

What i plan on keeping so far is Polyps, Mushrooms, Gorgonians. In other words stuff that is relatively cheap.

Tim

Tim224DT · 10-31-2005, 04:21 AM

bump for the weekday people.

Tim

yardboy · 10-31-2005, 04:52 AM

Yawn....Stretch.... Huuuh!?

I've got PFO and icecaps, PC and VHO. They are equally good from my perspective. Can't go wrong. Don't they give free shpping on 4 ft. bulbs if you order 4? I know for 5 ft'ers it's 6 bulbs, a little much when I've only got 2 bulbs in my hood. (I don't plan that far ahead!)

Booboo33062 · 10-31-2005, 08:40 AM

What's PFO and where is the cheapest place to get 6ft. bulbs, the wiring and ballast? I am needing some lighting in the near future and we are going to do it ourselves. I am wanting to put four bulbs in. Two white and two blue. I think I will need to ballast. I am going to spray the inside of my canopy white and then put a reflector in it. Hopefully this will help reflect the light down into the tank. Sorry to bump in here but I need the info and it looked like you had it here.

Thanks,

wharyat · 10-31-2005, 09:26 AM

Go for it, that's really cheap for 4 bulbs worth.

Booboo, your plan sounds fine. PFO is a brand name.
Check out www.reeftanklighting.com (10% discount to us TRT'rs) and www.hellolights.com. Icecap is the way to go for ballasts, or a comperable electronic.

Tim224DT · 10-31-2005, 12:26 PM

Thanks guys for your replies. I know the unit itself has free shipping. But for free shipping on bulbs it is 6 bulbs or more for 46.5" or bigger. It it only $4 more a bulb to buy from my LFS and they deal with shipping and i dont have to worry about getting the bulb and it is broken or what not.

Wharyat i would like to get icecap but they dont offer or that i know of the 2 switchs to control 2 lights with one and 2 lights with the other.

Booboo its ok.

Tim

Booboo33062 · 10-31-2005, 12:50 PM

From what I read I will need four bulbs to light my 150 gallon tank. To do that I will need two ballast that plug in separately, and it sounded like I can turn on the two blue lights then the white ones for a dusk to dawn effect.