helios power compact lighting 4x55watts for 55 gallon

[kjswift]

I need new lighting system for my 55. Just wondering if anyone has heard anything about this fixture? Thanks

[MikeP]

I have a 2x 27 watt Helios PC that came with my 18 gallon cube. Decent lights. Nice construction on the ballast. Mine has individual on/off switches for each bulb which is nice.

[DeletedAccount]

4 55 watters doesn't seem like much light for as 55 gallon. Is that to be the only lighting?

[TexasState]

I hate dealing with the T7 Power Compact (heat, bulbs easily breaking, even b4 the six months mark.)

Get yourself some straight T5, or T8 Diameter bulbs. Make sure your canopy can fit 48.5 inches of bulbs in there, if not, buy the 46.5 inches bulb. You should be able to fit three or more straight bulbs in to your canopy. I don't know why some fish stores is pushing for peoples to buy PC bubls. I guess it's b/c PC is more profitable on the mark up side. I'm using Icecap ballast to overdrive my Normal Output Bulb. The bulbs is rated for 40Watts, but I'm running it at about 70 Watts. My 65K Daylight Deluxe bulbs cost $6 for a pair from Home Depot. This is better then paying $30 each for PC bubls. And if you break your PC bulbs, the cost will only increase from there. The Icecap ballast can run them up to a year of life cycle. Check out my 120 gallons tank, I'm using 2 Daylight and two actinic. In hindsight, I think I should use three or four Daylight instead of just two Daylight.
http://www.swt.edu/~xp42012/2003/

Just for kick, I'm getting 2x250Watts HQI to light my 120 gallons, and keeping the Icecap to run the actinic light.