I'm not familiar with either fixture... but what spectrum are the bulbs?

A better quality fixture will mean longer lasting bulbs, but it's the spectrum of the bulbs themselves that can make a difference.

I used 6500k bulbs because I want the macro to grow nicely. Some corals look washed out, but the macro is gorgeous and grows quickly. I just use hagen retro fit T5s and hagen "life glo" bulbs - nothing fancy at all.