Coralife 05376 Aqualight Dual Power Compact Flourescent Lighting Fixture

first off, there is a Freshwater version which includes 2 6500k bulbs vs the marine model that comes with the actinic the previous reviewer didn't sniff around!

i have a FW planted tank, the coverage is good, the lights are bright (not sure of the quality) and easy to set up.

cons:

1. only 1 plug for both lights. not a big deal, but if you have an algae problem, sometimes lessening wattage can help but turning off bulb. there are switches though, so i guess that would work.

2. No fan switches. the fans are mildly loud brand new, and i guarantee you after a couple of months they will start howling.

3. end caps are NOT water proof, or even water-resistant for that matter. really strange to not include this feature. sure it comes with a replaceable acrylic cover, but to think its not in a humid environment is ignorant. no way would i put this on a marine tank.

Received the light in good shape, but wish that amazon had recommended that I purchase the optional legs ($8) to be able to mount it on top of my 46 gal bowfront tank. Also realized that it should have clearly stated that this lighting configuration is for saltwater aquariums, NOT freshwater. Good general design, although I'm not sure why the fan is only connected to one of the two light switches?? Doesn't seem to be a problem so far... we'll see whether the bulb life is impacted. Had it for a bit more than 2 months with no problems, other than needing to swap out the actinic bulb for a 55 watt daylight (6700 K) bulb. Plants none the worse for the experience, but the algae got a bit out of control as a result. (Hint: both 55 watt and 65 watt straight 4 pin bulbs will work in this fixture.) It can be used for freshwater, but you need to change the bulb that's included.

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