smartlite/ coralife?

[alistair]

I'm new to sw/ reef keeping. I'm looking to buy a 96W powerQuad retro kit. I've found two; one from Smartlite and one from Coralife. There is a considerable difference in cost.

Is there a difference in quality between these two units?

Is there something else that you could recommend?

[ReeferMonkey]

Without links to the products, all I can say is that maybe one is a retrofit and the other is a hood kit. A Coralife 96w PQ hood setup should run $95:

 

A CSL retro PQ is a little bit more expensive, $130:

 

http://www.hellolights.com/185cfquadret.html

 

Coralife also makes a retro kit for $85:

 

http://www.hellolights.com/201xcoaqcfho.html

 

Custom Sea Life is a well known brand with a good reputation, sadly they are closing down and being replaced by Current. All bulbs and stuff needed for their fixtures is still available from retailers.

 

Maybe someone with more experience with Coralife fixtures will chime in.

[USFnano]

The smartlite retrofit comes in 32w and 65w versions, that's why they're cheaper

 

http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_lighti...res.asp?CartId=

 

*both at the bottom of the page