Sunlight Supply’s Maristar 2 is coming at ya with a trifecta of metal halide, T5 and LED lighting

By Jake Adams on Jul 02, 2012

The Maristar 2 first shown off by Sunlight Supply at Reefapalooza 2010 is finally being made and close to availability for reefers needing copious amount of light for their aquarium.Sunlight Supply’s Maristar 2 includes all of the metal halide, high output T5 fluorescent and LED moonlighting aquariums love. Like previous Sunlight Supply lighting fixtures such as the Tek Wave VHO T5, the Maristar 2 is only designed and built in a 48″ (120cm) length to meet the needs of one of the most popular lengths of aquarium lights in the hobby. With built in industrial timers for the halides and the T5 lamps and a solid extruded aluminum body the Maristar 2 is ready to serve some serious light output to hungry photosynthetic coral aquariums.

maristar 2 hqi t5 led

The Maristar 2 joins the forces of two 250 watt metal halides with four 54 watt high output T5 fluorescent lamps to provide over seven hundred watts of coral growing goodness. The two halides found in the Maristar 2 will help reefers saturate their corals with nutritious levels of Photosynthetically Active Radiation while the T5 lamps will help out in the color department, evenness of the light spread and some UV to stimulate fluorescent coral pigments. Rounding out the trifecta of light technology is the array of LED moonlights which allow Maristar 2 owners to get some face time with corals at night, which is especially useful for watching hungry coral polyps and tentacles extended at night and begging for various plankton.

Sunlight Supply’s Maristar 2 has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $529 plus $69 if you want mounting brackets, but it doesn’t include any bulbs nor the metal halide ballasts. Having a choice of your preference of HQI metal halide ballasts is a must for hardcore highlight loving coral growers. Even once you figure in the cost for all the lamps and a great electronic dual ballast, maybe with some power selection options, the price of a fully loaded Maristar 2 still be well shy of the cost to get the same amount of light from LED lights while using a tried and tested method of growing the bejeezus out of soft and stony corals.

Be sure to check out our previous coverage of the Maristar 2 for full hands-on pics of the hybrid light and check the press release below for the final specifications of the Maristar 2. [Sunlight Supply]

Sunlight Supply Maristar 2 Features:

• Sleek extruded aluminum body for added durability, strength and heat dissipation
• Accommodates two 250 watt metal halide lamps for high powered growth and shimmer (sold separately)
• Accepts four 54 watt T5 HO supplemental lamps for added coloration and sunrise/sunset effect (sold separately)
• Twelve integrated 1/2 watt LED moonlights for night viewing and to encourage spawning
• Integrated fans actively cool the fixture for increased reliability and improved lamp performance
• Built in independent timers for the LED moonlights and T5 supplemental lamps
• European aluminum reflectors for increased output and uniformity
• UV inhibiting glass for safety of aquarium inhabitants and aquarium user
• Adjustable cable suspension kit included
• 1 YEAR WARRANTY
• Lift Lock™ tank mount system sold separately

http://twitter.com/Snakeeyes9 Jason

Let me first say that I have been a fan of Sunlight Supply for years. They are an American company and they build solid, affordable lighting fixtures. However, I sincerely question how this company is still in business. This fixture was originally supposed to be released in OCT/NOV of 2010. Reefbuilders generated some hype with their review of the fixture back in the summer of 2010, and at the time, there was actually a larger market for this type of upgrade to the original Maristar. I wanted one badly and badgered online vendors who kept telling me time and time again that Sunlight Supply kept pushing back the fixtures release. Winter of 2010 soon became spring of 2011, then fall of 2011, and after that there was zero information on its release. I pretty much gave up trying to get one. Now almost two years after Reefbuilder’s review, Sunlight decides to release the fixture? Shouldn’t Sunlight be focusing on LED technology like most other competing companies are doing? LED technology is increasingly cutting into the aquarium lighting market share. The lack of a marketing strategy with this fixture is puzzling. Isn’t this the same company that released a VHO centric fixture last year? Did they actually sell more than 2 of those fixtures. I don’t get it. Time to step up your game Sunlight Supply…
Phanboy

I wish this came in a size to fit my tank. I’d love an integrated moonlight solution. It makes good business sense for SS to focus on LEDs since everyone else is doing it and the market demand is high; however, LEDs still don’t perform as well as traditional lighting for bringing out coral coloration. This fixture has a great price… just wish it came in my size.
XD_1

I wonder if it has anything to do with their horticulture business. I’m under the impression that generates a lot more revenue for them and the aquarium stuff is just the frosting on the cake. If that’s the case they might be hesitant to invest in new products and tech for the aquarium side if it doesn’t directly benefit the dope-growers. But that’s just conjecture because I don’t really know about horticulture and whether LEDs are changing the game there, too.
CaliReefer

Believe me, here in Cali the LED fad hit the growers several years before it became popular in the aquarium hobby. I have used quite a bit of their research in making my Algae Scrubber LED lights since it uses a similar spectrum.
jake_harvey

I’ve been using an original Maristar for a few years now. Great fixture and this one is tempting, mostly because of the price point. But I do agree on the realitively minimal use of LEDs. If they would have ditched the 2 extra T5s and instead did two rows of high output controllable RGB LEDs this would be an awesome fixture.
XD_1

You only use them for your algae scrubber. Suuuuuure
Phanboy

I disagree. With HQI being included, LED’s will only be able to offer actinic and moonlight supplementation. Everything else will be drowned out by the HQI. After my foray into LEDs with Radions and Sol Blues, I strongly feel LEDs need strong T5 supplementation to round out coral coloration and visual aesthetic. They leave a lot to be desired as stand alone units.
CaliReefer

Yes, *I* only use them to grow algae myself… but I have made quite a few Red/Blue hydro LED lights for other people. I make it a point to not ask what they are growing because if it is questionable under the law, I don’t want to know about it.

$120 LED light grows super hot peppers very well. Take notice Sunlight Supply, this is where you should be heading. From seed to flowering in under 30 days.
http://tinyurl.com/d6jk3na
http://tinyurl.com/899qqe2
jake_harvey

I hear what you are saying, but having the option to run all 3 would be a big selling point for me. Since the HQIs run on separate ballasts on these fixtures you could run one MH over an SPS bommie and use T5 and LED for the rest of the tank. Could offer a lot of flexibility.
Phanboy

With the spread of HQI… it just seems like anything getting sufficient LED light will get fried if getting both HQI and MH. A T5/LED fixture would make sense as a RGB LED fixture. LED’s can’t really serve any purpose other than dusk lighting and moonlights when paired with Metal Halide.
Richard Gilliland

the aquatic side of sunlight only represents 5% of the company, so your assumption is correct=P

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