VHO vs. PC

[aqujoe247]

My tank is 24" deep, and it will house only soft corals for now. I have a choice of a 265wt Orbit PC or I can run 460wts of VHO (T-5 bulbs). Which would be suitable for mushrooms on the sandbed?

 

[Witfull]

id go T-5's much better over all~

 

[Woodstock]

t-5's for sure

 

[mattie]

always go for more watts of light esp when using energy efficient lighting
but for the shrooms they don't need to much at all even with the 24' tank
i would assume its a 4ft wide tank and by the numbers there is a large price dif between the 2.
either would do shrooms on the sand well, but more light will make things grow and divide quicker. as far as all other things are equal

the only down side to t'5's and pc's is they do not penetrate the water very well like the way mh's do
2 175w 14k mh's would be much brighter and pentrate 2 the bottom and so you could have clams or other light thriveing corals

hth
mattie

 

[wickjr]

T5s. I have T5s on my tank and I love them. I have no experience with the PCs or MH, but for the money, T5s are the best. Plus, 200 more watts will make a big difference in the long run. There is almost no heat transfer from the T5s either.

 

[aqujoe247]

Thanks for the responses.

Mattie, i'm choosing between the two because the are what I have now, and I am tryin to use what I have to save money for what I have to buy. Plus, i'm a beginner at reefing and I don't want to move to fast.

 

[mattie]

then stick with t'5s they generate less heat and come in a much better variety of colors and they bulbs tend to last a little longer even though t5 cost a little more up front.

 

[Witfull]

i just saw the new icecap T-5 bulbs and they are brighter than standard T-5's and a very nice crisp color. also with the T-5s you can upgrade to MH easily someday as they take less space in a canopy.

 

[Woodstock]

I am seeing reefers making the switch from MH to T-5 lighting lately.....

 

[aqujoe247]

Why would someone go from MH to T-5s, I thought MH were the best way to go hands down?