T-5, VHO and PC

wasupdavey

wasupdavey

Member
I have a 29 gallon saltwater tank right now. Its been running for about 1 year under a Current Sattallite 1x65watt PC light. I'm thinking the lighting that I'm getting from it is not enough. T-5's are alittle expensive for my budget.

I haven't heard much about VHO can someone enlighten me? Are VHO effective in a Reef tank?
Most of the wattages on VHO are like 40~75watts or so x2 would be surpassing my Current PC fixture right now.

I really need to know more about lightings in saltwater tanks. I'm totally clueless about it. But right now I don't think I will be able to afford T-5's or Halides

 
Tru2nr

Tru2nr

Well-Known Member
i run 206w of pc lightning on my 55 but i also don't have corals that are super light hungry like sps
 
BigAl07

BigAl07

Administrator
RS STAFF
Stay away from VHO. They shift their spectrum much more quickly than HO so they need to be replaced around 4-6 months. Factor that into the cost of the fixture. Just not worth it.
 
michael_cb_125

michael_cb_125

Well-Known Member
PC lighting will just not cut it for most corals. IMO
I put VHO T5 on my girlfriend Megan's tank. Now those are bright lights!!!!!!!
I did not even know that they made VHO T5, until a few weeks back. And they are sooo much brighter...
~Michael
 
prow

prow

Well-Known Member
i agree with those above. wait till you can get the T5's. FIY the nova extreme is not the ideal T5 setup. for sps/clams dont get it. you need a fixture with individual reflectors. if your getting a fixture look into sunlight supply TEK fixtures. here is link http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5_Fluorescent/Sunlight_Supply/Tek_Light_Fixtures/

also the difference between the HO T5's and the VHO T5's is just that the VHO T5's run on icecap 660 ballast which overdrives them. however the VHO T5's are only available in retrofits, i dont know of any fixtures that use icecap ballasts. those fixtures with no individual reflector are good for softies and lps but that about it. ifyou get a fixture with individual reflector you can always remove a reflector or two if the light is too much, at least you have teh option unlike the none individual reflector units. for sps clams the HO T5's will do, unless the tank is taller then you will want to go with teh VHO T5's (running on icecap 660 ballast). JMO
 
naperenterprise

naperenterprise

Active Member
This is one part of the hobby I struggle with as well!

I mean I want the best lights too! But some MH lights cost like $400 to a Grand!

My goodness!

I have what I think is a pretty good PC light system, its an Orbit has the white light, blue light, and moon light... (To lazy to go find the specs).

So it seems the general public here agrees my light isn't sufficiant, that concerns me! Now I need to investigate on getting something better.

Can I add a MH to the PC? Would that be even better then just MH?

Will VHO T5 support clams?
 
michael_cb_125

michael_cb_125

Well-Known Member
If you have a shallow (18" or less) tank the VHO T5 setups will be fine with a clam. Especially if you have individual reflectors. Megan has a 4 bulb VHO T5 system on her tank, and it lights that tank up like you wouldnt believe.
 
naperenterprise

naperenterprise

Active Member
Just so I'm clear... If I have shallow tanks 18" or less VHO T5 will support anything and everything?

I'm working on some other tank projects and these tanks will be 13" high...

But I want perfect light conditions for fraging and coral growth..

michael_cb_125 said:
If you have a shallow (18" or less) tank the VHO T5 setups will be fine with a clam. Especially if you have individual reflectors. Megan has a 4 bulb VHO T5 system on her tank, and it lights that tank up like you wouldnt believe.
Click to expand...
 
S

spartacus

New Member
PC lighting will just not cut it for most corals
Click to expand...

That is just not true. It just depends on what corals they want to keep. Most LPS, softies and polyps do great under PC lighting. I have an absolutely beautiful 55 gal mixed reef (mostly blastos, brains, zoos, ricordia and duncuns) under 260 watts of pc lighting. I even have a nice monti cap growing very nicely at the top of that tank. I do agree they need more lighting but it depends on what they want to keep. LPS, softies, shrooms and zoes, a bigger pc set up would work just fine. If they want to keep sps or clams, t5 or MH would be needed.
 
Saltwater Noob

Saltwater Noob

Member
I would wait for T5's I just upgraded my nova extreme to the extreme pro and wow huge diff so like prow said the extreme not to great the extreme pro is great for me so far and my tnk is 24" deep.
 
prow

prow

Well-Known Member
naperenterprise said:
Just so I'm clear... If I have shallow tanks 18" or less VHO T5 will support anything and everything?
Click to expand...
NO!!! there is no one light that will support anything and everything. some corals like more light than others. for sps and clams you will need the higher PAR levels individual reflectors produce with the T5's. for the more demanding sps and taller tanks you may need to overdrive them aswell(VHO T5's). but this is for high light demanding sps and clams, its not good lighting for most lps and softies, it will burn them. that nova extreme should be fine for most lps and softies. if you want to put clams and sps get a fixture with individual reflectors. TEK reflectors are the best reflectors by far, in a fixture that is. but do know with this lighing you will have to provide shaded areas for most lps as they will burn under this light. its a little harded to do with T5's than MH. i have some lps in the mix with my sps and clams but had to move them to the bottom sides(bulbs are 5' tank is 6') ones in the mid tank are under ledges and they still suffer from too much light. with T5's it best to stick to corals that thrive in that lighting. in general sps/clams you need T5's with individual reflectors and maybe overdriven, lps/softies no need for individual reflectors unless the tank is 24" tall, then go by coral reaction and add individual reflectors if needed.
 
michael_cb_125

michael_cb_125

Well-Known Member
I did not say that corals will not "survive". I am fully aware that many people keep corals under PC lighting. But in my opinion, a reef tank should be thriving, NOT just surviving. If you look at a tank full of LPS, Zoos, and softies that is lit with PC lighting. THen you look at the same tank that is lit by T5 or LED or Halides. Tha growth rates, color, and polyp expansion will be greater with the more powerful lighting system.
I like for my corals to grow fastm be as healthy as possible, and look their best.
I just dont think that PC lighting is the best choice for lighting a reef tank. Even corals that are able to live under low light, will fare much better under brighter lighting.
~Michael
 
wasupdavey

wasupdavey

Member
I'm looking up sizes for T-5's on marinedepot and dr.foster's. Theres only but a few 30" T-5's which brand to choose.

What would be a sufficient T-5 for a 30" 29gallon?:look:
 
michael_cb_125

michael_cb_125

Well-Known Member
IMO the goal is to get as many bulbs as you can fit from front to back. That way you will have full light coverage. I think that you will be very pleased if you go with T5.
~Michael
 
F

funkpolice

Active Member
I'm thinking pretty seriously about a solaris led fixture. Does anyone know if this fixture allows zoning of light? I'd like to keep one side of the tank a little brighter than the other.
bill
 
CMG

CMG

Member
When we (I mean you experienced people) are refering to T5's and MH and VHO and PC are you talking about the bulbs themselves or the entire fixture? It seems to me (I know nothing) that I could just take my Orbit fixture and put some T-5 bulbs in it instead of the PC ones and then I would be ready to go, but then again I know nothing about watts and amps and if the T5 lights prongs are different etc etc etc....


Also ( i may have just missed this) but everyone has been talking about corals and what not but what about anemones? What kind of lighting for those? PC, T5, MH?
 
michael_cb_125

michael_cb_125

Well-Known Member
You cant just put any bulb, into any fixture.
Anemones are in the same classification as SPS and Clams when it comes to light. Nems need ton of light to survive. Even when they do not have enough light it takes for them to show signs of decline. The more light the better for Anemones.
Michael
 
T

t_j

Member
prow said:
NO!!! there is no one light that will support anything and everything. some corals like more light than others. for sps and clams you will need the higher PAR levels individual reflectors produce with the T5's. for the more demanding sps and taller tanks you may need to overdrive them aswell(VHO T5's). but this is for high light demanding sps and clams, its not good lighting for most lps and softies, it will burn them. that nova extreme should be fine for most lps and softies. if you want to put clams and sps get a fixture with individual reflectors. TEK reflectors are the best reflectors by far, in a fixture that is. but do know with this lighing you will have to provide shaded areas for most lps as they will burn under this light. its a little harded to do with T5's than MH. i have some lps in the mix with my sps and clams but had to move them to the bottom sides(bulbs are 5' tank is 6') ones in the mid tank are under ledges and they still suffer from too much light. with T5's it best to stick to corals that thrive in that lighting. in general sps/clams you need T5's with individual reflectors and maybe overdriven, lps/softies no need for individual reflectors unless the tank is 24" tall, then go by coral reaction and add individual reflectors if needed.
Click to expand...


Ok I am looking for some T-5's now and plan on buying them next week. My tank is about 24" tall but I want to keep lps/softies and clams what light would be beast for me to be able to give them enough lighting to keep all of these???
 
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