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02/11/2008, 01:24 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 493
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Whats your opinion on this lighting
I am setting up a 20L and was wanting to know which light would be more powerful:
48 watts T5 HO or 130 watts PC |
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02/11/2008, 02:16 PM
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#2 |
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Might be close but with that kind of difference in wattage, PC would probably be better.
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insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009. |
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02/11/2008, 02:19 PM
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#3 |
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Florida
Posts: 1,752
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t'5 with reflectors will blow the pc's out of the water any day.....you could (might) be able to even keep some hardy sps with that ?
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There are three things that will never be believed- the true, the probable, the logical (Steinbeck) Obey little, Resist much Current Tank Info: 24g AIO |
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02/11/2008, 03:25 PM
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#4 |
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 493
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they are both cheap ebay lights t5 has reflector that covers both bulbs
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02/11/2008, 03:36 PM
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#5 |
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Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Vero Beach, FL
Posts: 56
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I just switched from PC's to T5's. Could not be happier!
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Raising kids is like doing laundry.....my wife makes it look too easy. Current Tank Info: 125 FOWLR, 150 SPS REEF |
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02/11/2008, 03:37 PM
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#6 |
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T5s are stronger no doubt, but I'm not so sure they can compensate for that kind of wattage difference. You ought to post this question in the lighting forum.
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insert clever saying here. Current Tank Info: 200 gallon custom Marineland DD peninsular tank. LPS dominated mixed reef. Previous 90 gallon mixed reef TOTM April 2009. |
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02/11/2008, 03:45 PM
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#7 |
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 493
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yea thats what im trying to figure out...the t5's are cheaper though
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02/11/2008, 03:52 PM
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#8 |
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Premium Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: Green Bay, Wi.
Posts: 4,455
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Wattage is a measure of power consumption and not light out-put.
The T5s will penetrate deeper into the water and have a higher PAR value. PCs lose efficiency much faster and waste a lot of light upward.
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"Just a drop in the bucket" |
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02/11/2008, 04:41 PM
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#9 |
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 493
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ok so the t5's will have more light output or whatever matters to growth haha what can i keep under that wattage?
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02/11/2008, 05:01 PM
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#10 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: lawn guy land
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you say the T5 fixture you're looking at only has two bulbs? Thats why its cheaper and way less wattage than the PC you're looking at. A PC fixture will have 2 65w bulbs for 130w total. Two T5 bulbs 24w each will be only a little bit better than one of the 65w PC bulbs. try to find a T5 fixture with 4 24w bulbs for 96 total watts. It will kick the 130w PC fixtures butt.
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02/11/2008, 05:49 PM
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#11 | |
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Quote:
Power consumption isn't the sole factor, but it does matter to a degree. The question here is exactly how much. For your statement to be true, you would basically be saying that T5's provide 2 1/2 times the output of PCs for each watt of power consumed-- assuming they were both had the same spectrum rating. Maybe 2X, but almost 3X more PAR/watt? I'm not certain that's true. If we were talking equal power consumption T5's would be the better choice, hands down. But 48W T5 vs. 130w PC? I don't know.... |
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02/11/2008, 06:41 PM
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#12 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 493
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could I keep ricordia with both?
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