Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > General Interest Forums > Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment
Blogs FAQ Calendar

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 05/04/2011, 07:50 AM   #1
t4zalews
65g Ritteri Tank
 
t4zalews's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Royal Oak, MI
Posts: 2,673
1 VHO or 2 T5's?

I have a 65g and was running 2x39w T5's for some supplement lighting for dawn/dusk. My ballast has gone out on me and I'm looking to replace it. Got me thinking. Would 1 36" VHO provide better light than 2 T5's? I'd run the VHO in the front. Let me know what you think.

BTW..I was just looking online, does it seem like its really hard to find an icecap ballast right now? I thought these were the bee's knee's in the fluorescent world


__________________
- Taylor -

65g - Radion XR30 G3 Pro x2 - Deltec SCA 1351 - APEX - Tunze - Vortech
t4zalews is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05/04/2011, 08:18 AM   #2
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
 
rtparty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Utah
Posts: 7,404
Quote:
Originally Posted by t4zalews View Post
I have a 65g and was running 2x39w T5's for some supplement lighting for dawn/dusk. My ballast has gone out on me and I'm looking to replace it. Got me thinking. Would 1 36" VHO provide better light than 2 T5's? I'd run the VHO in the front. Let me know what you think.

BTW..I was just looking online, does it seem like its really hard to find an icecap ballast right now? I thought these were the bee's knee's in the fluorescent world
2 T5's will produce more light than a VHO.

IceCap is out of business these days. I think CoralVue has taken over some of their stuff though.

I would just get another spec t5 ballast and make sure you are cooling the bulbs and ballast.


__________________
Ryan

Click on my user name and check out my homepage!

Current Tank Info: 50g Cadlights/Giesemann Spectra (250w Radium, 2 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Actinic)/2 x Vortech MP10wQD/Skimz SN123/Eheim Compact 3000+
rtparty is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05/04/2011, 08:36 AM   #3
t4zalews
65g Ritteri Tank
 
t4zalews's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Royal Oak, MI
Posts: 2,673
I'm not so worried about lighting, I have 2x250 halides on the tank as well. I just want as much pop as I can with the actinics.

Would a VHO give better pop than 2 T5's


__________________
- Taylor -

65g - Radion XR30 G3 Pro x2 - Deltec SCA 1351 - APEX - Tunze - Vortech
t4zalews is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05/04/2011, 09:01 AM   #4
rtparty
Raise The Reef!
 
rtparty's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2008
Location: Utah
Posts: 7,404
Quote:
Originally Posted by t4zalews View Post
I'm not so worried about lighting, I have 2x250 halides on the tank as well. I just want as much pop as I can with the actinics.

Would a VHO give better pop than 2 T5's
While VHO Actinic provides good pop, I doubt you will get good coverage under just one bulb. It may cover the front of the tank pretty well but you probably won't get any light in the back of the tank.

JMO


__________________
Ryan

Click on my user name and check out my homepage!

Current Tank Info: 50g Cadlights/Giesemann Spectra (250w Radium, 2 ATI Blue Plus, 2 ATI Actinic)/2 x Vortech MP10wQD/Skimz SN123/Eheim Compact 3000+
rtparty is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05/04/2011, 09:05 AM   #5
Zebodog
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mississauga, ON
Posts: 692
I've never used VHO - many swear by them as the ultimate in actinic supplementation.

I have a 65gal as well with 2X250W and 4X39W T5. The T5's will open up more options in bulb choice and colours. I replaced one of my actinics with a Purple Plus and noticed a lot more "pop" from my reds and pinks than before.

Go with T5's - far more customization possibilities than VHO.


__________________
We don't inherit the world from our parents....
We borrow it from our children.
Zebodog is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 05/04/2011, 09:30 AM   #6
t4zalews
65g Ritteri Tank
 
t4zalews's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Royal Oak, MI
Posts: 2,673
I've dabbled in the T5 world. I really just prefer the blue light provided by either the giesemann actinic+ or the ATI blue plus. I've had pure actinic lights before and the purple color really turns me off.

I would have liked to go with 4 T5's, but I had limited room in my canopy with the 2 lumenmax II reflectors. I used to run a outer orbit unit with 2x150w & 4 T5's and I really liked the colors I got.


__________________
- Taylor -

65g - Radion XR30 G3 Pro x2 - Deltec SCA 1351 - APEX - Tunze - Vortech
t4zalews is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
SWitch from MH /VHO to T5's Gipsy Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment 59 09/09/2006 08:40 PM
VHO versus T5's NiTr0x911 Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment 29 07/12/2006 05:46 PM
VHO vs. T5's and Why myusername Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment 12 05/03/2006 07:32 PM
VHO vs. T5's and Why myusername Lighting, Filtration & Other Equipment 0 05/03/2006 12:14 AM
Can a ballast that runs my VHO run T5's? djcool563 Reef Discussion 5 02/12/2006 10:04 PM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:31 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.