Pc Mh Vho???

[peanut95]

I have a 72 bow with 520 watts pc lighting is that enuff to keep sps and clams? should I look at VHO or MH?

[Twisted]

I haven't heard of any PCs being able to support Clams, but I have talked to a few people that claimed they kept SPS under PCs but they had to place them about 6 inches from the top of the tank, and still had little growth.

You may also want to consider T5s. Read up on the T5 Q&A thread in this section and see if it suits you.

I just ordered a set this morning. But I am in a 55 gallon whish isn't very deep.

[peanut95]

So t5s will put out more light that pc?

[GSMguy]

yes with individual reflectors get the icecap retrofit that will give as much light at as mh try to use 4 or 5 bulbs

[pjf]

VHO: ~50 lumens per watt (http://www.elliptipar.com/vertical/Vertpdf/VertGdLg.pdf)
PC: ~60 lumens per watt (http://lightingresearch.org/programs...L-efficacy.asp)
T5: 90-100 lumens per watt (http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpi.../lat5/pc1a.asp)

[peanut95]

pjf what you are saying is 60 lumens is 5-26 watt because 27-40 watts is 80 lumens Iand my bulbs are 130 watt so from the way it I see it I would get more from my bulbs

[pjf]

I believe that your 130-watt PC bulbs are High-Wattage pin-based Compact Fluorescent Lamps (HW-CFL). In figure 4 (http://lightingresearch.org/programs...L-efficacy.asp), they are represented by the red bar labeled “HW-CFL (screw-based and pin-based).� Based on this chart, their efficiency ranges from 50 to 70 lumens per watt. I simply rounded to ~60 lumens per watt.

This means your 130 watt PC bulb generates 130 x 60 = 7800 lumens. Four of these PC bulbs will consume 520 watts and produce 4 x 130 x 60 = 31,200 lumens

In contrast, a 54-watt T5HO lamp generates 93 lumens per watt (http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpi.../lat5/pc1a.asp). The 48� 4x54-watt Tek Light T5HO fixture (www.reefgeek.com) will consume 216 watts and produce 4 x 54 x 93 = 20,000 lumens.

Since the Tek Light fixture has individual reflectors for each T5HO tube, I submit that it will direct just as much light into your tank as the PC fixture if not more. The T5HO bulbs will last longer and use half the electrical power.

[Twisted]

and that is with a 4X54w set up. On a tank that size you should go with the 6X54w from what i have read which would be 6X54X93 = 30,132 lumens.

But from what I was reading the lumens is not as important as the par or whatever and not only can 6 bulbs give a wider variety, but the T5s can get them deeper into the water the halides can. I think that is more theory then fact at this time.

My T5's should be here tomorrow, so I guess I will see how much of a change it will make. I am going from 4X65w PCs to 6X54w T5s. I expect a huge increase in everything about my tank.

[J. Montgomery]

I've been sucessfully growing a few different typs of SPS under 260W PC lighting on a 55; they'll grow, but the colors are dull compared to those kept under T5 and MH. I'm in the process of converting over to MH (two 175W).

[peanut95]

just got back from lfs and they have 3 of 4 clams under pc lighting and they say that it is fine and that the aquarium hobby goes though this whole newer better thing all the time but that it is always like this and they have been around for 12 years or so and they say that dersa clams are fine and sps would be okay but high in the tank

[peanut95]

bumb....

[pjf]

Originally posted by peanut95
just got back from lfs and they have 3 of 4 clams under pc lighting and they say that it is fine and that the aquarium hobby goes though this whole newer better thing all the time but that it is always like this and they have been around for 12 years or so and they say that dersa clams are fine and sps would be okay but high in the tank

I take it that your LFS does not sell T5 lighting. The most objective advice is disinterested advice.

What does your electric bill and pocketbook say about the type of lighting you use?

Would it not be better to use lighting & reflectors that will give you more light with less electricity and also last longer?

It's your money.