Ready to try something new... VHO?

[Saltcity]

I'm thinking of trying VHO lighting over my 24"x48" 120 gallon tank.

I want to have a few Maxima Clams on the sand in my All-Glass 120g aquarium and I'm wondering if 6 - 48" VHO's(110 watts) would be enough to do that?
I've had PC's, T5's and MH's and Now I want to give VHO's a shot from all the good things I've heard about them. I'm looking at Icecap retro kits.


Thoughts? Ideas? Your experience with VHO's?

[Chris27]

Tried and true, they've been used for years with success.

[kingfisher62]

I always thought T5's were considered VHO's!

[mrsmithers]

Most T5 are T5 HO (high output) where VHO (very hight output) are T12

[divewsharks]

Originally Posted by mrsmithers

Most T5 are T5 HO (high output) where VHO (very hight output) are T12

from that statement it sounds like VHO's (T12'S) would produce more light than T5's, and that is not necessarily true; it all depends on the fixture, reflectors, cooling, bulbs and ballasts used.
T5 are also more efficient with power than T12's and the bulb options you have are more limited with T12's than T5's.
The number refers to the size of the bulb and really not much else. The number is multiplied by 1/8", so T12's are 1.5" in diameter where as T5's are 5/8".

[divewsharks]

Originally Posted by Saltcity

I'm thinking of trying VHO lighting over my 24"x48" 120 gallon tank.

I want to have a few Maxima Clams on the sand in my All-Glass 120g aquarium and I'm wondering if 6 - 48" VHO's(110 watts) would be enough to do that?
I've had PC's, T5's and MH's and Now I want to give VHO's a shot from all the good things I've heard about them. I'm looking at Icecap retro kits.


Thoughts? Ideas? Your experience with VHO's?

What don't you like about T5's or MH? Or do you just like playing around with different things?

[jimsplace]

I run an all VHO tank, I love the colors, but there are some corals I don't have enough light for. I have a 90 with 4-4' bulbs. I have a Desra clam on the sand and it's growing like crazy. There is a old thread here on RC that shows VHO tanks some really great tanks, check it out. What bulb combo you looking at?

[mscarpena]

I certainly love VHO lights the colors are great. I know for a fact you do not have enough light for maxima clams on your sand bed. Not to mention Maxima's don't really care to be in the sand bed. Your tank is 24" tall as well you would need LED'S or MH for good light penetration. Deresa clams need considerably less light to live. You can get away with it with VHO or T5, but the clam needs to be up much higher. Also go with T5 for the reduced power bill.

[Saltcity]

Originally Posted by mscarpena

I certainly love VHO lights the colors are great. I know for a fact you do not have enough light for maxima clams on your sand bed. Not to mention Maxima's don't really care to be in the sand bed. Your tank is 24" tall as well you would need LED'S or MH for good light penetration. Deresa clams need considerably less light to live. You can get away with it with VHO or T5, but the clam needs to be up much higher. Also go with T5 for the reduced power bill.

Light penetration is what I was worried about. I didn't even think about power consumption.
OK, so I move the Clam up on the rocks maybe half way up, would it still not be enough light? Is it because of the penetration of the VHO's?

**My original plane was two 250watt MH's with maybe two VHO's supplements..**

What don't you like about T5's or MH? Or do you just like playing around with different things?

I like the T5's and MH's.. I guess one reason is I've never had VHO's and heard the colors are awesome. But also because I like to try new things out.


As far as bulb cobo's... Haven't got that far yet. I would probably buy several and just play around.

[graveyardworm]

The URI actinics are incredible. Currently using them on my MH lit 180 for supplementation. When my 90 was set up I was running 2 URI Super actinc, and 2 URI Actinic White which is roughly a 12-14k . There was another one labeled I think Sun 10k that I wouldve liked to have added to the combo but never did.

edit: Its been awhile suince I've bought a new VHO bulb, looks like URI is now UVL? The names of the bulbs are still pretty much the same.

Were you going to use any sort of reflectors on this set up? The bulbs do have internal reflectors but it would be a great advantage to have decent reflectors.

[Saltcity]

Originally Posted by graveyardworm

The URI actinics are incredible. Currently using them on my MH lit 180 for supplementation. When my 90 was set up I was running 2 URI Super actinc, and 2 URI Actinic White which is roughly a 12-14k . There was another one labeled I think Sun 10k that I wouldve liked to have added to the combo but never did.

edit: Its been awhile suince I've bought a new VHO bulb, looks like URI is now UVL? The names of the bulbs are still pretty much the same.

Were you going to use any sort of reflectors on this set up? The bulbs do have internal reflectors but it would be a great advantage to have decent reflectors.

The Icecap kit I was looking at didn't include reflectors(just the built in on the bulbs) But I was thinking of making some sort of "fixture" with a reflector and some fans to cool it all.... Still planning the lighting so its will change 10X's I'm sure...

[Gold Stripe]

Dont need reflectors with VHO since they are built in. Waste of time to add them.

I run 2 x 10k 175 watt MHs on my 75gal with 1 VHO super actinic and 1 VHO actinic white and I love the look. For a 120 gal I would go up to 250 Watt MHs and maybe both super actinic VHO and you will be happy.

[graveyardworm]

Even with the built in reflectors there is soo much spillover light. It would be a waste to let that go. It would be fairly cheap and more efficient to add some reflectors.

[NirvanaFan]

Originally Posted by graveyardworm

Even with the built in reflectors there is soo much spillover light. It would be a waste to let that go. It would be fairly cheap and more efficient to add some reflectors.

I agree with this statement. I ran VHO on my 75 gallon for a year and a half. They came with the tank/canopy. I ended up switching to t5 because of the bulb choice. They have so much more choice.

[jimsplace]

If you go with the 6 bulb arangement, I would probably try 2-03 super actinics, 1-454 and 3-actinic whites. That combo should give you some real pop to your corals/tank you will enjoy. As someone pointed out, the tank may be to deep for the clams to be on the bottom, closer to the top, I don't know.

[Gold Stripe]

Graveyard, We'll have to agree to disagree on that one. The internal reflectors block all directional light comming from the bulb that would be reflected by additional reflectors mounted above the tubes so the only light the reflectors would be reflecting towards the tank is light that has already reflected off the water or canopy walls.

Even if you used the best reflectors available, the amount of light you would catch after already being first reflected off a poor surface like the sides of the canopy wouldnt be worth the cost and effort. It wouldnt penetrate more than 3 to 6 inches with any quality after having been reflected multiple times off of different surfaces.

[graveyardworm]

I wonder if anyone has doen any par testing with vho's.

[Saltcity]

OK... NEW question...

Between only T5's or VHO's for lighting, who wins? Why?
AND, do you get the "shimmer" effect with VHO's that you get with MH's?

I'm thinking of starting out with T5's or VHO's and then in 6 months, if needed, add some MH's. My tank will be LPS and softies but I do want to get the Maxima Clam so I'll keep him closer to the top.

[jenglish]

You only get the shimmer from points of light like MH or some LED, spreading over a larger surface like a VHO negates this.

T5HO gets more PAR per watt with a good reflector, and more color choices. T5HO however can't touch the pop of VHO actinics IME. If we are just comparing numbers the T5HO is probably better, but it is hard to argue with the looks of a VHO tank. Besides it has a classic factor.

If I was looking to start with one and add MH later, I would do VHO hands down due to the actinics.

[Saltcity]

Originally Posted by jenglish

If I was looking to start with one and add MH later, I would do VHO hands down due to the actinics.

Thats what I'm leaning towards... Thanks