VHO vs. T5's and Why

myusername · 05/02/2006, 11:32 PM

I have a 80 gallon reef tank and I'm running 2 250 DE 14K's (Phoenix) and I would like to get the banging color that I am desperately looking for out of my coral and I was thinking of buying VHO's (4 bulbs, 3 blue atenic and 1 white atenic) but since this is new to me I need to rely on people's experience. What is the best for the buck when it comes to your corals? VHO's vs. T5's? I know everyone has their own opinion but I would appreciate if you would show a picture of your tank so I could see how banging your corals are because as we all know, talk is cheap.
Thank you all for your time.
Charles

myusername · 05/03/2006, 12:05 AM

don't for get.

dc_909 · 05/03/2006, 08:05 AM

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...470#post6405470

onetrickpony · 05/03/2006, 10:07 AM

what's with the archive link

gcarroll · 05/03/2006, 11:30 AM

You know darn well you can get bangin colors with the Phoenix 14K unsupplemented. If you are having problems you might want to look into water quality. I must admit that the T5's blue seem to have that magic that gets SPS to pop. I know a few reefers who have added those to the MH and it made a noticeable difference. Kind of like the magic bulb! I have great colors without supplements. Just look!

Yu L LI · 05/03/2006, 11:50 AM

gcarroll,

I have been trying to get my tank looking like the picture you have. What light do you have to get it looking so good.

Li

horkn · 05/03/2006, 11:53 AM

to compare t5ho to vho is really unfair.

the only plus to the vho now is the availability of vho URI super actinics.

when UVL comes out with their t5ho super actinics (3-4 weeks

), all the pluses are on t5ho 's side. rtight now, that is the only thing vho have over t5ho, that the t5ho actinics are weak, but most use blue+ instead of the ati geiseman actinic

i could show you a pic of my tank, but there are other things going on in my tank that have nothing to do with the lights, and it really isnt worth a pic at this point. There are tons of t5ho pics on RC and other sites, so the evidence is clearly in favor opf the t5ho..

john rochon · 05/03/2006, 12:05 PM

are you even gonna be able to fit 4 actinics in a canopy with 2 MH already? doubt it. maybe 1 per side.

myusername · 05/03/2006, 12:42 PM

john rochon : I measured it all out, thay will fit.

horkn : Thank you for all that info. I did not know T5's were comeing out with a, t5ho super actinics (3-4 weeks). I was going to by VHO's but now I will whate.

gcarroll : What can I say but, Thank you P.S. I don't know what's worng with my computer, but your photo is in B&W.

gcarroll · 05/03/2006, 01:39 PM

My bad! I guess the color only workd when you are standing in front of it.

myusername · 05/03/2006, 05:19 PM

L.O.L, you are full of jokes.

lvreefer · 05/03/2006, 05:36 PM

Short and simple:
VHO actinic gives your corals the pop in colors like green and red.
T5's and PC's don't produce the vibrant actinic that the VHO bulbs have. However T5's have a tremendous amount of PAR which help the SPS crowd out.

I would recomend getting an electronic ballast that works for both VHO and T5, ie an ICECAP. Go with the UVL (formaly URI) Super Actinics now and switch later to T5's if they are worth it. The only thing you would have to change is your bulb holders.

horkn · 05/03/2006, 07:32 PM

fwiw, you dont have to spend a lot of money on an IC ballast to be able to run any kind of fluorescent light on a tank

the workhorse ballasts work great for that for a lot less money.

but at the cost of spec t5ho ballasts from ballastwise.com, its hard not to have a specific t5ho ballasts for t5ho, that have end of lamp protection. the workhorse ballasts dont have this, but since we do not run bulbs on a tank til they die, that is kind of a moot point.

05/02/2006, 11:32 PM	#1
myusername Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: pomona CA Posts: 484	VHO vs. T5's and Why I have a 80 gallon reef tank and I'm running 2 250 DE 14K's (Phoenix) and I would like to get the banging color that I am desperately looking for out of my coral and I was thinking of buying VHO's (4 bulbs, 3 blue atenic and 1 white atenic) but since this is new to me I need to rely on people's experience. What is the best for the buck when it comes to your corals? VHO's vs. T5's? I know everyone has their own opinion but I would appreciate if you would show a picture of your tank so I could see how banging your corals are because as we all know, talk is cheap. Thank you all for your time. Charles

05/03/2006, 12:05 AM	#2
myusername Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: pomona CA Posts: 484	HI don't for get.

05/03/2006, 11:30 AM	#5
gcarroll Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 9,666	You know darn well you can get bangin colors with the Phoenix 14K unsupplemented. If you are having problems you might want to look into water quality. I must admit that the T5's blue seem to have that magic that gets SPS to pop. I know a few reefers who have added those to the MH and it made a noticeable difference. Kind of like the magic bulb! I have great colors without supplements. Just look! __________________ Greg Carroll I will be at REEF-A-PALOOZA! SPS = Stability Promotes Success Be wary of advice coming from those who will not show you the fruits of their success! Current Tank Info: building: 250g AGE Euro tank, Abyzz A200, Vertex Supra-G filtration, Ecotech Radion Pro LEDs, ...

05/03/2006, 11:53 AM	#7
horkn Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: milwaukee wisconsin Posts: 4,125	to compare t5ho to vho is really unfair. the only plus to the vho now is the availability of vho URI super actinics. when UVL comes out with their t5ho super actinics (3-4 weeks), all the pluses are on t5ho 's side. rtight now, that is the only thing vho have over t5ho, that the t5ho actinics are weak, but most use blue+ instead of the ati geiseman actinic i could show you a pic of my tank, but there are other things going on in my tank that have nothing to do with the lights, and it really isnt worth a pic at this point. There are tons of t5ho pics on RC and other sites, so the evidence is clearly in favor opf the t5ho.. __________________ people write stupid things in this space Current Tank Info: 200g DIY wood reef, 2x 250w SE 10k MH 2x80 t5ho, 75g sump, Geo Ca RX, ASD 6" recirc skimmer

05/03/2006, 12:42 PM	#9
myusername Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: pomona CA Posts: 484	THANK YOU! john rochon : I measured it all out, thay will fit. horkn : Thank you for all that info. I did not know T5's were comeing out with a, t5ho super actinics (3-4 weeks). I was going to by VHO's but now I will whate. gcarroll : What can I say but, Thank you P.S. I don't know what's worng with my computer, but your photo is in B&W.

05/03/2006, 08:05 AM	#3
dc_909 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Murrieta, CA Posts: 3,260	http://reefcentral.com/forums/showt...470#post6405470

05/03/2006, 10:07 AM	#4
onetrickpony Premium Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: TX Posts: 502	what's with the archive link

05/03/2006, 11:50 AM	#6
Yu L LI Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Los angeles Posts: 207	gcarroll, I have been trying to get my tank looking like the picture you have. What light do you have to get it looking so good. Li

05/03/2006, 12:05 PM	#8
john rochon Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: canada Posts: 2,082	are you even gonna be able to fit 4 actinics in a canopy with 2 MH already? doubt it. maybe 1 per side.

05/03/2006, 01:39 PM	#10
gcarroll Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 9,666	My bad! I guess the color only workd when you are standing in front of it. __________________ Greg Carroll I will be at REEF-A-PALOOZA! SPS = Stability Promotes Success Be wary of advice coming from those who will not show you the fruits of their success! Current Tank Info: building: 250g AGE Euro tank, Abyzz A200, Vertex Supra-G filtration, Ecotech Radion Pro LEDs, ...

05/03/2006, 05:19 PM	#11
myusername Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: pomona CA Posts: 484	L.O.L, you are full of jokes.

05/03/2006, 05:36 PM	#12
lvreefer Registered Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Sin City Posts: 1,163	Short and simple: VHO actinic gives your corals the pop in colors like green and red. T5's and PC's don't produce the vibrant actinic that the VHO bulbs have. However T5's have a tremendous amount of PAR which help the SPS crowd out. I would recomend getting an electronic ballast that works for both VHO and T5, ie an ICECAP. Go with the UVL (formaly URI) Super Actinics now and switch later to T5's if they are worth it. The only thing you would have to change is your bulb holders.

05/03/2006, 07:32 PM	#13
horkn Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: milwaukee wisconsin Posts: 4,125	fwiw, you dont have to spend a lot of money on an IC ballast to be able to run any kind of fluorescent light on a tank the workhorse ballasts work great for that for a lot less money. but at the cost of spec t5ho ballasts from ballastwise.com, its hard not to have a specific t5ho ballasts for t5ho, that have end of lamp protection. the workhorse ballasts dont have this, but since we do not run bulbs on a tank til they die, that is kind of a moot point. __________________ people write stupid things in this space Current Tank Info: 200g DIY wood reef, 2x 250w SE 10k MH 2x80 t5ho, 75g sump, Geo Ca RX, ASD 6" recirc skimmer