MH vs VHO vs T5HO

[Anonymous]

Anyone here tried all 3?

My VHO supplemental actinics to my MH have gone south. I was using a set up to supplement my SPS reef and my FO/softy tank. But, I replaced the VHO set up with all the lights on the softy tank for wiring issues. Now, my reef with just 14 K MH is ugly. So, I am thinking replacing the entire system. I have read so much about the colors of T5HO bulbs that I am tempted to go with just them. Anyone here do that? Less energy, better light?

 

[Anonymous]

I don't use any supplemental lighting for my MH lighting. Mostly because on my 18" wide tank there really isn't any room But I'd rather live with "ugliness" of a bulb selected for par, than waste a ton of energy trying to blue it back up.

I run my soft tank on nothing but T5ho bulbs, but haven't used them for supplimenting purposes.

 

[Anonymous]

How many bulbs to gallons? I was thinking trading the MH for T5HO on my reef. It's 75 gallons so it does have a good size for maybe even 8 T5 bulbs?


It is really about the aesthetics in this tank. It is a focal point of my house!

 

[Anonymous]

Well depends upon your corals, I don't care what anyone says T5s are no match for MH bulbs in pure intensity. As such I would never EVER suggest you compare watts per gallon between two separate bulbs, hell between two separate types of the same bulb (basically what I'm saying is toss the WPG ideas out the window).

In my softie tank I have 4 T5 bulbs, with reflectors (I believe the reflector is 3" wide or so), I couldn't fit 6 of them in my canopy without a little force, so I kept it at 4, and it's seems like more than enough light for my soft tank, complete with RBTAs. 8 T5s might be a tight fit above your tank, and won't really save you much in the terms of energy, right now do you 175w bulbs? or 250? If it's 175 bulbs, 2 of them uses less energy that 8 t5s, if it's 250s then they use only about 70 watts less.

That's the main issue with MH bulbs though is color, you need to find a good blend that appeals to you the consumer. I think the reeflux bulbs look great, both 12000k & 10000k. I think 20000k bulbs look way too blue. The XM 10000k bulb I think looks too yellow, so it's really a matter of what do you like. Oh yeah that color will change depending upon what ballast you use as well just to make things even more difficult

T5s usually a quite close to any other bulb regardless of ballast, such is the nature of how fluorescent bulbs work vs HID lamps.

If you have soft corals primarily, with not many hard ones, I would suggest T5 bulbs. If you have mostly hard corals, well it can be done with T5s, but it's not something that I personally would do.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh yeah the 4 bulbs I have? is on a 120gallon tall tank, 5' long, 2' high.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't have to fit them in canopy. This tank is behind a wall so I just need to retro fit them to a reflector and a piece of plywood. The 2 MH I have now are 175 watts in pendant hanging types reflectors. Without the supplement VHO, I have a bit o' dead space....

Maybe I'll get the workhorse 8 ballast, enough to run 8 T4s, but just replace the 2 VHOs for now? Keep the 2 MH pendants....

Hmmm. too many choices!

But, you have just 4 on a 120 gallon and can keep a RBTA alive and happy?

 

[Anonymous]

Workhorse 8 will only run 4-54w t5s

Happy? Well it's been alive for the past few years, has split many times, tentacles are out... but can't comment on it's happiness since I don't know how to tell an unhappy anemone from a happy one... other than shrinking, dying, etc

 

[Anonymous]

It has been a while since I got rid of my T5's. I had a hard getting lamps, then I had a hard time getting them in 1 piece.