Vho Vs Ho T5

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Ed Hahn

Ed Hahn

Life is A Highway...
Joined
Jan 27, 2004
Messages
3,955
Location
Kennewick, Wa
I have been reading and comparing VHO and t5 lighting. A friend of mine was telling me the Par of T5 is not that of VHO. Can someone with experience help me out here? I am considering going to T5 because the Germans which are energy consious use this. I also like the fact I can purchase a 460 nanometer bulb. I had a bad experience with VHO Bulbs years ago. My VHO bulbs would only last for about 6 months. My corals would show me after 6 months that my bulbs needed replaced. That was my 125 when I was running 4 VHO only. That cost me quite a bit to change bulbs every 4-6 months. I hear the T5s should last longer, run more efficient, and usually last 12 monthes. I would love to hear oppinions.
Thanks in Advance,
Ed:)
 
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http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=728429
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=741281
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=724967
These three thread are the ones that made me gop with T5 on my 45g breeder tank. I have yet to set it up but will have it cycling by March/April hopefully. lol As far as PAR is concerned the T5 will blow away the VHO. However the T5 actincs stink most will use the Blue+ bulbs and some are even using the VHO acitincs. I personally will be going with a 4X39w retro from www.aqualuxlighting.com the reflectors are larger then the TEKs or IC one but almost as godd as the IC but better then the TEKs. As far as bulb configuation it will be in this order

Back:

Blue+
Aquablue
GE daylight 6500k
Blue+

HTH
 
It does help, Thank you DWDenny. I learned from a thread on RC that ICE Cap states the 54 watt T5 bulb produces 85 watts or its overdriven. I am happy to hear about other reflectors also. I want the best reflector I can get for the money.
Thanks to you
Ed:D
 
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Apples & Oranges ( Bulbs & Ballest)

Ed I have been doing lots of reading on this is what I have learned so far I belive a VHO is being reffered to a T-12 Bulb Versus a slimmed down version = a T-5 you can order T-5 in standered and HO But i have Yet to read or lean you can order a T-5 in a VHO My understanding is this T-12 old big bulb.
T-5 new slim blub. Standerd,HO & VHO are from the Ballest. Now I am surely no expert and I am asking for help in understanding this as well so If anyone has more to offer please post a replythanks...Jeff
 
well the NO(standard), HO, and VHO (T-5 are HO only as of now maybein the future I dont know)are not from the ballasts it is in the bulb itself. The size of the bulb is determined by the diameter of the bulb example VHO is a T-12 which 1.5" in diameter. the flourescent bulb world looks at the bulbs in this way T-12 T-8 T-5 and so forth. So a T-5 bulb is 5/8" in diameter. The aqualux relfectors are like 3.1/8" wide so might need to do some measuring before hand. The IC are like 2 1/4" and the TEKs are like 2 1/8" if I remember correctly. The TEK ones have a hard time with salt spray and pit very easily if not cleaned regularly. T-5 can go between 14-18 months but most are changing them at 12 months just to be on the safe side. The IC 660 will run up to four of the 24w-54w bulbs. If you want dawn dusk the two 430 will work good. They do overdrive them the 39w to like 54w or so the 54w to 80w or so. The only reason I can see to overdrive T-5 is if you want SPS dominated tank or very deep tank. If this is for your 90g then I would look at a 6X54w and if you want to overdrive them put four on a IC660 and two on a regular T-5 ballast. I would also try to pm The Grim Reefer on RC he is very knowledgable on lighting in general and has done a lot of tests. That is where I learned what I know(which is not a lot). HTH
 
did not realize that I thought it was wierd not seeing a post from him in a while. SOrry I will email him and see if he wants to come over here. Any way on the 430 you can run 2 54watter.
 
dwdenny said:
did not realize that I thought it was wierd not seeing a post from him in a while. SOrry I will email him and see if he wants to come over here. Any way on the 430 you can run 2 54watter.
Click to expand...
Thank you DwDenny. I appreciate your help. I am looking into getting two 54 watters in the 460 nano range. I saw a few bulbs that claim that range. I just need to find them again. Again, I appreciate the heads up on a wider reflector, and your experience. :) I read Grim Reapers post. I do hope he comes over here.
Ed:)
 
Hi all

On a watt for watt basis, T5's are in the neighborhood of PC's...both are higher than VHO's...A 110 watt VHO is usually around 7000 initial lumens, or 64 watts per lumen. A 96 watt PC is around 8800 lumens, or 92 lumens per watt. A 54 watt T5 produces around 5000 lumens, about 93 lumens per watt. A 400 watt MH produces around 40000 lumens, 100 lumens per watt.

So it will take 5 T5's to outproduce 3 VHO's...and 8 to produce the same lumen as a 400w MH....to me this is the drawback, you need more individual lights. But I think if the price gets right, these will be the future of flourescent lighting in the hobby...better output watt for watt than a VHO and lacking the potential spectral issues of the PC....

MikeS
 
Great Thread guys Thanks Ed for starting this one!

Ok new question has anyone seen a T-5 in a 72" long bulb" If so how many watts is it rated for?
 
no the longest is 60" or 80w normally run that is if you put them on 660 then they run at 110w I think but you can only run 2 80w on a 660 I think I will check. What I would do and a lot other have done is use the 36" 39w bulbs and stagger them so that the edges of the tank are lit but can use softies there.

MikeS look at the PAR though here on this thread first post at that http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=724967
For those of you that dont want to click the thread then here it is.

From The Grim Reefer:
So I finally got some regular T5's (54 watt 4 foot lamps) to play with. I did PAR measurments 18.5" below the surface at the sandbed. The lamps were about 2" above the water for the test. The lamps were D&D, 2 Aquablues and 2 Actinic Pluses ran in Ice Cap reflectors. Tested with Apogee Quatum meter, Amps tested with Craftsman True RMS meter.

Workhorse 7: 1.5 amp draw, PAR reading 126

DYnamic T5 ballast: 1.4 amp draw, PAR reading 135
(spec T5 ballast)

Ice Cap 660: 4.1 amp draw, PAR reading 183

My 6x80 watt T5 system was 145 with an amp draw of just under 6. Seems to back up my theory that the shorter T5 lamps are way brighter when overdriven.

3x250 watt DE halides. 14K lamps on good e-ballasts about 7" higher, 6 amp draw, PAR reading 95. And people wonder why I am going back to the fluorescents

I am going to do some "dry" test where I can run the lamps for about a half hour to get a better idea what happens with the amp draw and output once they have ran longer. These tests were ran for around 10 minutes but things seemed stable.
 
Ice Cap are the pioneers in T5 lighting, I plan on using their 660 and reflectors on my next tank. I read a post from Grim that a Ice Cap T5 setup produces more PAR than 250MH.

DD
 
I spoke with a rep from URI today. URI will be producing T5 bulbs also. I asked to be a Tester. I could only wish.
 
Wayne is right T5's have been in use in Europe way longer then here. ICe Cap is doing a great job here in the USA. I am setting up a 45g breeder that will use both VHO(super actinic) and aquablue T5 to keep zoanthids dominated tank. SHould give me the option to put higher light zoas up high and lower light zoas on the bottome. Tank is only 16" tall
 
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