Are MH lights a must???

[sandalscout]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14463021#post14463021 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by andywe
The one thing that makes me hestiate with T5's on a larger tank is that the dropoff occurs faster. In industrial lighting, Flourescents start dropping off sooner and have a fairly steady decline (I was told this by a lighting engineer FWIW). MH (incandescent style) drops off slower at first, but as the fillament burns up towards the end of it's cycle the dropoff increases at a faster rate.

That brings up an excellent point, Sanjay Joshi briefly mentioned this, and since he hadn't studied T5s very thoroughly, I'd be very interested to see more studier from the aspect of T5s, but he did mention that MH lights tend to last longer than the manufacturer's advertise, to the effect that he would recommend as much as 14-18 months out of a MH bulb. Most people recommend 10 months on T5s, I'd be curious to see what a true working life for T5s is. That said, I could afford to replace all 6 of my T5s every year (I've got 13 months on my current bulbs) for less than two MH bulbs, and that's not counting supplemental actinics I would run also.

 

[waynesworld]

Well I think you will see in most area's that t5 last at least 12 mths and Bill you better watch out I am going to tell Al Gore that you are using too much elect and are causing the global warming and he will be putting all those mh mfg in his next book.

 

[supertech99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14463093#post14463093 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by sandalscout
That brings up an excellent point, Sanjay Joshi briefly mentioned this, and since he hadn't studied T5s very thoroughly, I'd be very interested to see more studier from the aspect of T5s, but he did mention that MH lights tend to last longer than the manufacturer's advertise, to the effect that he would recommend as much as 14-18 months out of a MH bulb. Most people recommend 10 months on T5s, I'd be curious to see what a true working life for T5s is. That said, I could afford to replace all 6 of my T5s every year (I've got 13 months on my current bulbs) for less than two MH bulbs, and that's not counting supplemental actinics I would run also.

Sanji also showed a cool graphic that showed t5's maximal amt of photons were in the enter of the bulb. This lead me to move one coral from the top side to the bottom middle, and it actually looks better there. not at all a scientific test but i moved my fragrack to the center also because of that graphic. he also had this cool comparision of the actual tempature color of claimed K raitings that were way off some (20k bulbs testing at 14k ext) I wonder if t5's do the same things as manufacturers vary?

 

[poolkeeper1]

Good God now that Scares me.
I don't think that you criticized me Brandon, I think that what I said was taken for fact. The fact being i never claimed that it was fact.
And don't give Albert any more goofy idea's he does fine by himself!!!

 

[poolkeeper1]

This may be a very Interesting topic for the meeting at my house. Kinda like discuss the pros and cons of all the lights in the hobby. A lot of research would need to be done to get established facts from fiction myths and all rumors out in the light of day!!! Maybe a study comparison of some sort would be interesting to do? A sort of controlled growth study of some kind maybe, let me know what you think.

Brandon, What I said didn't match what I meant. Sorry for any confusion. Thanks Bill

 

[waynesworld]

Bill I was thinking of bringing that up at my house since we will be armed so if tempers flare we will settle once.

 

[andywe]

and shoot twice?

 

[NeveSSL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14463322#post14463322 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by poolkeeper1
Good God now that Scares me.
I don't think that you criticized me Brandon, I think that what I said was taken for fact. The fact being i never claimed that it was fact.
And don't give Albert any more goofy idea's he does fine by himself!!!

Cool deal, Bill.

I'd also like to see more studies done on the subject. Really and truly, I need to look at the existing ones first.

Brandon

 

[poolkeeper1]

Guess that will be alright, Nobody told me we had to carry to the meets. Whats that new movie were they say a little shootin is alright depending on who gets shot!!!
Yeah that's alright if you want to do that subject I'll think of something else to rile everybody up about.

 

[Mikeyjer]

I don't have that much experience with t5 since I have MH's in both of my tanks and I love the shimmer! But one thing I will add is actinics plays a important role on how your corals color up since I run vho actinics in one tank but not in the other one and the same exact coral looks completely different with the one without actinics more dull. When I place it into the one with actinics it takes a few days to brighten up..... Excuse me if I made any typo, iPhone isn't the best for this....LOL

 

[fallinapart]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14466335#post14466335 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mikeyjer
Excuse me if I made any typo, iPhone isn't the best for this....LOL

Hmphhh!!! ..... better than my blackberry pearl

 

[andywe]

But not the cell/data service..unless your blacberry is on ATT also.

 

[fallinapart]

waiting on Verizon to sell i-phone.......bet that is going to be a loing wait

 

[NeveSSL]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14469570#post14469570 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fallinapart
waiting on Verizon to sell i-phone.......bet that is going to be a loing wait

Me too, Norman. The Storm is cool and all, but I just can't get over the size of the iPhone. I may change my mind eventually, though. We'll see what else RIM puts out.

Brandon

 

[casademurphy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14466335#post14466335 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Mikeyjer
I don't have that much experience with t5 since I have MH's in both of my tanks and I love the shimmer! But one thing I will add is actinics plays a important role on how your corals color up since I run vho actinics in one tank but not in the other one and the same exact coral looks completely different with the one without actinics more dull. When I place it into the one with actinics it takes a few days to brighten up..... Excuse me if I made any typo, iPhone isn't the best for this....LOL

What size tank do you run vho actinics on? What type of vho's do you run? I'm thinking of adding them to my 90 gallon. I currently have 2 250 watt MHs, so I'm just curious, if I were to add vho actinics, what I would add. Thanks!

 

[NeveSSL]

Michael may be different, but by far the most popular VHO actinic bulb that I've seen has been the UVL Super Actinic.

Brandon

 

[waynesworld]

I think if I were setting up a tank now I wouldn't use VHO unless I already had them as the bulbs when I last looked are a little more then t5 and they are not as efficient

 

[casademurphy]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14471785#post14471785 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by NeveSSL
Michael may be different, but by far the most popular VHO actinic bulb that I've seen has been the UVL Super Actinic.

Brandon

Do you think one bulb should suffice?

 

[undertcontrolj]

a little off the subject but since it has been broached. Apple is supposedly in talks with Verizon to start selling the iphone. At least that was what i was reading the other day. Seems apple wants to dominate the phone market too.

 

[NeveSSL]

Got a link, Justin?

casademurphy: I would think on a 90 you would want two, but one may work fine. You could always try one (in the front) and if you don't like it, add another. Its purely aesthetic, so the corals won't care one way or the other.

Brandon