DIY lighting VHO? Hood?

[theedudenator]

I am planning the lighting for my tank.
I also need to build a hood for it.
I cannot buy all the lighting at one time....

I was thinking for now.
Build tall hood, with fans.

IceCap Model 660 Electronic VHO Ballast
4 - 4" VHO bulbs.

Maybe later add a MH light?
Or more VHO's?
Maybe one one end of the tank, for the reef items that need it.

I would like to be able to have it all in the tank..
I am starting with Live Rock only
Then maybe fish....
Then it depends on how the lighting works out.

This is a 120gal standard type tank
with 30gal sump

 

[joshuaroot]

i am starting a 120 tank myself and i will be running eight 4' vhos over it.

 

[theedudenator]

What type of ballast are you planning on using?

Do you think the 4 VHOs will be enough?

 

[joshuaroot]

one is an icecap 660 and the other is an a4 made by icecap. depending on what u want to keep in the tank u might wanna go a lil more then just 4

 

[DesertBandits]

VHO is so dead. Its about 20+ years old technology, and with all the new good T5 bulbs out theres no reason not to go T5. Their wattage is so much lower, intensity is great, and there are alot more good bulbs in the blue/purple colors now. Plus the overpowering pink of VHO "whites" looks terrible anyway. I would encourage you to compare a T5 setup to a VHO setup you may be considering.

 

[joshuaroot]

all i can say is each to there own

 

[theedudenator]

The T5's seem to have less wattage
Then I would need more lights for my tank???
I don't get it

I can do VHO and T5?

 

[dngspot]

I run 4 160 Watt VHO bulbs over my 150G. I see no problem with these lights. They are 72" long and have served me well. I have been running 2 Magnetic ballasts also. The price of the custom setup was less than $250.00, to build and install including the bulbs. I have not used nor do I intend to use t-5, show me how you could get 640 watts of light with t-5s for under $250.00, with ballasts. The lights have been up for 2 years and bulb life is about 1 year. My tank has a nice white, bluish light. This was done by using URI Super Actinic and 10k bulbs, two of each. My tank is 27 inches deep and Hammers, Maxima Clams, and all softies seem to do well. I have a couple of Montiporas and they seem to be doing well.
This fall I will be installing 3 400 watt MH's. I will retain the VHO's, all will be actinic though.

 

[mrichardson]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7984827#post7984827 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by theedudenator
The T5's seem to have less wattage
Then I would need more lights for my tank???
I don't get it

I can do VHO and T5?

When comparing two different technologies....use the common factor for measurement. Lighting is measured by intensity, not wattage. So just because T5 use less power, does not mean they provide less light.

 

[theedudenator]

I have not seen the lights measured in intensity
Just watts.

I bought some icecap ballasts
I suppose I can now run T5 or VHO.
Maybe I will do both..

 

[spence15610]

I switched from 4 - 110 watt vho bulbs to 6 - 54 watt T5 HO bulbs and will never go back to vho, the light intensity blows the vhos away, also the T5s last longer and put out less heat, it's a no brainer

 

[theedudenator]

Are the T5's shorter bulbs?
I have a 60" tank
Won't I need more bulbs to cover the same area?

How can I be sure that my ballasts I bought will also work as T5's?