does anyone need 24" vho sa bulbs?

[Benny Z]

i was thinking about picking up a couple of 24" vho super acts to try over my 29g in combination with a 10k xm bulb. but, really, this is just for fun and won't be used very long. ...pretty much just long enough to see how it looks.

does anyone have a need for these bulbs after i'm done playing with them? i'd be much more eager to spend the money on the bulbs and shipping if i knew someone else would take them off my hands next week sometime.

 

[tcottle]

Actually I would be interested in doing the same experiment. LMK

I have been wholly unimpressed with the new UV T5 super actinic and I need to see if the problem is in the bulbs or my eyeballs

 

[Benny Z]

ok, great. i'm going to go ahead and order them today then to have them here tomorrow.

i'll let you know when i'm finished with them.

 

[Benny Z]

*ordered

 

[Sloeber]

FWIW todd i don't like the T5 actinic either. better than PC, but not equal to VHO. IMHO of course

 

[philagothos]

I was really hoping for better things out of the UV T5 Super Actinics. I haven't bought them yet, but the reviews have been unimpressive. I have the D&D actinics and they suck so I was hopeful about the new ones. Tcottle, if you get the VHOs and want to pass on your T5s let me know.

-Kevin

 

[tcottle]

I might - they are 36" and already darkening at the heaters :mad2: :mad2: :mad2:

They are running off of an icecap 430 and the ballast is overdriving them 2x which might be part of the problem

They look about like the Actinic Plus in my tank

 

[ChemE]

My blueplus is 3 months old being normally driven on a Triad ballast and still no sign of the dread black rings; just a point of reference.

 

[DKKA]

Todd, is it bacause they are dieing prematurely that you don't like them. Or is it color? Or the way the corals are reacting.
Just curious, cause I really liked the way your tank looked. I thought it was nice and blue. (as opposed to the stupid purple of my VHO actinics.)

I guess I'm the minority reefer who thinks purple vho actinics are very unnatural. I actually prefer my pc dual actinics (460 and 420 nm)

Dan

 

[Benny Z]

i think it's all about what you get used to seeing, personally.

i used a 96w 6700k pc bulb in combination with a 55w "true blue" pc bulb (no true act) and was happy as snot with the color for a long time.

 

[Sloeber]

for comparison purposes, how happy does snot get?

 

[Benny Z]

just barely not happy enough to do a happy dance.

 

[tcottle]

Dan

I am looking for more "pop" out of the corals. Especially in the greens (remember I have 2 sq-ft of gsp ... ). I am disappointed in the life that I get from the T5s, this is my 3rd set in a year (Grrrr). I am sure that it is more of an issue with the icecap 430 ballast than the manufacturer of the bulb.

My canopy is unvented and I measured the the temperature of the canopy at 120F last night - that does not strike me as excessive but nevertheless I started the modifications to mount a 120mm cooling fan. Supposedly temperature effects the life of the T5 bulbs.

These new bulbs from UV are glow light blue not the purplish of the VHO actinics. In the end I will probably end up the a hybrid canopy: 250 MH, 1 T5 Actinic Plus and 1 VHO actinic

 

[DKKA]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7573098#post7573098 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by tcottle
In the end I will probably end up the a hybrid canopy: 250 MH, 1 T5 Actinic Plus and 1 VHO actinic

I'm starting to think the mix of 420 and 450nm is a good thing for the coral, and for our eyes. I think you'd like that mix in your hybrid canopy.

Oh, and when my star polyps grow up they want to be just like your star polyps!

Thanks,

Dan

 

[tcottle]

Quick update on my canopy mods. Interior temperature dropped from 120F to 100F by cutting a 120mm hole in the top of my canopy. Not bad for passive cooling. Ambient temp in the basement is 74F. I then added a 35CFM 120mm fan. I measured the temperature of the exhaust air at 88F. My canopy has a volume of 6.5 cubic feet so I should be getting a complete exchange every 12 seconds or so. I was concerned about the noise from the fan but the 120m low rpm fans are very quiet.

It doesn't look like there has been any change (to my eye) in the color of the bulbs but hopefully they will last longer.