Help w/lighting options needed!!

[Kissfan79]

Hey guys....
MY dad is in need of some info opinions. Here is the deal:
For his new 75 gallon reef tank he wants to decide which way to go with a lighting upgrade versus the standard flourecent lights it came with. There are two option he is looking at.

Option 1: A brand new Nova Extreme setup with 8 T-5 HO bulbs and 4 lunar lights putting out about 432 watts of power from Doctors Foster and Smith online for $399.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/Prod_Display.cfm?pcatid=12772&ref=3450&subref=AT&N=2004+113175

Option 2: Our LFS will install a T-12 VHO Flourecent fixture into a custom made canopy and install a separate blue actinic fixture as well. Total output would be 440 watts plus the actinic fixture. With this setup....the actual fixture is used and he (LFS owner) would install it in the custom made canopy. The cost for this setup is $500.

Your opinions will help make the difference. Which bulbs do you like better....the T-5 HO or the T-12 VHO? Pros.....cons??

With these scenarios...you have a battle between a totally brand new lighting system with totally separate switches and a bit more control in the lighting on/off setups. The other route you get a used fixture with maybe a bit less control over the lighting switches but you get the added eye candy and elegance of a custom made canopy stained to match your stand.

Two choices......one decision.....please help with your thoughts and experiences.

Thanks! Jim

 

[michaeldaly]

Option 1 , definately.

Option 2 is T12 VHO which is considerably weaker that the T5's

 

[Icefire]

T5HO all the way.

Look for a 4 or 6 bulb with individual reflector.

 

[Kissfan79]

Thanks for the replies guys. Why would the T-12 VHOs be weaker than the T-5 HOs? They put out 440 watts with 4 bulbs versus the 432 from 8 T-5 HOs. The Nova setup is an 8 bulbs fixture with 4 white and 4 blue actinic bulbs.

Thanks again guys.

Jim

 

[michaeldaly]

T5 HO are more efficient than T12 VHO.

It's like normal bulbs versus energy savers.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

T5's are better than VHO if you get the right fixture. Tek or Aquactinics has good fixtures. T5 lamps are more efficient than VHO's and they are small enough to mount parabolic reflectors for each lamp. The reflectors give a huge increase in the amount of light reaching the tank. Dont waste money on the Nova, they use a single flat reflector for all the lamps.

 

[GSMguy]

dont waste time with either i would take the 500 bucks and buy an aquatinics

 

[markandkristen]

just to give you insight. you can buy 2 bulb vho setup from hellolights. for 99.99 and that includes the bulbs. so two would be 199. and shipping is only like 10-12 dollars. you could virtually wire 440 watts of lights for around 220. and thats all brand new stuff.

the question sometimes is what bulb combination you want. the best way to do that is see other setups. i personally have found it hard to correctly see tanks with pics on line. i would look into reefers close to you to see what they are burning. i have had t5s and now going back to vho for actinics and metal halides for growth. dont get me wrong t5s are great as well. i just like vhos.

 

[critmin]

So what are the pros of vho fixtures? Why are vho fixtures more expensive than T5 fixtures?

 

[jschottenfeld]

Grim Reefer, what are your thoughts on Current's Outer Orbit fixture with 3x250HQI, 8x39T5's, and lunar lights...for a 125g?

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9629161#post9629161 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jschottenfeld
Grim Reefer, what are your thoughts on Current's Outer Orbit fixture with 3x250HQI, 8x39T5's, and lunar lights...for a 125g?

Dunno, Sounds good on paper