light question
- Thread starter baldomero
- Start date
Wow you guy's are really beating up the PC's. I have 192W of PC's over a 46 Gallon tank and I have Soffties, LPS's, and a Sabe anem. that won't stop growing. All my corals are healthy and growing at a good rate.
Not trying to poke the bee hive here, but I think PC's need a little more credit. I'm no expert, but I have done some reaserch. A PC and a T5 are the same "types" of tubes, gases, etc. Most of what I have read is saying that a PC lamp last longer and losses less intensity than the T5's over time too.
I don't want to get in a heated debate over this. I just thought I'd give my 2 cents on PC's. Keep in mind that I'm running over 4 watts a gallon too. That has a lot to due with the success I'm having. I'd say Baldomero's tank needs twice the wattage that he's getting to keep anems. or any corals.
Again, just my 2 cents. Good luck and have fun.
Not trying to poke the bee hive here, but I think PC's need a little more credit. I'm no expert, but I have done some reaserch. A PC and a T5 are the same "types" of tubes, gases, etc. Most of what I have read is saying that a PC lamp last longer and losses less intensity than the T5's over time too.
I don't want to get in a heated debate over this. I just thought I'd give my 2 cents on PC's. Keep in mind that I'm running over 4 watts a gallon too. That has a lot to due with the success I'm having. I'd say Baldomero's tank needs twice the wattage that he's getting to keep anems. or any corals.
Again, just my 2 cents. Good luck and have fun.
abulgin
Premium Member
No one is poo pooing PCs--it's just my personal opinion/experience that they are inferior to newer high output T5s, especially when used with individual reflectors, and metal halides as far as intensity, ability to "punch" through the water and bulb life. Before the advent of the newer HO T5s and metal halide technology, many, many reefers kept SPS tanks under PCs. It's not that they won't grow corals, it's that there are newer, better and brighter alternatives out now.
The T5s you're reading about are the old T5s. The new high output T5s last 2 to 3 times longer than a PC. A PC should be swapped out every 6 months because it loses it's spectral intensity. The newer HO T5s last 18-24 months.
In a 46 gallon tank, PC lighting is fine. The OP's tank is a 150g, and a PC fixture would definitely not be on my list of choices for this tank if I were going to keep anemones or anything other than lower-light loving corals, like shrooms, softies and some LPS.
Also, regarding the Sabae, here's some info from wetwebmedia:
"Lighting. Sebae anemones like/need bright light! Metal halides are best, with boosted formats of fluorescents (T-5's, PC's) being okay if the animal is in shallow water (15" or less let's say). As rules of thumb go, maybe we're talking some four watts per gallon minimum in terms of gauging "intensity"... but six or more watts (as long as the other livestock, your energy bill and sunglass darkness can handle it...) is not too much light for this species. "
The T5s you're reading about are the old T5s. The new high output T5s last 2 to 3 times longer than a PC. A PC should be swapped out every 6 months because it loses it's spectral intensity. The newer HO T5s last 18-24 months.
In a 46 gallon tank, PC lighting is fine. The OP's tank is a 150g, and a PC fixture would definitely not be on my list of choices for this tank if I were going to keep anemones or anything other than lower-light loving corals, like shrooms, softies and some LPS.
Also, regarding the Sabae, here's some info from wetwebmedia:
"Lighting. Sebae anemones like/need bright light! Metal halides are best, with boosted formats of fluorescents (T-5's, PC's) being okay if the animal is in shallow water (15" or less let's say). As rules of thumb go, maybe we're talking some four watts per gallon minimum in terms of gauging "intensity"... but six or more watts (as long as the other livestock, your energy bill and sunglass darkness can handle it...) is not too much light for this species. "
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reefscape15
New member
A watt really isn't a watt when you get into ballast powered lighting. Take for instance a 250watt MH bulb. They usually run off 350ish volts from the ballast and use about 2.1 amps. Now with a t-5 ballast that pushes around 600 volts will use substantially less amps. So, assuming that a certain 250watt fixture will use less electrical energy than a different 250watt fixture is true
mustang51js
New member
i think hes trying to say that a 150 watts of t5 lights will draw about 150watts, whereas 150 watt MH might draw 200watts, so i think we are talking more about energy efficiency and light output more than how much watts they use
abulgin
Premium Member
No, if you are saying a 150W T5 fixture draws 150W from the wall and a 150W MH draws 200W, then you/he ARE/IS saying that the MH costs more to operate because we are all billed by the kilowatt hour used. I think you would have to use one of those kilowatt meters on each fixture to compare, and also compare different brands because there will be differences among ballasts for the same type of light. At the end of the day, I'll bet the fifference between 150W of TD and 150W of MH or 150W of PC is negligible.
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abulgin
Premium Member
How long have you had them? It can take a year or more for an anemone to die. They can do well for 10 months and then all the sudden die. I am not giving you a hard time about your anemone/tank. I was just addressing your light question. I can promise you that 34W in a 150 is completely inadequate for anemones in your tank.
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