PC vs. T-5's

[mskohl]

Ray's lights:

I have 3 - 80 Watt, 60 inch, T5 HO, 11,000K ATi Aqua Blue
(they are 60% actinic & 40% white)
I have 1 - 80 Watt, 60 inch, T5 HO, 20,000K ATi Blue
For a total of 320 Watts.
Each light has an individual mirror finish reflector.
They are on 3 instant start ballasts (Workhorse 7)
They are rated for 220 watts each.

I wish I had a pic of his tank from the meeting.

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I can tell you that 6 80 watt T5's on Ice Cap ballasts put more light to the sandbed of my 125 (72" longx23.5" tall) than 3 250 watt halides sitting about 5" above the tank. The halides were HQI's on EVC electronic ballasts. With some strong (but UGLY yellowish color) 10K lamps the halides did a peak PAR of 123 or so on the sandbed. A hamilton 10K only did low 100's and 14K EVC's did 95. The T5's running 3 blues 2 aquablues and a GE had a way better color did 145 and the lamps were already several months old by the time I measured them.

 

[freddie40]

Grim,

Thanks for posting the results on the T5 versus MH. I have felt that the T5 bulbs were very intense, but did not know how to compare them with the MH. I am now very happy that I have T5.

Dave

BTW: I have the same bulb sombination that you did, just 54 watt though.

 

[captbunzo]

Cool. With the space above a 180, you could put a HUGE number of bulbs. I track them to take about 2 - 2.5 inches (width) per bulb+reflector+endcaps...

That'd be probably 10-11 bulbs across the top of the tank. At 80W a piece for 6 ft bulbs, that'd be 800-880 Watts of light. That's 4.4 - 4.9 Watts per Gallon, which I think officially is in the high light category. Freaking spectacular!

And, based on my experience cramming 5 of these things above my 55G tank, I am SURE you would not require a chiller. And you could even skip adding fans to the canopy, although they are always a good idea. I don't have fans on mine and have no problems with heat....

Another part of me would love to experiment with layout of lights in a 180g canopy to try to place a single MH bulb in the very center above the tank. And then surround that with piles of T5s. You could work something out pretty easily with 6 foot bulbs at the front and back of the tank. And then have a set of 2 foot bulbs, a 250W MH, and another set of 2 ft bulbs.

With that and my basic math, the side sections would end up with about 250W of light above them. That's about 4.1-4.2 W/g. And the MIDDLE section with the MH would have about 350W of light above it, which is close to 6 W/g (insane).

Interesting. Maybe it'd be smarter in this case to use a 175W MH in the middle. You'd still have 275 W of light above that section. And it would probably balance visually better with the sides.

Sounds like fun. Of course, even MORE fun would be making the tank 2 ft longer and going to a 240g tank...

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7449664#post7449664 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by freddie40
Grim,

Thanks for posting the results on the T5 versus MH. I have felt that the T5 bulbs were very intense, but did not know how to compare them with the MH. I am now very happy that I have T5.

Dave

BTW: I have the same bulb sombination that you did, just 54 watt though.

Stop by some time and I'll borrow you my PAR meter so you can see what your getting to the bottom of your tank.

 

[VCoo71]

Paul
i think the watts per gallon rule is very inacurate as to high light
it is all about the Par

in grims post he is saying that 480 watts of T-5's put out a 145 par rating whereas the 750 watts of halides put out a par or 123 at there best (depending on the bulb)

you might not need a chiller but i would use the fans to keep the T-5's running cooler and they will last a little longer

JMO
charlie

 

[captbunzo]

Charlie -

Yeah, I know the Watts per Gallon rule is pretty bad. At best, it just gives sort of a frame of reference. Perhaps one needs to add a par multiplier into the equation, where the particular multiplier is for each types of lights (+ reflectors)...

Wild that T5s are putting out so much more PAR in Grims situation then the Halides. Neat stuff.

And I definately agree on the fan. I just haven't had the time and/or money yet to add that to my canopy. Hehe - but until recently, the canopy didn't have doors installed yet in the door openings in the front...

 

[VCoo71]

im pretty much sold on them .....i would like to replace my exisiting 2x halide/ 4x vho set up with them .....but the icecap retrofits are pretty spendy!

charlie

 

[captbunzo]

You can save a bit if you avoid the Icecap ballasts and use Workhorse Ballasts instead. Take a look at http://www.reefgeek.com to find them. But even spending less on the ballasts, they do cost a good bit with endcaps & reflectors & bulbs......

 

[VCoo71]

icecap is the only way to go from all i have read(believe me a lot!)
you just wont do as well with t-5's unless its on the icecap 660
it is overdriving them and thats why they suggest replacing bulbs at the 6-8 month mark
i have even seen where people who have bought a new tek T-5 fixture are starting to replace the ballast for an icecap

charlie

 

[The Grim Reefer]

I got better than a year on my lamps overdriving them. I would not use a Workhorse ballast because they are not a T5 ballast. They will run them but there is no end of life protection circuit and they are a hard start ballast.

Check out www.ballastwise.com for T5 spec ballasts. Not sure if they have any for 80 watt lamps or not.

 

[AmerICHans]

I've had both T5's and metal halides. Metal Halides give a much better coloration and natural lighting effect than do the T5's. T5 fanatics will maintain otherwise. Halide is the way to go for LPS and most SPS. Although the best way to do Halide is open top, not in canopy, as you are in need of a chiller at that point.

 

[AmerICHans]

Look at the cost effectiveness of the T5's also. You have to buy about 6 bulbs every 8 months or so. That's roughly $120 tax and all, for T-5's. Halides also have around the same spectral length, but is cheaper to replace. We have to remember that everyone will always take pride in what they own, and truly believe that it's the best there is. This is a case in which reef beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or beerholder!

 

[AmerICHans]

God Bless Our Troops

 

[The Grim Reefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7452006#post7452006 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AmerICHans
Look at the cost effectiveness of the T5's also. You have to buy about 6 bulbs every 8 months or so. That's roughly $120 tax and all, for T-5's. Halides also have around the same spectral length, but is cheaper to replace. We have to remember that everyone will always take pride in what they own, and truly believe that it's the best there is. This is a case in which reef beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or beerholder!

I ran my T5 lamps better than a year and got great growth. My system had Ice Cap ballasts and reflectors which gave them a boost over a standard system. Check out Iwans tank in the large tank forum. His T5 lit SPS tank has as good of colors as any tank I've ever seen. He changes his lamps every 8 months or so but his system was normally driven and didn't have good reflectors. I am not sure if reflectors and overdriving would let him go a year on the lamps but I'd bet he would get close. Point is you can get great growth and color with either system.

Point is you can get great growth and color from either system. I ditched my halides and went back to the T5's because I prefer the look of the T5's to the halides. To me the T5's show more detail in the rocks and the halides make things look flat. Just a personal preference thing. If I didn't still have the T5 system I would have stuck with the halides. As long as the T5's were still there I figured less heat, less power, better growth and a look I prefered = no brainer in my case.

Grim be outta here, have fun guys.

 

[DizziDezi2]

Grim!! Wat are you doing in OK!!

 

[The Grim Reefer]

Hey, I am in Colorado now so I am at least close.

Someone asked me to pop in and give a little T5 info to someone who was trying to say PC's were better.

 

[mhurley]

:wavehand: AmerICHans.

<img src="/images/welcome.gif" width="500" height="62"><br><b><i><big><big>To Reef Central</b></i></big></big>

 

[VCoo71]

you just cant hide from the RC mods



thanks again Mike!

 

[VCoo71]

wow this guy is as pesty as a flatworm....just cant seem to get rid of them!