Stay with PC or T5
- Thread starter 72884
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rsxs1212
New member
if you have t5 high output (HO) paired with SLR reflectors they are MUCH better.. I have 4x54 on my 75 display with slr reflectors and ive been keeping multiple sps and they are thriving and have great color.. and are in mid area of the tank (birdsnest, millis, ... ) anyway i guess what im saying it yes they are much better..
rsxs1212
New member
Well you can make a much more efficient reflector just by the bulb itself which makes a ton of difference.. and im pretty sure being high output has alot to do with it.. im not a professional with this but when you get into like PAR and stuff im not much help.. sorry hopefully someone else can help you out 
72884
New member
This is what I bought and currently using.
Should I go T5 HO or stay with this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300077865324&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=020
Should I go T5 HO or stay with this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=300077865324&ssPageName=STRK:MEWN:IT&ih=020
i dont eat fish
Member
I replaced a coralife 4 x 65 pc fixture with 2 x 54 t5 on my fowlr. I can definitely say the new setup is noticeably brighter than the old one. I also replaced 4 x 110 VHO t12 on my reef setup with 5 x 54 t5. Like the fowlr, this got way brighter. And it's not pink anymore either. Corals look open and happy and tank temp during the day dropped 1-2 degrees.
If you are willing to go with slr reflectors, as mentioned above, then t5 is the way to go. If you're getting a setup with one large reflector for all bulbs, IMO, don't waste your time and money.
If you are willing to go with slr reflectors, as mentioned above, then t5 is the way to go. If you're getting a setup with one large reflector for all bulbs, IMO, don't waste your time and money.
pjf
Premium Member
T5HO with Individual Reflectors
T5HO with Individual Reflectors
I recommend T5HO lighting over PC lighting. The wattage only indicates the amount of electricity consumed. The wattage * efficiency (lumens/watt) determines the lumens generated.
• PC or pin-based high-wattage compact fluorescent lamps (HW-CFL) generate ~60 lumens per watt: http://lightingresearch.org/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/HWCFL/HWCFL-efficacy.asp.
• T5HO lighting generates ~90 lumens per watt: http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/lat5/pc1a.asp.
T5HO fixtures with individual parabolic reflectors will direct even more light into your aquarium that would otherwise be wasted.
T5HO with Individual Reflectors
I recommend T5HO lighting over PC lighting. The wattage only indicates the amount of electricity consumed. The wattage * efficiency (lumens/watt) determines the lumens generated.
• PC or pin-based high-wattage compact fluorescent lamps (HW-CFL) generate ~60 lumens per watt: http://lightingresearch.org/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/HWCFL/HWCFL-efficacy.asp.
• T5HO lighting generates ~90 lumens per watt: http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/lat5/pc1a.asp.
T5HO fixtures with individual parabolic reflectors will direct even more light into your aquarium that would otherwise be wasted.
72884
New member
Re: T5HO with Individual Reflectors
Re: T5HO with Individual Reflectors
Well after further analyzing the data on the sites
55w PC 21" = 79 lumens per watt = 4,345 lumens
54W T5 HO 46" = 93 lumens per watt = 5,022 lumens
65w PC 21" = 79 lumens per watt = 5,135 lumens
--------------------------------------------------------------------
4 x 55w PC 21" = 17,380 lumens
4 x 54W T5 HO 46" = 20,088 lumens
4 x 65w PC 21" = 20,540 lumens
--------------------------------------------------------------------
T5 HO 80W 58" is only 88 lumens per watt = 7,040 lumens
and calculating the
PC 96w 33" is 7,584 lumens
T5 is more efficient but until higher wattage T5 is produced it doesn't stack up to 65w & 96w PC but if you have 55w PC then T5 shines brighter.
But people! Correct me if I'm wrong that's what we're here for to correct each other for the better of everyone.
Re: T5HO with Individual Reflectors
Well after further analyzing the data on the sites
55w PC 21" = 79 lumens per watt = 4,345 lumens
54W T5 HO 46" = 93 lumens per watt = 5,022 lumens
65w PC 21" = 79 lumens per watt = 5,135 lumens
--------------------------------------------------------------------
4 x 55w PC 21" = 17,380 lumens
4 x 54W T5 HO 46" = 20,088 lumens
4 x 65w PC 21" = 20,540 lumens
--------------------------------------------------------------------
T5 HO 80W 58" is only 88 lumens per watt = 7,040 lumens
and calculating the
PC 96w 33" is 7,584 lumens
T5 is more efficient but until higher wattage T5 is produced it doesn't stack up to 65w & 96w PC but if you have 55w PC then T5 shines brighter.
But people! Correct me if I'm wrong that's what we're here for to correct each other for the better of everyone.
Last edited:
72884
New member
Did you read this?
-----------------------
Well after further analyzing the data on the sites
55w PC 21" = 79 lumens per watt = 4,345 lumens
54W T5 HO 46" = 93 lumens per watt = 5,022 lumens
65w PC 21" = 79 lumens per watt = 5,135 lumens
--------------------------------------------------------------------
4 x 55w PC 21" = 17,380 lumens
4 x 54W T5 HO 46" = 20,088 lumens
4 x 65w PC 21" = 20,540 lumens
--------------------------------------------------------------------
T5 HO 80W 58" is only 88 lumens per watt = 7,040 lumens
and calculating the
PC 96w 33" is 7,584 lumens
T5 is more efficient but until higher wattage T5 is produced it doesn't stack up to 65w & 96w PC but if you have 55w PC then T5 shines brighter.
But people! Correct me if I'm wrong that's what we're here for to correct each other for the better of everyone.
bankspower
New member
4 x 54W T5 HO 46" = 20,088 lumens
4 x 65w PC 21" = 20,540 lumens
While this is a true statement for light PRODUCED the light entering the tank is a different story. If you had single tube compact flourescent you could use a parabolic reflector on that as well, but when you get the twin tube PC lights its impossible to make an efficient reflector for it.
4 x 65w PC 21" = 20,540 lumens
While this is a true statement for light PRODUCED the light entering the tank is a different story. If you had single tube compact flourescent you could use a parabolic reflector on that as well, but when you get the twin tube PC lights its impossible to make an efficient reflector for it.
bankspower
New member
I'm not sure you understand a parabola and the related focus point. If you have an odd shape ie. not cylindridal(PC) you cannot utilize the shape of a parabola to reflect the entire light emission back in a single direction. If you want to produce a shape that will somehow reflect the light that's produced between the two tubes in a PC bulb go for it, but it will be virtually impossible to recover the 40-60 degrees of bulb area that's pointed directly at the other bulb-half.
pjf
Premium Member
Large Reflectors & Small (or narrow) Light Sources
Large Reflectors & Small (or narrow) Light Sources
I’m not sure where the rather high efficacy figure (79 lumens-per-watt) cited for PC lighting came from. Even if it is accurate, this only means that a 4x65W PC fixture and a 4x54W T5HO fixture generate similar light output albeit the T5HO still does so with less electrical power. Whether that light output is directed to the aquarium or wasted depends on the reflectors.
The narrow linear design of a T5 allows each tube to use a parabolic reflector. Such a reflector keeps light generated by one T5 lamp from being absorbed by its neighboring lamp and directs the light downwards to the aquarium. Several companies have incorporated individual parabolic reflectors in their T5 fixtures, including Aquatinics, ATI, Fauna Marin, IceCap, and Sunlight Supply.
In contrast, the twin-tube design of a PC lamp has prevented its use with individual parabolic reflectors. The twin tubes are so close together that they absorb a portion of each other’s light. If a reflector is designed to fit between the twin tubes, that reflector will be very inefficient because it will reflect a large portion of the light back to the tube.
Efficient reflectors must be large in comparison to the size of the light source. It is much easier to design reflectors for narrow T5 tubes and small MH bulbs than the relatively large twin-tube PC lamps.
Large Reflectors & Small (or narrow) Light Sources
I’m not sure where the rather high efficacy figure (79 lumens-per-watt) cited for PC lighting came from. Even if it is accurate, this only means that a 4x65W PC fixture and a 4x54W T5HO fixture generate similar light output albeit the T5HO still does so with less electrical power. Whether that light output is directed to the aquarium or wasted depends on the reflectors.
The narrow linear design of a T5 allows each tube to use a parabolic reflector. Such a reflector keeps light generated by one T5 lamp from being absorbed by its neighboring lamp and directs the light downwards to the aquarium. Several companies have incorporated individual parabolic reflectors in their T5 fixtures, including Aquatinics, ATI, Fauna Marin, IceCap, and Sunlight Supply.
In contrast, the twin-tube design of a PC lamp has prevented its use with individual parabolic reflectors. The twin tubes are so close together that they absorb a portion of each other’s light. If a reflector is designed to fit between the twin tubes, that reflector will be very inefficient because it will reflect a large portion of the light back to the tube.
Efficient reflectors must be large in comparison to the size of the light source. It is much easier to design reflectors for narrow T5 tubes and small MH bulbs than the relatively large twin-tube PC lamps.
Last edited:
hahnmeister
In Memoriam
T5s vs. PC? not even close. Even for people currently running PC, I suggest switching to T5 as it will pay for itself in a couple years in electricity and bulb replacement costs alone.
First of all, T5s with Parabolic reflectors produce about 2-3x the output of a PC. PCs just dont get effecient reflectors. Then their is the bulb life... PCs last what... 9 months tops? T5s will last 2+ years before they degrade that much. And bulbs for PCs cost $20-30 a pop, while T5s remain a bit lower on the norm... you can use GE bulbs which are only $10 a pop or less, and last just fine. On average, I would say a T5 system costs about $10 per bulb, per year to operate in bulb costs. PCs... $20-30 per year per bulb. More output per watt also means less heat per watt... so there is more. PCs were at their best competing with VHOs, if that. T5s are taking on metal halides.
First of all, T5s with Parabolic reflectors produce about 2-3x the output of a PC. PCs just dont get effecient reflectors. Then their is the bulb life... PCs last what... 9 months tops? T5s will last 2+ years before they degrade that much. And bulbs for PCs cost $20-30 a pop, while T5s remain a bit lower on the norm... you can use GE bulbs which are only $10 a pop or less, and last just fine. On average, I would say a T5 system costs about $10 per bulb, per year to operate in bulb costs. PCs... $20-30 per year per bulb. More output per watt also means less heat per watt... so there is more. PCs were at their best competing with VHOs, if that. T5s are taking on metal halides.
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