T5 vs VHO atinics

[gotfish8]

Please help me decide on my new lighting set up for my 84x36x24 SPS tank
I am going to be using 3 400w 10ks housed in lumenarc reflectors. I am trying to decide on going with either 4 36" VHO's or 4 36" t5's I have VHO's now and like them, but I can get t5's for less $$$$ Are T5 atinics like PC atinics, basicly just a blue bulb or do the t5's flourece the corals?

Thanks

 

[CaptainDave]

if you're going to put 4 actinics on the tank, i would go with 2 and 2. the T5s really make some of my orange and green corals pop much, much more than they ever did with the VHOs, but they wash out some other corals too. I now have a mix on my tank and really like it, I think it's the best of both worlds.

The Blue Plus is a blue bulb and is missing some of the magic of the VHO actinic, but it also really brings out some colors that the VHO misses.

HTH

 

[doody]

Can you go 2 and 2 with 1 ballast? Like an Ice Cap 660.

 

[shelburn61]

T5 blue gives you 450nm. actinic is 420nm. depends on what halide bulb you are using with them.

http://www.reefs.org/library/talklog/s_tyree_060202.html

 

[clkwrk]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6682991#post6682991 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by doody
Can you go 2 and 2 with 1 ballast? Like an Ice Cap 660.

Good idea and ? . I have a 660 running only 2x95 vho right now and if I could get 4 t'5 to run off it also I would be estatic

 

[Hockeydad]

Running T5 on Icecap 660

Running T5 on Icecap 660

Can it be done?

 

[doody]

I know you can run t-5's on the ice cap (Well, lets say I read). Just don't know if you can run both.

 

[CaptainDave]

I'm running 2 VHOs and 2 T5s on an IceCap 660 right now, and it's working well.

 

[doody]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6687242#post6687242 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CaptainDave
I'm running 2 VHOs and 2 T5s on an IceCap 660 right now, and it's working well.

Pics?

 

[clkwrk]

Thas cool how do you have it wired?

 

[causeofhim]

You wire it the same as if you had 4 VHo or 4 T5s.

 

[clkwrk]

so then only a total of 4 bulbs can be run with it ? or can they be daisy chained as long as the watts arent exceeded.

Like my 2x110 and 4 x54 t5

or would I be stuck with 2x110 and maybe

 

[causeofhim]

4 bulbs total with the 660.

 

[Horace]

I have seen it done with 2 VHO and 2 T5 as well... It works just fine...

 

[clkwrk]

Okay I guess I will keep my 2x95 super atinic and hook up 2x54w t5 atincs also .

THX

 

[scottywags]

Just make sure you check the amount of watts, I run 6 foot bulbs and can only run 3 t-5's on it. for what it's worth I hate my t-5's & am switching back to vho's tom.
good luck

 

[CaptainDave]

sorry guys I didn't get emailed that there had been responses to this thread, I don't have any new pics since I have changed the lights.

I think it's 4 bulbs total, like everyone else has said.

 

[clkwrk]

I have the ic 660 ballast . Doesn't that run a max of 440 watts ?

 

[causeofhim]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6691858#post6691858 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clkwrk
I have the ic 660 ballast . Doesn't that run a max of 440 watts ?

Yes, max 440 watts and max 4 bulbs.

 

[Fliger]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6690563#post6690563 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by clkwrk
Okay I guess I will keep my 2x95 super atinic and hook up 2x54w t5 atincs also .

THX

Chris you'll wanna go with two 54W Blue Plus. Its also called Actinic+ just make sure you don't get straight actinic. I'd recommend getting them from reefgeek, you just need 2 bulbs, 2 reflector (Icecap), 2 pairs of standoffs and make sure you get the waterproof VHO T5 endcaps. The 660 runs these bulbs at 80W and superhot. I have four 24W hooked up to it and Sidewinder has four 39W hooked up to it. Its extremely bright. You will love it. The Blue+ spikes like a Radium.