Trade: T5 for your VHO

[Newreeflady]

Have: 2x24w fixture (non slr) Nova Extreme with bulb options depending on bulbs that you trade to me.

Want: 2x24" VHO - retro or contained fixture both OK- not too costly, though. Partial trade on my part OK based on original cost of your fixture (ie, I can also put in $$ if cost difference is marked).

Not gonna be needing the PAR from T5 anymore, just actinic.

Thx!
-A

 

[Piazzon12]

why not just use t5 actinic bulbs?

 

[fatrip]

i agree with adam, get an blue actinic and either a Korallen fiji purple bulb or a uvl 75/25 and it will look much better than vho actinics and is more efficent.

 

[daveverdo]

I agree. Bulbs are cheaper than fixtures.

 

[Newreeflady]

i agree with adam, get an blue actinic and either a Korallen fiji purple bulb or a uvl 75/25 and it will look much better than vho actinics and is more efficent.

Really? Wow, everywhere I read it said that VHO actinics were somehow better looking than T5s, although the latter have better PAR. So, the look is the same?

Thanks for the heads up guys. -A

 

[fatrip]

With the combo i had stated you will get more pop with reds for the UVL, like electric and I think jerry said more pop with greens with the Fiji purple. I think the light looks better than plain old VHO actinics. but it is all preference for each person, i know nate will come in and say he prefers VHO. Have you seen any tanks with VHO actinics to compare to on with a T-5 actinic set up?

 

[Newreeflady]

Well, actually I have 2 T5 fixtures and own the following bulbs:

Actinic White
Actinic 03
Blue Plus
Fiji Purple.

I was probably going to supplement the tank with the latter 2 on one fixture. I will be running MH, so won't need the actinic white anymore (but it is lovely.) And, so, I figured if the VHO actinic was much nicer I might as well just do 1 t5 fixture, and then a VHO actinic.

I have not seen the two types of actinic side-by-side:/

 

[Piazzon12]

You should really only need one source of actinic supplementation... not sure how you can you fit 3 fixtures over a 20H without blocking eachother?
I myself love VHO superactinics... at least the 4 footers, but one set of T5s should do the job.

 

[Newreeflady]

Let me give a little background (I didn't really do that in the start of the thread since it started as a trade thread)

So, I am building up a 56g column tank. The main light source with be my 250w PFO HQI running a Ushio 14k DE bulb (I think it runs pretty close to 10k on the hqi fixture.) I heard that VHO was a nicer actinic supplement. But, sounds like it's not that big or important a difference.

How about as a new plan:

14k Ushio
1 bulb Fiji Purple
1 bulb Actinic 03

And, I'll set the second fixture aside for a rainy day.

Angela

 

[reefscape15]

that bulb combo sounds pretty good to me! I'm in need of upgrading my T-5's and I'm going with 2 blue plus and a Fiji Purple and some bluer actinic.

 

[fatrip]

sounds good

 

[Newreeflady]

that bulb combo sounds pretty good to me! I'm in need of upgrading my T-5's and I'm going with 2 blue plus and a Fiji Purple and some bluer actinic.

What bulbs are you using as your white light? I highly recommend the Actinic White- it is such a nice color.

Thanks guys, this was helpful. I think I just had the idea that I would squeeze all of my lighting over this tank, but really this is just not necessary. Sometimes it helps talking about it.

Angela

 

[fatrip]

the blue plus would be a 14k lamp which would serve as one of the brighter lights.

 

[Newreeflady]

the blue plus would be a 14k lamp which would serve as one of the brighter lights.

Is it really? The blue plus I have looks very dark- a deep blue, not at all bright. Perhaps we see color differently

-A

 

[fatrip]

yea the blue plus is 14000k and the blue special is 12000K, ill get the color spectrum charts, ill take me a few to search through the archives.

 

[Newreeflady]

Yeah, the blue special is a little brighter than the blue plus to my eye, so that makes sense. While I suspect that 2 x blue plus with actinic and a purple will appear pretty blue, I would love to see a pic!

-A

 

[reefscape15]

I do have a Current 12k, UVL Reef Blue 10k, UVL 420nm and some other brand 460nm. The 12k is an actinic white, but I really like the look of just a 20k with the 2 actinics on. I think I might go with something with a little lower K rating, maybe 14 or 15, but I definitely want the 2 ATI Blue Plus and Fiji Purple. Then I just want something sort of bluer for the other actinic. Probably just an ATI 460nm or something.

 

[fatrip]

i have run and will be running my new tank with ati blue special, ati blue plus, ati pro color, and a uvl 75/25. it gives off a nice whitish blue.