VHO bulb help

[tonytran]

My lighting setup currently consists of a radium 20000k 250watt MH and 4-55 watt actinic vho t12's on icecap ballasts.

I am looking for new VHO 24" bulbs. What bulbs will give my corals a lot more electric coloring? Not sure how old my current VHO bulbs are because i bought my tank used, but im assuming they are pretty old because my tank is not that "blue" and i think it should be since im running 20000k MH's.

 

[nick18tjetta]

Nothing gives more "pop" than URI super actinics.

 

[Icefire]

VHO are pink, not blue..
What is your ballast? you could go T5HO.

 

[tonytran]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9982718#post9982718 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Icefire
VHO are pink, not blue..
What is your ballast? you could go T5HO.

VHO are pink? I thought actinics are blue? I am using icecap 660 ballasts. What does t12 and t5 stand for?

 

[AZDesertRat]

URI (now UV Lighting) Super Actinics are the standard by which all others are judged. They are not pink.

 

[tonytran]

What is the differnece between t5 and t12 vho? So URI super actinics are what i want to run?

 

[AZDesertRat]

T5 is a smaller diameter bulb. T12 is the standard size 1.5" or whatever it is. T5 is fairly new and is promising but I still have not seen the Super Actinic coloration reproduced in that size, even by UV Lighting.