Which is the best suplement?

[AZDesertRat]

Nothing comes close to URI (UV Lighting now I guess) VHO Super Actinics for color or bulb life. They also don't get very hot, I can hold on to my 140w 60" bulbs powered by a Coralvue E ballast all day long, they just don't get that hot.

 

[reef_doug]

I'm tagging along and thinking about supplementing my 3 ea MH XM10K DE (72" canopy) with 2 x 72" VHO URI Super Actinic and 2 36" T5 Blue+ (mount inline 1 x 72").

Are there any major drawbacks to 72" URI Actinic bulbs?

 

[aninjaatemyshoe]

One thing that should be meantioned is that T5s are more appropriately paired with metal halides in terms of optimal opperating temperature. Metal Halides run at a higher optimal temperature than any other lighting used for aquariums. T5s are the closest to MH in terms of optimal opperating temperature. This means that you can run them closer to the MH without worrying about loosing bulb life and/or efficiency. The T12 VHOs run much cooler than T5s, which means they are more adversely affected when placed close to a MH.

This may only be a problem with crowded lighting fixtures. But, with the amount of light that we try to squeeze on the top of our aquariums, I'd say T5s are the way to go.

 

[hahnmeister]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9608642#post9608642 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CarlosS
hahnmeister:

Yes you are right, but the super actinics improve the coral colors better than the blue ones.

In this matter I am considering in by two T5 39 watts, 36" for suplementing my MH, 400w, 14.000ºK. But i really would like super actinics. Blue ones are great, talking about visual impact, but actinics have a purple color that boost the colors of corals and fish.

I wouldnt say that one improves coral coloration better than another. There are 3000K bulbs out there that are used to improve coral coloration. A full range of spectrums will cause corals to pigment up the best. 10,000K bulbs already have loads of actinic in their output (more than a 20,000K, you just dont see it because of all the other warmer spectrums)... why add more? To me, I never understood it... pairing 10,000Kish bulbs with actinics just makes a day-purple look that isnt natural. Pairing blue+ bulbs with 10,000Kish halides gives a more natural look.

Sure, actinics have a 'blacklight' effect with many corals, but the blue has more output that the corals can use. I use both blue+ and actinics... thats the best of both worlds. Im just saying, you cant find blue VHO bulbs like with T5s. If I had to pick one, I would pick the blue over the actinic.

 

[Reef Sponger]

1st choice VHO, 2nd choice T5

 

[CarlosS]

One thing that should be meantioned is that T5s are more appropriately paired with metal halides in terms of optimal opperating temperature. Metal Halides run at a higher optimal temperature than any other lighting used for aquariums. T5s are the closest to MH in terms of optimal opperating temperature. This means that you can run them closer to the MH without worrying about loosing bulb life and/or efficiency. The T12 VHOs run much cooler than T5s, which means they are more adversely affected when placed close to a MH.

You are very right. Your comments have sense

 

[CarlosS]

yeap

VHO winning. I am thinking is the more wanted

 

[CarlosS]

Ok. Guys:

I think that I could have a problem. Currently I don't have a chiller,the tank temperature rounds about 27ºC, if I would use T5, could I have temperature raise?

For the moment, I have a PC 96 watts. Which is the coolest, VHO or T5 compared to PC??

 

[AZDesertRat]

Easily VHO. You can also get a little 7" clip on fan from places like WalMart for about $8. Its amazing what this fan can do for temperatures.

 

[CarlosS]

AZDesertRat:

Currently I have two 4.5" fan coolers, really cool down the temperature. One blowing and other extracting

 

[DrBDC]

I can't believe all the people voting for T5's for an actinic effect. They have obviously never ran both types on a tank. I can say from exact experience of being able to turn one off and then the other on, there isn't even a slight comparison in actinic effect. The VHO trounces the t5 actinics by AT LEAST 2X! Lemmings.

 

[CarlosS]

DrBDC:

So do I!!. You are convincing me!!!

For the T5 experts: Which do you think are the best for me:

Two T5 39w or,
Two VHO 95w ??

 

[GSMguy]

i picked t5 for the inceased output knowing that the supplimentation is better with VHO i just think the t5s are the better choice they use less electricity as well

the 39w t5s will have more par than the 95w vho but the vho if its UVL actinic will have nicer color

 

[CarlosS]

GSMguy:

Are you sure?. I am comparing 78w against 190w. As DrBDC said, is just for actinic effect.

 

[AZDesertRat]

There is no comparison on the colors though. You wil also find VHOs on a good electronic ballast do not draw the full rated wattage, I just checked my 2x140w VHO URI Super Actinics with a Kill a Watt meter and they draw a total of 132 watts for the pair on a Coralvue E Ballast.

 

[bureau13]

2x what though? If you're talking "pop" or whatever, the thing most people seem to be fond of VHO for, then that seems purely subjective to me. If you're talking output, then given the proper bulbs, ballasts and reflectors, you're just wrong...plenty of people have proven that with PAR meters, etc. That may seem to be a pretty big given but it does seem that a little more thought has to go into the T5HO reflector choices in order to get those advantages.

If you are talking the "pop" factor, then you do seem to be in the majority...I'm curious though if you did this side-by-side comparison using UVL actinics on both the T5HO and VHO? You would think, given that the whole point was to recreate the VHO color in the superior T5HO form, that UVL would be able to do that.

jds

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9627396#post9627396 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
I can't believe all the people voting for T5's for an actinic effect. They have obviously never ran both types on a tank. I can say from exact experience of being able to turn one off and then the other on, there isn't even a slight comparison in actinic effect. The VHO trounces the t5 actinics by AT LEAST 2X! Lemmings.

 

[DrBDC]

Yes I did use those bulbs on both. The T-5's were far brighter no question but this thread was asking about supplementing the halides FOR the "pop" and glow of the corals not for growth or overall ppfd/par.

 

[USC-fan]

i voted for t5 because they don't get washed out as much as VHO. Plus t5 have a lot of other advantages.

 

[hahnmeister]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9627396#post9627396 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by DrBDC
I can't believe all the people voting for T5's for an actinic effect. They have obviously never ran both types on a tank. I can say from exact experience of being able to turn one off and then the other on, there isn't even a slight comparison in actinic effect. The VHO trounces the t5 actinics by AT LEAST 2X! Lemmings.

They are voting for best 'suppliment', not 'best actinic'. When is the last time you saw a blue+ VHO? Huh? Thats why people are voting T5. The blue bulbs are a much better suppliment than the actinics are. The actinics are for our viewing pleasure, thats all. Considering the much higher (usually 2x) PAR of the blue bulbs, the much higher visual impact they bring, etc... its no wonder. If I had to pick only one or the other, I would pick blue supplimental T5s over VHO actinics. The corals would agree.

Also, remember, even with just actinics... one bulb to one bulb is not fair to compare. Two actinic T5s are 110 watts, and one VHO is 110watts... so comparing 2 T5s to one VHO... now who is the winnner? T5, youbetchurbooty.

 

[hahnmeister]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9626569#post9626569 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by CarlosS
Ok. Guys:

I think that I could have a problem. Currently I don't have a chiller,the tank temperature rounds about 27ºC, if I would use T5, could I have temperature raise?

For the moment, I have a PC 96 watts. Which is the coolest, VHO or T5 compared to PC??

VHOs top out at about 60 lumens per watt (for daylight mind you), and HO T5s at about 85-90 (up there with halide). 1st Law of thermaldynamics says that what goes in, must come out, so if you have two bulbs, and one produces more light then the other, then the other must produce more of something else. Now, the possibilities are... microwaves, EM fields, heat, etc... Anyone want to take a guess how VHO's spend that extra energy? Heat.