Why do people hate Power Compact lights?

[Cagdas]

Hi All,

I just want to ask if there is any good reason why most people in this forum dislikes power compact lights. I am trying to sell a pair and saw few others fail miserably. Yet when I try to buy one I can not find a good deal (any way that is out of topic).

I used PC for a long time; yes as all knows they are not MHs but they are relatively cheap, run much cooler and are energy efficient. I had zoas, mushrooms and some LPS. You might not have the best coloration or can't have clams or sps but I don't think that is a good reason to trash these lights. Especially if you are having a frag tank or refugium these might be ideal. Am I missing something?

I would appreciate comments and more Pros. and cons. if you can. Thanks.

 

[scrapz]

i think you named all the cons/pro @_@

 

[Cagdas]

Do you think that is a good enough reason they sell for over $200 retail but not go for $40 here?

 

[scrapz]

energy efficent? no, a 70w metal halide will produce mar par then a 96w pc.

cheaper, yes in the beginning. bulbs tend to die out faster and need to be replaced sooner then mh/t5. most hobbyist will even upgrade to mh/t5 making it a added cost in the long run. resale value & selling potential is higher then PC

unable to keep sps/coloration - isn't that the main point of this hobby. having a nice vibrant colored reef tank with a diversity of life. If a PC is unable to keep sps/clams whats the point? may as well use regular home 6500k to light the tank. zoas & other softies will survive

frag tank are used to nurse the corals/grow corals. providing them with the best food(light) gives them a better chance to recover.

 

[HenryTran]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13410581#post13410581 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cagdas
Do you think that is a good enough reason they sell for over $200 retail but not go for $40 here?

demand......on here, people tend to be more informed than someone walking into a fish store and have the owner suggest equipment to them.

most people on here tend to go with t5's or metal halide because of the performance.

 

[Cagdas]

Well you have good points but do everybody here have sps and clams in their tanks. As far as I know LPS do quite good under these lights. And how come the retail price do not go down that much if they are that useless. You might save some of the energy from not using a chiller, that might also cancel the bulb price. The MH bulbs are not that cheap either. How often you need to replace them? Once a year?

 

[scrapz]

well each person varies on what they want to keep & how much they spend on their lighting.

zoa/softies/lps are fine under pc, but coloration is dramatically improved when using metal halide bulbs.

I replaced 2x within 6 months, testing different bulbs. upgraded from a 250 to a 400 2 weeks ago. i keep a sps tank and the difference in growth/color make it definitely worth the +$200 price tag over pc.

 

[JOSE CASAS]

I dont hate PC I just have no use for them. They burn hotter and have less par than there counter part t5.

 

[Cagdas]

Thanks guy,
I might start using MHs on my next tank if that ever happens. Is there any other use for the PC ballasts then using them as door stops? Can you use them with any other bulbs?

 

[gunnwong]

You can use them for sump light. The price for T5 set up and PC is about the same but T5 can be use for sps, so I think that the reason for most people choose T5 over PC.

 

[Cagdas]

It should all depend on the dept of the tank isn't it. That is why I was saying they might be used in a frag tank which might be relatively shallow.

 

[NVTE]

I paid $260 for 2x65w PC before I know this forum. I use HO T5 now and never look back on PC.
I think PC is still great for freshwater stuff like planted tank.

 

[Rakie]

I don't care what you keep. It will look better under MH / T5 lighting.

Thats 95% of this hobby, LOOKS.

We've given you plenty of reasons here... If you don't get it by now, you won't understand yet. It took me some time..

A lights a light, right ? Wrong.

Give it some time, look at some tanks you'll notice a HUGE difference.

Im glad you say your next tank might be MH, you'll love it

 

[gunnwong]

It can be use for frag tank but not sps frag, I never see sps keep under pc light, no matter how shallow the water is.

 

[Cagdas]

As I said I am not trying to say PC is good or anything I just ask what people think in general.

By the way Rakie why are your answers always so aggressive? I shouldn't say always though I read few of them but your response is as if you are talking to a 5 year old kid. "We've given you plenty of reasons here... If you don't get it by now, you won't understand yet" you should add no candy for you after diner or something

My aim is not to argue that PC are good I just ask a simple question so people new to the hobby will benefit from all this experience, after all that is why this forum is (after the OT post and sale post ).

Again thanks for everybody that contribute.

 

[gcarroll]

Bottom line is PC lighting is dead technology. There is no research being done to improve their output. Why? Because their double tube design is a disadvantage to begin with. That is not to say that it does not work. It is merely the worst design of the high output lighting options. I have seen one very nice tank lit by PC. Does that mean it is a good lighting choice. No, but I would only wish it on my worst enemies. There is a reason why few if any of the top lighting companies offer PC lighting.

 

[Cagdas]

Thanks gcarroll I think your answer was quite informative, I still see several good names putting PC next to MH in their fixtures though. Do you think they are trying to finish their inventory?

 

[ZoaFan08]

When I switched from PC to T5 lights my tank temp dropped 3*+ which made the difference between needing a chiller or not.

 

[Cagdas]

I did not know that either, thanks ZoaFan08, Well I will lit my garage with these PCs or sell it to some one growing plants. Himm plants........

 

[ZoaFan08]

Yea the temp difference was a big drop! I had my chiller plumbed in and it never even came on once I got the T5s, that 3*+ drop put my tank at a constant 78*.

I used my PC's when my T5 ballast failed and will just keep them for emergencies because they will be better than nothing.

Oh and when the vampires come to over rule the earth I can rig a portable day light system so I can defeat them.