Why not T12 VHO's ??????????

First of all, you cracked me up Save our reefs...I appreciate the honesty.

However, there is something I can't get my mind around...

1.) T5's produce more PAR?

2.) How could a 39watt bulb be more intense than a 96watt bulb? Now I did take 1 year of physics in college, and I understand the unit of measure for power in this case is "watt", but the more energy you have is proportional to the intensity or output of light.

So with that in mind...wouldn't a 39 watt lamp emit less light than a 96 wat bulb (stand alone with out T5 reflector)?

Help me understand
 
Last edited:
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7358299#post7358299 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by hollywood300m
First of all, you cracked me up Save our reefs...I appreciate the honesty.

However, there is something I can't get my mind around...

1.) T5's produce more PAR?

2.) How could a 39watt bulb be more intense than a 96watt bulb? Now I did take 1 year of physics in college, and I understand the unit of measure for power in this case is "watt", but the more energy you have is proportional to the intensity or output of light.

So with that in mind...wouldn't a 39 watt lamp emit less light than a 96 wat bulb (stand alone with out T5 reflector)?

Help me understand
Click to expand...

Yes T5s produce more PAR, and quite a bit more at that. I admit I do not fully understand what makes the T5 more effiecent, other than the reflectors. I will tell you that PAR readings were taken w/ no reflector on the T5 and the VHO that had an internal reflector and the T5 was still brighter. Regardless, even if they put out the same PAR, the T5 reflector increases its output by a HUGE HUGE margin. The size of the T5 bulb makes it more efficent also because the light it emits is not reflected back through itself as much like a T12. The size of the T12 makes it impossible to design a reflector that will do for it, what the reflector does for a T5.

So believe it or dont, but all the T5's stomp the VHO counterpart into the ground in pretty much every way, ESPECIALLY when overdriven.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7355226#post7355226 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Whaledriver
Any thing can be grown under VHO that can be grown under MH. The differance is how fast it will grow. With equil wattage over the tanks T5, T12-VHO and MH should all be capable of similar growth.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure MH is much more intense than a T12 and can penetrate water much better. MH and T5 are the best for SPS tanks and will provide good growth. T12's are inefficient compared to the T5's and MH are the long-time standard (for good reason)
 
OK...I feel a little more comfortable now. The more I talk about it, and get feedback from you guys the more I see VHO's wearing a member's only windbreaker, and splashing on some Old Spice.
 
A few posts above... You need to realize that in the case of a fish tank the job of a lightbulb is to direct all its light down into the tank. Many bulbs (especially like PC) waste alot of light that bounces up into a reflector and then back into the bulb, it's light never reaching the tank with its original intensity. A 55wPC is actually as powerful as a 95w VHO, but because PC's are such a bad choice for directing light in one direction they really aren't twice as good as VHO for our purposes. T5 is partially so good because with a single reflector its design allows it to get most of it's light into the tank (90%+) with a minimum of intensity loss.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7356907#post7356907 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by horkn
with the advent of the SA UVL bulbs, the only thing vho has on t5ho is an 18" length (t5ho are only down to 24"). there already are dimmable t5ho ballasts. they are pricey, but they do exist.
Click to expand...


really, where might I find a 72" T5?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7359113#post7359113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fat-tony
really, where might I find a 72" T5?
Click to expand...


Let me know also :)
I'll take 4... thank you

I'd love to add some..the more I wait the more I think about doing vho's
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7359113#post7359113 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fat-tony
really, where might I find a 72" T5?
Click to expand...

ok, theres the other caveat of t5ho..
24" 36" 48" and 60" are all that t5ho come in.

smartass:lol:
 
that's the whole thing holding me back from t5 currently. i'm not into overlapping bulbs (60") or stacking end-end (2x36").
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7361246#post7361246 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fat-tony
that's the whole thing holding me back from t5 currently. i'm not into overlapping bulbs (60") or stacking end-end (2x36").
Click to expand...

i am sure you are not the only one. maybe t6 are more your style?

i dont know how long they make them yet, but since the glass is thicker/ bigger OD, they might be able to ship 72" t6..
 
OK these are only 71". They do exist. They are just too hard to ship as a stand alone lamp without having them break. I have several of the 71's and the are for real. It just isn't cost effective to attempt to sell them as a bare lamp because so many arrive broken.
 
all the prices are $0

they out of stock, or not out yet?

I would get them through my LFS if they are avalible

would a 660 run 4- 72"?
 
Ive heard that before with VHO's was hoping it wasnt the case with t5 being they are lower wattage per bulb.

Now I just have to wait for the UV (URI) 71" t5 actinics
 
The "72 inch" T5's are only available from Helios. The reason they don't push them is that it is very hard to ship them without breakage even mounted in a frame. It is doubtful URI/UVL will ever bring out a 72 inch T5 unless Helios is the company they are having build their T5 lamps.

If you really want them these are in stock
http://www.commodityaxis.com/ProductData.aspx?id=73

They have them in just the frame with no reflector for 13 bucks a pop. They sell a ballast that just plugs into the frame. You could take them out of the frame and put a couple 3 foot reflectors on them. An Ice Cap 660 would run 2 of them or you could use the ballast Helios sells.

One note on the Helios ballast: it is designed to only run their lamps. They do it by incorporating a capacitor that would normally be in the ballast into the wiring in the lamp frame. If you take apart one of those lamp assemblies to use in a reflector make sure you save the wiring in the frame so you can use the capacitor if you are going to use a Helios ballast.
 
Hey Reefer, great website, but none of the buttons work...it won't let me mplace an order. Have you ordered from the site before?

I read the company info and it seems like they are an importer from Asia, like Aquatraders...you think they are shady, or I am just over thinking again. Your feedback o, grim one.
 
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