Are Vho's better than PC's?

[cbshark]

...and in the future, you can always retrofit mh into your canopy.

 

[cbshark]

My canopy was built using an Icecap 660 ballast with (3) 6' bulbs. Icecap recommends a max of 16 feet on a 660, but 18' works fine. This way, it is more cost effective if I chose to add mh in the future and remove 1 vho bulb instead of buying 2 ballasts then getting rid of one when I go mh.

 

[fastmarc]

IMO, I haven't seen VHO's that can match the brightness of 96 watts PC's

 

[golfish]

I've used both, about the only diff I can see is bulb price. I think your making a big mistake investing more money in fluorescent. Take your time and do things right. Why do you HAVE to have a canopy? Why not just buy two pendant and run two 14k or higher MH's? this will solve heat issues and your canopy issue. I think an open top tank with two pendants is just a sweet looking as one with a canopy.

 

[donahue]

I agree with golfish.... pendants are a pleasant alternative.... only problem is an open tank... but a trip to home depot to get reflective egg crate can fix that

 

[alison]

Thanks for all your help guys/girls. I bought the 4 -48 inch vho retro kit. I figure I'll do the vho's, then I can do mh's later, and that would work great. Just do 2 vho's later, instead of the 4 now. I really want to do electronic ballast, for mh's, but couldn't afford now, and really wanted to use a hood, because personally I don't care for the pendent look, no offence, but I would have had to totally rebuild it, and I just don't have time for that right now in my life, but in a few months I'm going to for sure. Plus my corals were getting pissed with half the light gone, so I needed something now ya know? This will be twice the wattage I had before. It takes time to order it, then get it, install it, etc... Mh's would have just taken too much time. I have other tanks, so I'm going to put my pc's left over on them! So that's a cool thing. And then in a few months get a 2-48 inch retro kit for the other tank too, then it would be perfect for my other tank, and then add the mh's to this other tank then. Then I would have 2 reefs! I'll keep you guys all informed. Thanks for all the great help and support. I know it's not what all of you woulda done, but it came down to what worked best for me. Thanks again, Ali

 

[flatzboy]

Originally posted by promisetbg
Save your money until you can afford electronic ballasts..more efficient and savings in the longrun..IMO.
The long run would be somewhere close to probably 4-6 years. Imo go magnetic. Electronic ballasts are a little more effiecent because they umnderdrive the bulbs which. I'd go with magnetic because they put out more power then Eballasts and they are alot cheaper.

 

[donahue]

A magnetic ballast might cost you less intitially but the electronic ballast is cheaper in the long run and can give the bulb a longer life. imo those are some big benefits

 

[kimkissyfish]

CBSHARK,????
Question for you please? I thought you COULD NOT have MH under a canopy? Thats my issue. I was thinking of replacing my Florescent hood type light fixture with a hood type VHO. I have 2 retro fit Pc's screwed to the top of my canopy now. (in addition to reg florescents)
I thought that would be an easy way to add the extra light output.... just switch "hoods" from reg flor to VHO..
I'm not trying to keep any anenomes or clams so.....But if I could have MH, w/o the noise of a fan, Maybe I would. (which i dont think you can)
Can you e-mail me please with a link to the site for MH's I can put under my canopy? OR anyone in fact, can you pop me an e-mail with links to "user friendly" retrofit light set ups OR hood type, I would GREATLY APPRECIATE you guys taking the time to help me out... Lighting has always frustrated me, Yes, It IS A DIFFERENT LANGUAGE, and I only speak ONE.. LOLOL

:help: Also, please use a subject of SWF, so I know its NOT spam...
Thanking you Kindly, Kim :help:
Cavimom@aol.com

 

[saltydog]

Originally posted by KimKissyFish
Alison,.
Hmm?> I have Pc's under my 75G canopy. I was gonna switch my florescent hood lights with a hood of VHO's. Then have VHO's and Pc's..
I cannot go MH either because of my canopy.
I'd like to hear the answer to this too.. >>>>??
Kim
I have a canopy and added 2) retro fit 175 MH with 2) fans to the canopy. The lights sit about 8" from the top of the water level. I kept 2) 110 VHO Actinics along with the MH's. It's working out very well.
Water temp is maintained around 82. Had to turn up my heater to keep it from falling too low at night.
Just my experience. -Salty

 

[dr reef]

I am running 4-48'' VHO bulbs on a 660 ballast in my 55. I can keep almost all corals. I just don't do clams. Keep in mind some sps grow slower under VHO.

 

[discusking]

I think for tanks twenty gallons and smaller pc is the best choice because of the tanks size and height...but anything larger go with VHO and metal halide...

 

[alison]

Dr. Reef, that is one SWEET picture! You must be proud. I can't wait until my reef looks like that. You have a very similar oak setup too. Now what bulb setup do you have on your vho's? I love what you have perfectly. Nice actinic look to it. Thanks in advance, Ali

 

[thomas712]

For bulb choice I would go URI bulbs all the way. If a 4 bulb setup then go 2- 50/50's and 2- Actinics

 

[alison]

Hey Thomas, what is a URI bulb? I heard that everywhere
that that's better than a standard but what diff is it? I bought 1 uri 10k sunburst, and 1 regular 10k, then 2 actinic 03's. I figure try this for a while then switch around. I was kind of on a deadline too. Thanks in advance, Ali

 

[thomas712]

URI = Ultraviolet Resources international
URI 10k sunburst? Never heard of it.
I prefer the look of the 50/50 and the Actinics.
URI 50/50
50% actinic 03 blue phosphors & 50% white spectrum
* Color temperature: 12,000K
* Recommended for coral, live rock
* 180º internal reflector allows 40% more light output.
URI Actinic
* Beautiful fluorescing of your corals, URI Super Actinic will balance out the "yellow" look of your bulbs.
* 100% blue spectrum peaks at 420nm.
* Recommended for reef application and coral health.
* 180º internal reflector allows 40% more light output.
Together with my new 10k XM MH bulbs that give a really crisp bright light, it makes my tank look like daylight, not yellow and not overly blue either.
I prefer the URI brand as many fellow hobbyests do, they are just the proven standard, good bulbs that have proven themselves time and time again.
Thomas
BTW I've tried the URI Aquasuns and I do not like the pink cast that they have.

 

[obarrera]

Originally posted by alison
Hi, I decided to go Vho's and was all set to buy, then read that Vho's put out less light watt per watt than a power compact, by almost half! So what's better? I have 220 watts of pc's right now, but half went out yesterday, so I was going to up my lighting, not be the same with vho's. Since I could only fit 4- 48 inchers in there at 460 watts total. Wanted to mh's but was told I couldn't without an air conditioned house or hanging a mh fixture, and not putting it in my hood even if I modified it so it had fans and was more than 12 inches from the water. So I decided Vho's but now I'm more confused than ever. Maybe I'll just go with 2 96 watt pc's I dono. Thanks in advance, ali:help:
Not sure of anyone has mentioned this but have you thought of T5's?

 

[alison]

Hi, thanks for the description Thomas! So URI is a brand too? That was my other question. I'm SOOOO excited. My kit comes by the end of the day! My corals aren't too pissed half the lights gone. I just switched the lights around so half the tank wasn't dark 'til the new lights got here. My anemone started climin the walls of the glass towards the new light. It was funny when I moved one bulb over he walked right back down into his EXACT spot. He just loves this spot, must be the flow or somethin. He doesn't move much in the last 3 years or so from this spot. He'll be a lot happier with the added light, since he's a pink sebae. I can't wait to add more corals! So how long should I wait, or would it be safe to go out and get a coral later tonight when I get the lights installed? Thanks, Ali:happyfish

 

[jedi]

As usual in this hobby, there are tons and tons of opinions.
So here is mine.
I purchased a 265 watt pc lighting set up with the moon lights etc.. I used it on my 55 gallon tank.
I then decided to upgrade to a 90 gallon tank. I bought the tank, stand and canopy. I like the asthetics of the canopy so MH lighing is not an option for me in my home.
I picked up a 440 watt VHO retro kit, and the lighting is so much more vibrant, IMO than the PC.
the only downfall I have at this point is the lack of the "dusk till dawn" effect that the pc set up had.
I have 1 balast for all 4 bulbs..at this point.
I plan on buying a single VHO balast just to use for the "dusk till dawn" effect this week.
I also picked up the Lunarwave moon lighting set up, and fully enjoy that option for the night cycle.
I really like the Look of the VHO lighting over the PC lighting. Again. This is a personal preference issue.
Of course it also depends on what you plan on keeping. I have personnaly chosen not to have any Hard corals. I keep the softies, and inverts.
I just wish I would have waited before I bought the pc set up.. could have saved the 300 it cost.. But live and learn...
Jedi

 

[cbshark]

Sounds you went a similar route as I did Jedi. I feel your pain.