Get t5's!!!!

[ci11337]

My lfs just switched all their coral tanks over to T5's and they look amazing. They are also energy efficient and run very cool. They are also cheaper to replace the bulbs. Someone brought in a PAR meter and the 4 bulb fixture read 500 on the bottom of the tank and the MH read 200 at the surface. Just wanted to tell everyone who is just starting get T5's not PC!! I will probably get t5's soon too.

 

[yellowwatchmen]

But how old were the MH Bulbs?

 

[ci11337]

IDK but t5s are better regardless, they also lite more evenly but best of all they cheaper

 

[mike27t]

What were the wattage on the 4 bubl T5 set up? 4x39?
Youre making me excited my nova extreme pro will be here in a few days

 

[wangotango]

You were at TRS weren't you? What a difference the to the shop now that Tom is running T5 on the coral stock tanks, and the 54g corner in the center room. They really put the old VHO to shame.
He's running four and six bulb retros, 54w bulbs. I'm hoping CF will follow.
-Justin

 

[nycbob]

my lfs recently did the same thing to all of their coral tanks. all the corals look so much better. b4, they had regular pc light over all of their new corals, which i find it insufficient.

 

[jrthomas40]

not saying t5s arent better than halides thats an arguement that is personal opinion based...my question you say its more energy efficent but yet you have to run more bulbs so 4 54w and then you have to replace all the bulbs at about $20-30 per bulb cost wise bulb replacement is about the same...and for a large tank more bulbs are need so for my 90g i would need 8-12 bulbs right??? making the same amount of power usage my 2x 250 hqi are using...it would probably be better to use a t5 fixture on my frag tank but i already had a 2x150 hqi fixture....im not bashing them just trying to understand

 

[nycbob]

its really a personal choice. mh is very good, except the heating issue at times.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by nycbob
http:///forum/post/2551675
its really a personal choice. mh is very good, except the heating issue at times.

I agree, there is no "best" lighting system for all situations. MH doesn't produce any more heat than T5 though.

 

[fishycpa]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/2551680
MH doesn't produce any more heat than T5 though.
I have never heard that...thought MH were much hotter than T5. Why do most people w/ MH have to get chillers, and most w/ T5 don't?

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by fishyCPA
http:///forum/post/2551694
I have never heard that...thought MH were much hotter than T5. Why do most people w/ MH have to get chillers, and most w/ T5 don't?

Do they?
Are you comparing someone with 750 watts of MH to someone with 200 watts of T5?

 

[wangotango]

T5 do run hot, when people say they run cool compared to other lighting systems they make it sound like the T5 are cool to the touch. They aren't cool to the touch, but they're third degree burn on your hand hot either.
Depending on how well your canopy or fixture was ventilated I'd believe that the heat from a 4-6 bulb fixture would be comparable to that from dual 150w halides.
-Justin

 

[natclanwy]

I just tested the temp on my 250w MH bulbs with my IR temp gun and they run about 480-530 deg. They are about 8" above my tank and the black plastic at the top of my tank is about 110-130deg. I don't have chiller on my tank and my temps stay pretty consistant (78-79deg) but I just added a Mag 9.5 to my system though and have been getting a 3deg swing (78-81deg) from nighttime to daytime. I would be curious if anyone else has a way to test their temps on T5 setup to see those numbers.

 

[hufflepuff17]

I also have a T5. Freakin' excellent!! My frogspawn have such big heads! Omg their sick. All my other corals are SO vibrant! I wouldn't use anything else.

 

[jrthomas40]

thats what i am having a hard time understanding...i agree you may be able to get by with having few bulbs thus saving money on your bill but if you have to run 6 bulbs and say each bulb gets up to 100* when on that is 600* and if a 250w hqi is only getting 380-430 still MH are getting the leg up...i have 2x250's on my 90g and dont run a chiller nor have anything close to temp issues and stays consistent between maybe 76-78

 

[natclanwy]

As far as being energy effiecient MH are more energy efficient than even T5's. T5's convert about 15% of the energy consumed into light and a MH converts about 24% of the energy consumed into light, also the lumens per watt are a little higher on the MH 115w/lm and the T5 is 105w/lm.
Is one fixture better than the other

I think it depends on the setup and personal opinion more than anything. I have seen tests that say one is better than the other then the next test says the opposite. To make it simple I don't really think it matters one way or the other which one you use, you will find people that are able to keep any type of coral under each one so it is totally up to personal preference and what you are able to fit into your hood or canopy I have to believe that a T5 setup probably runs cooler than a MH does but if you put T5's in a canopy and then put glass tops on your tank chances are pretty good your going to need a chiller. I have my halides in a suspended hood with the bulbs 8" off the tank I don't have any fans and I don't need a chiller. Anyone that says a T5 setup is cheaper to run is going to have to prove it to me, T5 bulbs are about $20 each and you will need an 8 bulb fixture to match my 2-250W fixture, bulbs for my Halides are about 65-$80 each so bulb prices pretty much even out whichever fixture you use.

 

[bang guy]

Originally Posted by natclanwy
http:///forum/post/2552243
As far as being energy effiecient MH are more energy efficient than even T5's. T5's convert about 15% of the energy consumed into light and a MH converts about 24% of the energy consumed into light, also the lumens per watt are a little higher on the MH 115w/lm and the T5 is 105w/lm.

Lumens are not a very good judge of the amount of light you corals get. The efficiency rating is a better indicator but it varies greatly from bulb to bulb. To compare bulbs you really need a submersible PAR meter and also similar color bulbs. Comparing new, fresh from the box 10K T-5s to an old 20K MH isn't going to disclose any information about either bulb.
On the temperature subject, most of the increase in water temperature is from the amount of light entering the water, not from the radiant heat of the bulb.

 

[natclanwy]

I wasn't really talking about the amount of lights the corals are getting as you said that depends on the type of bulb plus how far the lights are from the coral, depth of tank ect... I was only refering to the myth that people think MH are these huge energy hogs and will increase their electric bills by a huge margin and T5's won't because they are flourescents and flourescents are effiecent. I was just comparing the cost of running one vs the other in my opinion their is no difference and T5's may actually cost more on your electric bill because of the increase in bulbs used on T5's compared with the MH that are more effiecent overall and you don't have as many bulbs/ballasts.
To give an example I worked in a warehouse that was lit with HO T12 flourescents they decided to upgrade to MH lighting. The end result was more light in the warehouse and about a 20% reduction on our electric bill and the cost of bulbs went from $2000 per year to $2000 every other year.

 

[bang guy]

I wasn't pointing out anything you stated. Actually I agree with everything you posted.
I was only pointing out for future browsers that not all MH bulbs are created equal and the Lumen rating is not relevant for reef tanks. I can find a MH bulb that puts out less light, per watt, than a T-5. I can also find a T-5 bulb that puts out more light, per watt, than the typical 20K MH bulb.
Also be careful when comparing old bulbs to new bulbs.
I agree that the total cost is what's relevant, not the per bulb cost.

 

[natclanwy]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/2552736
I wasn't pointing out anything you stated. Actually I agree with everything you posted.
I was only pointing out for future browsers that not all MH bulbs are created equal and the Lumen rating is not relevant for reef tanks. I can find a MH bulb that puts out less light, per watt, than a T-5. I can also find a T-5 bulb that puts out more light, per watt, than the typical 20K MH bulb.
Also be careful when comparing old bulbs to new bulbs.
I agree that the total cost is what's relevant, not the per bulb cost.
No offense here, just thought I needed to clarify my point for future browsers after I saw your post since I see posts frequently that claim T5's are cheaper to run than Halides. I highly respect your opinions bang guy so please don't take offense.