Power Compacts?

stacy

stacy

Member
I have an eclipse 80 gallon with 2 retrofit power compact 55watt lighting? I've read some conflicting info on how much this lighting actually is. Some of what I've read says that pc lighting is twice the watts of regular flourescent lights. Is this enough lighting for any corals? Do not have any now, but would like to in the future.
 
stacy

stacy

Member
The wife wants a couple of polyps, and maybe some mushrooms. Eventually after getting some experience with these I may want to get a colt coral. Other than that I havn't seen anything else thats really caught my eye.
 
kelly

kelly

Member
With what you are looking at, it should not be a problem. What is the kelvin rating of the PC lights? If they are 10,000K, I would probably supplement them with a regular actinic light.
 
m1rodrig

m1rodrig

Member
When I bought mine they told me the light output is equal to twice the light output of regular bulbs as far as intensity.I don't know if this is true or not,and I was also told they last longer than regular bulbs.
 
stacy

stacy

Member
Thats funny because my LFS said to change the bulbs every 6 months. They did tell me that they were double the intensity of normal lights. So I'm curious if this means they are equal to lights twice their wattage?
 
efrank

efrank

Member
I would like to know this as well.
I was told to change them once per year but are they really double strength? I never heard that.
 
wamp

wamp

Active Member
Stacy
Check out C Marlowe's post in the archive section on lighting. Some good info on diffrent types of lights and and the needs of diffrent corals.
Wamp
 
david s

david s

Member
i just took off a 2 week old 48inch pc 2/55 50/50 and a old ho light with a new 35 watt atinic the good 03 purple bulb its gathering dust in a crouded shed now if anyone needs some lights
 
wamp

wamp

Active Member
I have never agreed with the twice as bright thinking. I think they are more efficent which gives them more output with less input. I think that is there major advantage. I guess if I had a meter I could tell you for sure... I think they do a good job for what they are and most leathers and other softies and some LPS can be kept easily under them.
 
deucey

deucey

Member
well i disagree with wamp....what they mean is that the PC are twice a bright for the physical size of the bulb.....ie...a 24" power compact is normally 55watts or 65watts where as a 24" Normal Output (NO) floresent is 20watts....this is what is ment by then being twice as intense as normal floresents....for a given length of the tube the PC is twice as intense as a NO floresent!!!
 
wamp

wamp

Active Member
I got one for you than Deucy... this is good...
For the length of the bulb... My halide is 50x brighter than a PC...
J/k :p
 
deucey

deucey

Member
yeah yeah...but thats not the same its incandescent....or ever how you spell that...anyway.... its not the same....but yeah you got me....but thats the way it is man.....i know you are not a big PC fan....but like you said they are good for what they are! :D <img src="graemlins//eek.gif" border="0" alt="[eek]" />
 
noodle

noodle

Member
two 55 watts thats it. Well with my 29 gal tank i have dual 24 inch pc's with one actinic and one daylight...then i have a 40 watt smartlight. My lfs is really cool cause they are a marine biology company too, One guy there says that the red spectrum in the pc's will start to show through after a year or so or you will get some wierd brown algae all over the place.
 
jakepilot

jakepilot

Member
pc are good lights, they are efficent, but nothing can touch MH so far....you will be able to keep some corals under them BUT remember it takes alot more than just good light to keep a reef tank, h20 parameters etc good luck--jake
 
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