T5 HO Vs. VHO! What's your thoughts.

[tinfin]

I have been out of the reef hobby for awhile and I am trying to make a comeback.
I was going to go with my trusty VHO setup but someone said T5's would be better. I tried to do a search but the results didnt enlighten me much.
So far this is what I came up with.
T5, smaller overall, they run cooler, usually come with a canopy and moonlights, a tad bit cheaper when you get the whole enchilada.
VHO, Been around for years, rock solid performance, more wattage for the money.
The T5's seem like a sure shot but my main question is, they are less watts but are they more potent? Would a 54 watt T5 be comparable to a 110 watt VHO?
I am leaning to the VHO becuase they worked for me in the past but if T5's are better of course I will go with them. Some people have been claiming to be able to keep clams and other intense light corals with only T5 lighting.
Lets hear your thoughts and see some examples.
I plan on getting a 55 to 75 gallon tank if that helps.

 

[turningtim]

Welcome to the boards! Glad your getting back into the addiction, I mean hobby!
There is no comparison. T5 blow away VHO. Your exactly right. Less power more light. But you have to get a T5 with individual reflectors or they're not as efficient. They also last longer. So they don't have to be replaced as often as VHO.
I have a 6x54 tek light. I keep 2 clams and some SPS. I just recently added a Icecap ballast that over drives to approx 85 watts each and my SPS are bleaching out b/c of to much of a change in light. I had to back down my timing schedule.
I would look for a Icecap driven unit. 4x54 for a 55 or 6x54 for a 75 and you could keep almost everything but maybe some very light demanding SPS. Need to replace the bulbs every 8- months to a year.
JMHO
HTH
Tim

 

[tinfin]

So an Icecap 660 can power T5's? I know they can power HO lighting no problem but I want to make sure that they are compatible.
Also if I do get the T5 I am going to get the whole setup since I am starting from scratch, (lights, canopy, fans etc). However I might just build my canopy from scratch again becuase I would like the option to add MH lighting, I will have to rethink that though if you say the T5's are that intense.

 

[wangotango]

The right T5 setup can give you the same if not better results as a halide setup.
An Iceap ballast will overdrive the bulbs so they will produce more light, but will have to be replaced more often. A 54w can be overdriven to around 83w, but should be replaced sooner. Noramlly driven T5 can last between 18 and 24 months, but I have been reading articles saything that people experienced a drop in the color of their SPS after 8 months. I'll be reading more into this.
If you are building a canopy, a retrofit is the way to go. 4-5 54w bulbs will be plenty to do what ever you want in a 55. 6 or so would be good for a 75. Icecap makes one of the better retrofits, TEK's is also pretty good, but uses spec ballasts. If you want fully assembled fixtures look at an ATI, Aquactinics, TEK, or Nova Extreme Pro.
-Justin

 

[dragonzim]

I've got a 6x54 watt TEK on my 75 and it is awesome. I dont do SPS but I get amazing growth out of my LPS and softies.

 

[turningtim]

If you're going retro google Icecap SLR retro. 6x54 would be great on a 75.
BTW get a 75 rather than a 55 that 6" of depth (front to back) makes a huge difference and easier to aquascape.
A 660 will run 4x4' lamps and the 430 will run 2x4' lamps

 

[steveoutla]

I would consider a combination of the two. T5s will give you more flexibility on what you can keep in the tank, but they have not been able to match the blue put out by the URI VHO super actinics. The URI T5 bulbs don't even come close. If you can do a retro setup, I would include both. You can even run them both off of a IC 660.

 

[reefraff]

Actually the Blue T5's are way better at providing blue light and a healthy amount of PAR than the VHO actinic but they still can't give you the glowing effect the VHO actinic does. The combination of a VHO Actinic and Blue T5 is awsome. As long as we are spending your money I would get a 430 ballast and run a VHO actinic and T5 Blue Plus on it for dusk/dawn and 4 other T5's on a 660.

 

[matt b]

I have 6 110 watt VHO over my 75 and LOVE it so far. I just do not get if money and changing bulbs is not a problem then how is t5 better then vho? But I have no clue about this stuff so dont think I am telling. I am asking

 

[reefraff]

The T5 lamp is more efficient at creating light than the other fluorescents. T8's had been the previous standard for effieciency.
Because of the size of the T5 lamp you can use a parabolic reflector with them. That just about double the light making it into the tank over a flat reflectior. The combination of those two factors give them a big advantage over the other fluorescents.