vho actinics vs. T5 ho actinics

[gilmour01]

if you could choose to run one or the other, which would you choose.

i'm going to be retro fitting a canopy with 1 250w halide and a couple actinics, and i'm trying to decide which to go with.

 

[Posh]

I would go with T5s. Smaller and more efficient.

 

[AZDesertRat]

VHO, nothing colors corals up like Super Actinics from UVL, the old URI. Even their own T5 bulbs don't compare.

 

[killingseed2000]

Super Actinics from UVL, is a very nice bulb, i have the t5 version an its still very nice. the t5 are going to be smaller and put out more par.

 

[Steve Ruddy]

I would go with T5s. Smaller and more efficient.

True they are more efficient per watt and if you're shooting for efficiency go with them. However at 24w they can't put out as much as a 75W less efficient T12 VHO.

VHO, nothing colors corals up like Super Actinics from UVL, the old URI. Even their own T5 bulbs don't compare.

UVL's T5 and T12 Super Actinic are identical in color.

Super Actinics from UVL, is a very nice bulb, i have the t5 version an its still very nice. the t5 are going to be smaller and put out more par

This is true if you add per watt at the end of the sentence.

I have lots of experience with lighting. I use the bulbs you are asking about and have a par meter. Unless I was going to add 4 x T5 actinics which I wouldn't I would use 2 x T12 VHO.

 

[gilmour01]

thx for all the input. i was hoping to squeeze some t5 or t12 actinics around my halide pendant on my 54g corner tank, but now that i've got the tank i see that i'm going to need something smaller than 24". something closer to 20", which i dont think you can find t5's or t12's that length. i may have to do CF actinics which i'm not happy about. i thought about just running a helios 20k or a giesemann megachrome 22k and hope that i get enough pop so that i wont need actinics. i guess i'll start with the 20k halide and then go from there.

 

[AZDesertRat]

T5s are also very dependent on individual reflectors to get the best out of them. VHOs have internal reflectors, while not as efficient they back a lot of punch and don't need a reflector to work well.

 

[Steve Ruddy]

thx for all the input. i was hoping to squeeze some t5 or t12 actinics around my halide pendant on my 54g corner tank, but now that i've got the tank i see that i'm going to need something smaller than 24". something closer to 20", which i dont think you can find t5's or t12's that length. i may have to do CF actinics which i'm not happy about. i thought about just running a helios 20k or a giesemann megachrome 22k and hope that i get enough pop so that i wont need actinics. i guess i'll start with the 20k halide and then go from there.

I haven't seem or used the bulbs your mentioning. IMO unless your want to simulate deep water I would definitely stay away from a very blue 20K if your not using any fluorescent supplementation. My first choice would be Radium 20K.

 

[gilmour01]

yeah, but they dont make a 250w DE radium. i wish they did. i've heard good things about the helios and giesmann bulbs. i'm still hoping to squeeze some flourescent actinics in somehow. i'll have a better idea of how i could do it once i have my halide in hand.

 

[Posh]

T5s are also very dependent on individual reflectors to get the best out of them. VHOs have internal reflectors, while not as efficient they back a lot of punch and don't need a reflector to work well.

That is an excellent point.

MH all the way btw =)