Bulb order

[Newbie Jeff]

Hey folks,
I'm going to be getting 4 VHO bulbs for a new lighting setup. If anybody needs two or more, we can order from Marine Depot & get free shipping. I'd like to order tomorrow. If nobody else needs any, I think I'll just head over to AT & get them there (my ballasts should arrive today & I'm impatient :) ). Buggle, LMK if you're interested.
Jeff

[Fliger]

Are you sure you don't want to do T5 bulbs? I was over at a friend's house last night who hooked up T5's to a workhorse ballast and the kicked the crap out of VHO. Smaller, cooler, brighter, less expensive, more efficient, longer spectrum life, replace less. I'm still trying to figure out a downside. He got all his stuff at reefgeek.

You should really think about it. Same ballast, just different endcaps. Less heat.

Anyhooo ...

[Pepito]

How Does the color look on the T5's? I've never seen them in person and I was curious.

Thanks in advance,

Nathan

[BLUESMAN]

Hey there Pepito!!!! Glad you found us over here!!. Good going Fliger....now Jeff's really confused!! LOL!! I have never seen T-5's myself but they sound good, but so did the Bio assay salt we bought. Research, research and then get more confused!!! Get us some pics, Fliger!!! Blue

[Fliger]

I saw a 6500K & an actinic. I know there is a blue that is supposedly more blue than the actinic, and the actinic rocked. I've also hear the 10,000K was a great color and the brightest, whitest of them all.

All I know is everyone who has seen them says the same thing. I've seen two and I'm a believer. You can't believe how THIN these things are either. They look like toothpicks. You can handle them with your bare hands.

Just no downside from what I've seen & read so far.

[Fliger]

LOL Blue. I do remember a few people saying they didn't think that a T5 bulb would fluoresce corals as much as the URI, that's up for debate I guess, but all the other bennies are too much to pass up.

I can just tell you they are BRIGHT. Thin & bright & cool & last longer. I hate that part when you know you should replace your flo bulbs ... but you don't because the bulb is right on the edge ... and you don't want to spend the money ... because you NEED that new coral ... but then your corals show it ...

[BLUESMAN]

Fliger, Now I just got my MH's and VHO's running on my tank and there is already another upgrade??? This hobby/addiction is killing me!!:D Blue

[Newbie Jeff]

Blue,
Confused is right. Shipping on T5 bulbs from Reefgeek isn't too bad either. I guess I need to do some more reading, unless somebody had the magic know everything answer. :)
Jeff

[Fliger]

Well here is a local endorsement ...

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=232624

GL,

David

[tendar]

donpollo has 4- T5's on his tank and a few of us took a look at it the other weekend and they look pretty nice. They are bright and look good if you get the right buld combination.
There are some really good prices on the pendants right now which include 65K bulbs. Only problem is that you will want some bllue bulbs to offset but they do look nice on a tank but I dont think nice enough for sps and clams below 6" of water though. I wouldnt use them for supplementation either I would stick with VHO for that much better actinics and you can run them for 12 mounths as supplements to halides.

[aliciaemily]

I have t-5s on my tank - four - and love them. They're not good enought for clams or sps alone but neither are vho so I don't understand the comment. They are excellent for supplement. I have two on each side of my halides one super blue & one 10K. They take up less space than vho.
I just downsized tanks and had vho on a much larger tank & have these on a cube tank, I'll never go back.
Just my experience, they're on the icecap that ran the vhos. Had them for 3 months now.

hth

[muzzelfuzz]

hey now i have sps and a clam under vho so it can be done.......lol just thought id throw my .02 in the ring......lol

[Newbie Jeff]

Well, I did some reading last night & this morning & have decided to go with the T5s. MH would be nice but I can't afford them. I'll be putting in an order with Reefgeek on Monday so if anybody want's to tag along let me know. The 4 bulbs & endcaps I'll be getting will be around $160, so only $40 more for free shipping.
Jeff

[BLUESMAN]

Jeff, Good luck with the T-5's and let us know. I'll stay with MH"s, since they are a proven light and that what I have. Are you going to run them on a Fulham ballast? Blue

[Newbie Jeff]

Yep. I had my plan for the VHOs, so I ordered two of the WH7s from Reefgeek earlier this week. I should have thought about it a bit more & ordered it all at once.

[buggle]

Sorry Jeff-
just saw this post. good luck with the T5's.

does anyone know where they sell the coralife 48" VHO daylight bulb?

buggle