Help! VHO or PC for 55 reef

[CeCe803]

Confusion! :(

I'm setting up a 55g w LS-LR. I know MH is the best but I really need to keep my lighting bill around $300.

I was going to get this setup:
http://www.marineandreef.com/shoppro/power_HoodsMoon.html
I wouldn't have to buy a canopy and I like the idea of the Moon lights BUT I saw in another thread about a 4 VHO system (440 watts) retrofit for about the same price - Which would be better for the animals?

I realize without MH there are a lot of the harder corals I wouldn't be able to keep, but what about clams? Can they be kept if placed higher in the tank?

Thanks.

[CeCe803]

Forgot to ask - If I went with the VHO, would I need to install a fan in the canopy? The PC unit comes with fans.

thanks again

[chewie]

I used to run 440w on my 55g, no fan. It worked very well.

How much does it cost to replace 4 65w PC's? I'm guessing $30 per bulb. So $120 per year on replacement bulbs that you're only getting 260w.

4' VHO's are around $20 a piece, $80 a year sounds better to me, especially at 440w.

I kept a T. Derasa under the VHO's for about a year, also kept some SPS too.

Have you looked into T5's yet? I've seen some pretty impressive growth and coloration from many SPS and clams under T5's.

[CeCe803]

I'm still learning - what are T5's? And if you have any links to site with them, that would be great.
Thanks

[greg s]

I HAVE HAD PC'S AND DUE TO LACK OF LIGHT FOR HEAT
I WAS GETTING I SWITCHD TO M.H'S...I NOW RUN TO M.H'S
20K...AND 330 WATTS OF VHO...I RUN TWO ICE CAP FANS
WITH ALL THE LIGHTS ON...AND NO FAN W/ JUST THE
VHO'S ON..I WOULD GO W/ THE ICE CAP 440 OR 660
THEY ARE VERY EASY TO WIRE...YOU CAN POWER
BOTH STD. VHO AND PC LIGHT W/ THE SAME BALLIST...
VERY WELL BUILT...I AM VERY VERY HAPPY W/ ICE CAP...
I HAD A HARD TIME KEEPING HARD CORALS W/ VHO ONLY
BUT YOU WILL HAVE NO PRBLM W/ KEEPING CLAMS...
REMEMBER CLAMS COME FROM THE OCEAN FLOOR...
THEY REALLY DONT NEED HUGE AMOUNT OF LIGHT...HOPE THIS HELPS..

[neubauer16]

i would personaly go with pc's some people say you have to replace vho's only once a year but actualy you need to replace them every 6-8 months. pc's you only have to replace every 10-12 months. i use mh on my 55. plus an ice cap 660 does not actualy put 110 watts to each bulb it only puts about 80watts or so. just m2c.
-jon

[greg s]

HOW IS THAT ??...WHY
WOULD IT NOT USE THE FULL POWER..EITHER WAY YOU GET
96 WAtt out of PC..AND 110 OUT OF VHO ..SO IF THIS IS TRUE
THE P.C IS ONLY POWERD AT 66 WATTS IF IT ONLY USES
77% OF THE TOTAL POWER..THEN THIS WOULD BE TRUE FOR
EVERYTHING IT POWERS!!

[greg s]

VHO, PC OR T5

[greg s]

ARE YOU RUNNING A CHILLER ON YOU 55 GAL?
THE VHO'S ARE COOL ENOUGH TO TOUCH..WHERE AS
P.C TEND TO GET VERY HOT..AND NEED TO VENTED

[CeCe803]

No, not planning on a chiller. If you click on the link in the first post, you can see the PC unit which is held off the tank by 4 legs - also it comes with fans. If I went with the VHO, I would be installing a retofit in a wood canopy.

[Triterium]

Greg, there's no need to yell! :)

[Dakan]

I would go with VHO. Better color less heat. I run 440 watts of VHO all actinic and 2 175 mh on my 120 and 2 55 watt PC's on my 55 gal refugium. I really think the VHO actinic look better than the actinic PC's

[greg s]

SORRY NOT YELLING MY WRK SYS IS IN CAPS ONLY!!
GOOD POINT ON ACTINIC COLOR..VHO'S DO LOOK BETTER!!
AND ITS VERY EASY TO CHANGE THE BULB/SPECTRUM

[Triterium]

:lol:

[thedogofwar]

I have to agree, the VHO's are much more appealing. The PC's jump out at me, The VHO's make the corals jump out. just my .02

[lllosingit]

I like VHO's myself but the problem with PC's used to be the Actinic bulbs were just blue bulbs not true actinics. Not anymore though....http://www.hellolights.com/36w.html
Q. What's the difference between a "Blue 7,100K" and "Actinic 03" bulb?
A. Excellent question! OK, a little background: The original "Actinic 03" bulb was made by Philips. They were not made for aquarium use, but were adopted once news spread about the beneficial aspects of using this bulb over reef tanks. Nowadays, "Actinic 03" has become the marketing term used to identify "blue" looking bulbs. Many bulbs are passed off as "actinic", when they are just a blue bulb.
So, to answer the question, Blue 7,100K bulbs are visually brighter than HelloLights Actinic bulbs. Blue bulbs will NOT fluoresce your animals as well as our Actinic bulbs. Many others sell "actinic", but they are really selling blue bulbs. The phosphors coating the interior of our Actinic bulbs are specially formulated to produce a narrow spike of concentrated violet/blue light. This is why they appear to be more faint than blue bulbs. If you have tons-o-corals, then we suggest going with Actinic 03. Remember, a visual measurement of a lights utility is a poor one.

[willra]

I am planning on a 4x95w VHO setup on my 65 gal w/ a diy canopy (totally enclosed). I was told I need two fans to keep the heat down on another thread. But in this thread I read that VHO's are cool enough to touch. Do I need the fans? Thanks. -Will

[spiker]

while you may be using less total watts out of the pc's, the pc's actually produce more light per watt. that is an upside to pc's, same amount of lighting using less electricity. sorry i just like to stand up for my pc's because i have been having VHO's crammed down my friggin throat since i started this hobby.

if anyone has a link to some kind of study on this could you please post it?