T5s vrs VHO

ClownBoy · #1 10/02/2006, 05:07 PM

Hey Guys,

I just called to order 4/48 in VHO replacment lights and the service tech really pitched T5s to me. So as I do with my money I threw it away on more fish tank stuff and order 4/48 in T5s w/icecap relectors, end caps, etc... I have an IceCap 660 balast to drive the T5s with that has done a great job driving my VHOs for the last couple of years... the tech was really excited about overdriving the lights.... The wattage seems much lower - 440 watts (110x4) with the VHOs vrs 54 watts with the T5s (54x4).

Am I going to regret this?

Will SPS now grow like crazy in my tank?

Have Ijust tossed away another handfull of dollors on fish tank junk that will be more trouble than its worth when my wife finds the receipt?

The T5s are goinG over a 55gl 18in deep tank.

carlos_fb · #2 10/02/2006, 09:31 PM

Good choice, don't worry you're good, SPS will do great with T5's. Do your homework on how to make the change so that you don't bleach your corals.

Good luck!

dvanacker · #3 10/02/2006, 09:46 PM

4 overdriven T5's on a 55g is too much IMO. The IC 660 will overdrive them to ~75watts each.

I run a 55 SPS with 2 overdriven bulbs on a IC660 and 2 bulbs on a normal ballast. I found this too much really and took off the SLR's on the overdriven bulbs.

Watch out...its a lot of light...don't underestimate them.

sjm817 · #4 10/02/2006, 10:26 PM

Agree. I'd ditch the 660 and use a normally driven ballast.

ClownBoy · #5 10/02/2006, 11:42 PM

Ok, Ive drank ALOT of beer and am feeling optimistic now that other people have validated my spending spree as being a good thing.

Im looking forward to watching acro actually growing rather than slowly turning brown and hunker down under my current setup.

I think Ill grab another beer and a razor blad and clean some of the absolutly out of control coraline off the glass...

What a weird *** way for grown men to spend their time... anyone think of that? I mean shouldnt we be obsessing about porn or something rather than fish? Im not at all sure this isnt really messed up in some very odd way.

I drank a whole beer (it was Doghead IPA at 8% - yummy) while I typed that last paragraph...

Do I need to watch out for splashing with T5s? - I just read a post that suggested I do.

Clowboy

reefbuzz · #6 10/03/2006, 12:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ClownBoy
What a weird *** way for grown men to spend their time... anyone think of that? I mean shouldnt we be obsessing about porn or something rather than fish? Im not at all sure this isnt really messed up in some very odd way.

You crack me up. So true...

aclos3 · #7 10/03/2006, 12:37 AM

Drunken forum posting doesn't always end great, careful now

The Grim Reefer · #8 10/03/2006, 02:19 AM

Make sure you add a couple fans to keep the lamps cool. If you have mushrooms or brain corals in the tank get a good picture of them once you get the T5's set up. They wont last long once they get hit with the intensity from an IC t5 system.

horkn · #9 10/03/2006, 08:28 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dvanacker
4 overdriven T5's on a 55g is too much IMO. The IC 660 will overdrive them to ~75watts each.

I run a 55 SPS with 2 overdriven bulbs on a IC660 and 2 bulbs on a normal ballast. I found this too much really and took off the SLR's on the overdriven bulbs.

Watch out...its a lot of light...don't underestimate them.

yet again, i believe you went too far with the lights.

the IC overdriven light setup is just too much for tanks that are not 2 feet tall. each 54w t5ho is automatically overdriven to just over 80 watts witha 430 or 660 ballast.

now if there were only a way to reduce the amount of power coming from the ballast, either set back to non overdriven wattage, or a rheostat so they are dimmable.

ClownBoy · #10 10/03/2006, 09:08 AM

I have a 180 - awsome and beautiful with 6 x 160 VHOs on it I might add - that Ill throw my softies into. Not much else in the 55 aside from a really nice pare of black sadle backs and a massive ultra green carpet.

I think I may throw a dimmer on it the ballast so I can adjust this as needed.

Any advice on durable - quiet fans, to cool off the lights with?

ClownBoy

Ironman · #11 10/03/2006, 09:35 AM

My only advice is to be carefull on which t-5 lamp you go with. Because they are being overdrive by the IC 660, the colour spectrum on the lamp can change. It happened to me before I went with the UV t-5s. The lamps I had prior to the UV turned light green instead of purplish blue because they were being overdriven. I can only assume that some lamps are not designed to be overdriven. I'm using a combination of 2XVHOs and 2Xt-5s, all UV.

Cheers

The Grim Reefer · #12 10/03/2006, 12:05 PM

You cannot dim T5 lamps on an Ice Cap ballast.

I have used the D&D Geisemann lamps both normally driven and overdriven and I saw no color shift. Dunno about ATI's newer lamps or other brands.

horkn · #13 10/03/2006, 12:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
You cannot dim T5 lamps on an Ice Cap ballast.

this is the problem.

for the $$ the IC ballasts run, they should be able to.

you know, with the electrical gurus i work with, i bet they could make a dimmer for the iC ballast

The Grim Reefer · #14 10/03/2006, 01:03 PM

The ballast would have to be modified, there are already dimmers for them.

kronan · #15 10/03/2006, 01:10 PM

I am also facing this problem I'm getting a perfecto 265 rr and am going over my plans now. I have 2 660 ice cap ballasts with 4-6ft vho on my 125 now. I will use 2-660 ice cap ballasts and should I go with 8-36" uri T-5s or with 4-6 ft uri vho (the tank is 84lx24wx30h) T-5s seem to be the rage now I have been running 6ft vho for on my 125 for over 10 years now and have had great results. not to much reading on the 660 -T-5 uri combo yet any advice ??

The Grim Reefer · #16 10/03/2006, 01:22 PM

The T5's will out perform the VHO's. Not sure 4 rows of lamps is going to do it though. I would go with 4 rows of 2 39 watt T5's and add a couple of 6 foot VHO Actinics. You can use the T5's for the punch and get the pop from the VHO's.

ClownBoy · #17 10/03/2006, 05:09 PM

Ya Reaper -

The lamps are Geisemann's so lets hope I have the same experiance that you did and get no color shift.

Im looking forwrd to seeing how these look! My large tank with VHOs looks soo dam nice I just can imagine this looking that much better but we will see...

Its funny how the acro bugs bites you and the next thing you know your giving someone you never met your f*ing credit card number over the internet. My wife pointed out this morning that we have close to 30 LPS in our large tank and they are all growing and doing fine - why not spend all that money I spent on the new lights on more coral instead

Bless her for the idea ... I will spend at least that much money on new coral.

Cant wait for the T5s - bright bright bright - gimmie some clams and stuff!

Ironman · #18 10/03/2006, 05:32 PM

Here is a link to my lighting set up using MH with T-5s and VHOs. I like it alot. As you can tell the t-5s look as bright and the same colour spectrum as the VHO's.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1...ActinicT-5.jpg

horkn · #19 10/04/2006, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Grim Reefer
The ballast would have to be modified, there are already dimmers for them.

yeah, i knew the box would need to be opened and modded, otherwise IC would have done it already

The Grim Reefer · #20 10/04/2006, 12:32 PM

A lot less moving parts to just buy dimmable T5 ballasts now that the prices are comming down