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Corey Price 
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 Topic: T5 vs VHO- any comparisons out there?
Posted: October 10 2007 at 11:23pm |
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Does anyone know if T5's in various forms have been compared to VHO? I've seen the Grim Reefer thread at RC, but haven't seen any real comparison. I just can't believe that there wouldn't be somebody out there who has tested this.
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Lyscer
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Posted: October 11 2007 at 1:26am |
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I know that IMAS has a Quantum Light Meter, maybe they have done some test like this... GarfVolunteer?
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shaggydoo
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Posted: October 11 2007 at 12:08pm |
Who needs to compare??? T5 wins 
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jeffras
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Posted: October 11 2007 at 12:23pm |
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I thought that the Grim Reefer had the numbers. I know he has par numbers for t5ho and different bulbs. You may have to find the numbers for vho and compare yourself. But if you research it more you will find that it is the bulb diameter and the individual parabolic reflectors that make the big difference. Not the bulbs themselves.
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Posted: October 11 2007 at 6:01pm |
 Lyscer wrote:
I know that IMAS has a Quantum Light Meter, maybe they have done some test like this... GarfVolunteer? |
We have had the meter for just a few days and I need to send it back and get the one for electrical light readings. (they sent the meter to measure sun light)
I have always been a fan of VHO lighting especially UV (formerly known as URI)
T5 has come a long way in the last few years. I really liked the looks of Aaron Frahenbuhl's reef with T5 lighting. It looked very VHO like.
Thanks,
Scott
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President Idaho Marine Aquarium Society
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Corey Price
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Posted: October 11 2007 at 6:06pm |
I agree- T5 has come a long way. Now I think that T5 may be the way to go rather than VHO. There are UV super actinics available in the T5HO format, and I understand that you can overdrive the bulbs (ReefGeek.com refers to the overdriven T5HO as T5VHO).
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Mike Savage
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Posted: October 11 2007 at 7:13pm |
Scott, I'm glad you got to see Aaron's (shaggydoo) tank! I really like the look of the T5HO on his tanks. Of course it's a beautiful tank too!
Mike
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shaggydoo
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Posted: October 11 2007 at 7:14pm |
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Scott - I'm glad you liked my tank and thanks again for coming over. It was great to have such a great turnout for the tour.
Corey - I wouldn't recommend overdriving the T5 bulbs. I have heard nothing but horror stories when this is done, it destroys the advantage of the t5 bulbs extra long lifespan, and honestly it is not necessary. My t5's are driven normally and there is nothing in my tank that is in need of more light. I also have the UV superactinic and antother uv 75/25 combo bulb both of which I absolutely love. Between UV, ATI and Geisseman you can get a bulb combo to suite any taste.
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Corey Price
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Posted: October 11 2007 at 11:12pm |
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Adam Blundell- what about Dana Riddle? Has he tested them?
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GARFVolunteer
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 2:11pm |
Leroy at GARF is getting some T5 VHO bulbs to test in the next couple of weeks. I am kind of hoping I can get involved but it will take some convincing...
Both Dana and Adam have made their opinions on VHO perfectly clear...
"If I were going to set up a tank, and I am going to make some people mad here, I would use VHOs" Dana Riddle 3/2/2007
"What? You don't have VHOs? Tear your tank down! You're too stupid to have a tank!" Adam Blundell 6/12/2007
FWIW, Adam's quote may have been taken slightly out of context...  Thanks,
Scott
Edited by GARFVolunteer - October 12 2007 at 2:12pm
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President Idaho Marine Aquarium Society
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GARFVolunteer
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 2:15pm |
Aaron,
Could you list the bulb combination you have on your tank again? I know you told us on the tour but I was at about 32 hours without sleep at that time and the details are fuzzy...
Thanks,
Scott
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 2:19pm |
Corey-
I didn't respond, because what is there to test???
I mean my halides give off 2,000 par... yet corals will shut down at 500 par or so. Does that mean that halides kill coral? Nope, I just spread the light out to cover more area. I don't know if anyone will ever test t5 to vho to halide... because what would you be looking for? I can grow corals under incandescent, or led, or whatever.
Adam
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 2:20pm |
Yes Scott... slightly.
By the way I've had my vho off for the last few weeks... tank still looks great. I don't have a clue on what lights I prefer yet... some day I might make up my mind.
Adam
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shaggydoo
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 4:14pm |
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Scott - I've got 1 uv super actinic, 1 uv 75/25 combo, 2 ge 6.5k, 2 ATI blue plus, one 12k ATI, and finally one 11k geisseman
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Corey Price
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 6:20pm |
Adam Blundell wrote:
Corey-
I didn't respond, because what is there to test???
I mean my halides give off 2,000 par... yet corals will shut down at 500 par or so. Does that mean that halides kill coral? Nope, I just spread the light out to cover more area. I don't know if anyone will ever test t5 to vho to halide... because what would you be looking for? I can grow corals under incandescent, or led, or whatever.
Adam |
Somehow I get the feeling that Adam thinks my posts are worthless.
Somehow I knew Adam would say something like "T5 vs VHO? who cares! Cost effectiveness? It grows stuff, so who cares! Temp swings of 10 degrees? It's not natural, but why worry about it? RO water? Not worth it."
Adam, please excuse my nerdy engineering-style posts.
I feel that if the hobby is to progress, then we can't sit still and think that just about anything will work. Consumers drive the hobby, so if there's enough good informative testing from the hobbiest/consumer to back up ideas, then consumers can make informed choices. Informed choices could help to steer the industry to better ideas and methods. Mark and I just recently discussed some of the silly things that are driven by consumers that don't know better.
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 11:25pm |
Corey- I don't think your question is silly. Your goal to find something better is a great trait. But your question didn't go anywhere.
However... this last post you made did go somewhere. You brought up
1) cost effectiveness
2) temp swings
Now I think I know your questions.
1) "Has anyone tested t5's to see if they are cheaper to buy and run then metal halide"
2) "Has anyone tested t5's to see how much heat they give off"
3) "Has anyone tested t5's to see how much electricity they use to produce 1 unit of par"
Are those the questions you are thinking? Because to me, the question of t5's (or of any bulb) is "does it grow coral" and "does it make my tank look cool". So when you asked if anybody has compared them I thought "sure lots of people have them on good looking tanks" and I didn't think anything about cost or temperature.
But to answer your questions....
Halides are cheaper to buy and to run.
T5's are way cooler temp wise
In terms of the amount of light produced... well nobody can agree on how much light you need so we can't accurately say how many of what bulbs you would need.
In general you want 330 par everywhere in your tank. That is the average reef tank par level.
Adam
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 11:39pm |
Corey-
By the way, in a couple months I'm getting a few new led fixtures to test...
Adam
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jeffras
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 11:39pm |
Adam, Is this a typo? "Halides are cheaper to buy and to run." It is my understanding that the t5ho is much cheaper to run and the cost to purchase was initially cheaper then going with halides. For example, I replaced 2 halides and 4 96 watt power compacts with 8 t5ho. They run off of the exact same ballasts that the 4 power compacts used (2 workhorse 7s) I agree with your other statements on whether you like the lights and if they grow corals. Some people really love the shimmer of halides and you don't get that with t5ho. I am still interested in the actual par numbers per bulb and one thing I am very interested in is penetration of the t5ho vs halides. (Let me know when you want to play with your par meter  )
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Adam Blundell
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 11:41pm |
Well we can play with the par meter hopefully soon. I'm stuck in the lab quite a bit right now.
Yep halides seem to be cheaper... that is why the coral growers use them and not fluorescents (sunlight is cheaper than halide, and also frequently used). I'm sure if fluores were cheaper that is what they'd be using.
Adam
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bwinberg
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Posted: October 12 2007 at 11:43pm |
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I've heard people speak of this "shimmer" I didn't really notice it with my halides. I now have T5's and love them.
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