PC, MH, or VHO???

[Sean Smith]

thanks for the input.

I have a Rena tank. The NO tubes are built into gangs that slot across the span of the tank into a groove either side of the hood. I suspect that this is a customised configuration - meaning that other lights may not fit into the current configuration. That's just a hunch because I know nothing of the lighting alternatives.

I have not started to look into the practical requirements of putting different lights in and I am a little put-off because I do not have any DIY skills.

Just how easy could a conversion be? I am ashamed to admit that I do not know what PC stands for? There is much talk about T5 lighting? MH seems to be the ultimate but there is no way my wife will either let me hang anything from the ceiling or have anything that extends up on the current tank :x

Every time I dip my toe into the subject of lighting there is a
Tsunami wave of advice and hobbyist passion that comes back + a bewildering amount of technical discussion that is often conflicting.

I could use some good old fashioned simple advice !!! I am sure you guys can help. :)

[Lahatiel]

PC = Power Compact. Basically, PC bulbs form a U in appearance and are more intense than VHO's and NO bulbs compared to wattage. Am I on the right track?

The T5, well, I'm lost too...I thought they were talking about a new type of internet connection. J/K(you know, T1, T3)

[fishfreek]

To my knowledge there is no such thing as a T-5 internet connection. I think it goes from T-1, T-3, OC3, OC12, OC192.

There might be a few itterations between them but you get the jist.

T-5 lighting is a form of VHO or NO connector size. There is T-5 and T-11 I think connectors. The T-5 bulbs are smaller in diamater than the other size.

[Sean Smith]

I am given to understanding that T5 is VHO....
Why it is called T5 I cannot tell you; but some of the more reputable sources in the UK tell me that they are good.

[BigFish]

ok as for my died dead coral idea i was not recomending he buy corsl taken from the reef for that reason, but I have seen quite a few people buy hard coral and kill it ( usually there lighting stinks) I was thinking he could get some of this and die it (of course I am not sure how to dye it) but I also think killing live coral for that purpose is bad.

[Chryocon]

Let me clear some things up...PC=power conpact, which is a T5 type flourescent bulb, T5 is the measurement from side to side in cm (or some other metric unit), VHO is a standard T12 Flourescent with more phosphers etc.....VHO bulbs will come in the same size and shape as you described your NO bulbs are but at a higher outputt (the reason for getting them). I suggest you buy an IceCap 660 Ballist and however many bulbs you currently have but in VHO not NO. I hope this is not to confusing but it may be....

[Sean Smith]

no not confusing. I think that VHO on balance is where I should be going. I do not know what a ballast is. What hold these tubes in place over a tank?

[Chryocon]

Alright now that you have decided to go with VHO I will get more in depth... A balist is what powers the bulbs and although they are not completely neccasery, without them you will have severe overheating and to much powerusage. The IceCap 660 Ballist that I reccomended is amoung the best and will power up to four three foot vho bulbs, which will be more than enough for you. The pieces that hold the bulbs are known as endcaps, these are wired into the ballist. These endcaps can easily be mounted wherever your currnt endcaps are and the ballist can be put below the tank. For the ballist and parts, you can head over to www.captiveraisedcorals.com and contact Charlie Greiner at charless@optonline.net I purchased a used IceCap 660 Ballist from him with all wiring, either 4 sets of endcaps or two sets of double endcaps, and mounting plates for the endcaps for only $100 and so far it is working well....normally all this would retail around $240 so if you are interested he may have some left. For bulbs go to www.hellolights.com and replace however many NO bulbs you have now with the same size bulbs but in VHO, I suggest you purchase bulbs in these combinations:
For 2 bulbs: 1xAtcnic 03 + 1x Aquasun
For 3 bulbs: 2xActnic 03 + 1x Aquasun
For 4 bulbs: 2xActinic 03 + 1x Aquasun
For two bulbs put the aquasun in the back to cover up it's yellowish glare with the actinics bright blue glare. For three put the aquasun in the middle, for four put the aquasuns in the back and after the first. This way you will get a nice normal color that is not to bloe or two yellow. If you want to you can use 50/50 bulbs whic are a cross between these two, but why not just go to the extreme on both and not wait in the middle. Ounce again hope this isn't to confusing and that it helped

[Lahatiel]

To my knowledge there is no such thing as a T-5 internet connection. I think it goes from T-1, T-3, OC3, OC12, OC192.

There might be a few itterations between them but you get the jist.

T-5 lighting is a form of VHO or NO connector size. There is T-5 and T-11 I think connectors. The T-5 bulbs are smaller in diamater than the other size.

Um, in case you didn't see the J/K behind my statement, I was JUST KIDDING. I knew what the T5 reffered too, but made a joke since I wasn't sure of an exact definition.

Lahatiel = Associates Degree in Microcomputer Technology

[Chryocon]

T5 is not NO or VHO...it is PC and who cares if he cleered something up Lahatiel, he was just doing this for some random person who might google this site and ehre you saying you think it is a internet connection, which in turn would lead them to believe we are a bunch of morons.....

[Samurai]

Sounds like a catfight is starting :twisted:. Sharpen those claws :P.

[BigFish]

um isnt this about foam corral?
not to be mean but ........ I do see how it got into this though it seems like everything in a tank is in some way related to lighting :lol:

however this is a good discussion so keep it up :mrgreen:

[phistio]

i'd rather split this topic from the current topic...any objections?

[Samurai]

I personally don't have anything against foam corals other than their price. Which is awfully high for something that probably isn't near that expensive to manufacture. I think they can look pretty nice in a FO tank.

[BigFish]

good idea to split um..... :mrgreen:

[Chryocon]

split them...put this in the lighting section, as for all the stuff I said I was just trying to clear up some stuff.....hope no offense was taken

[Lahatiel]

T5 is not NO or VHO...it is PC and who cares if he cleered something up Lahatiel, he was just doing this for some random person who might google this site and ehre you saying you think it is a internet connection, which in turn would lead them to believe we are a bunch of morons.....



I just didn't want him to think I was a moron for not knowing the difference, understood now?

It's all good though...

[corrado170]

Actually, you are incorrect in saying that T-5 is the same as powercompact. PC's have the same specs as a T-8. T-5's that have recently been developed are brighter than PC's and they run off of an IceCap ballast! Also the color quality of a tube flourescent is better than that of a PC too. They also have only a 5% color loss in a 12 month period. I know all of this because I now sell them and have done the research. Let me know if you are interested in some.


-ACAquatics

[aejeffor]

the t-5s t-12s and t-8s are all flourescent lighting. the t-5s are considered HO, the t-12 is VHO and the t-8 is NO. generally speaking.

the 5, 8, and 12 come from the size of the tube.

they are all in relation to the number of 8ts of an inch wide the tube is. i.e the t-5 is 5/8 of an inch, the t-8 is 8/8 of an inch, or one inch for you fraction simplyfying challenged, and the t-12 is 12 8 of an inch or 1.5 inches.

now i have no idea which is better and blah blah blah, im just now researching the pros and cons of t-5s vs t-12

but anyway, i thought id throw that out there to help explain some of the acronyms.

[Mike O'Brien]

well you guys are getting closer to the truth. The fact is that T-5 is a HO fluorescent. the 5 in T-5 stands for 5/8" like stated. They are not pc's. No are available in T-8, and T-12, and the VHO's are T-12. Power compacts look like T-5 HO's bent in half, but are not considered T-5's.
I the long run MH would be better anyway, you get more light per watt by far compared to any of those lights, and the cost of bulb replacement will be less.