PC or T5????

[elm0]

I'm pretty new to the hobby so i'm trying to do as much research as possible before setting up my tank.
I'm setting up a 46G bowfront reef tank. I confused about what are the advantages and disadvantages concerning PC lighting Vs T5
The coralife PC's seem cheaper and easier (no hanging, I live in a apartment), but the guy at Aquatek basically said they were good for nothing more than just basic light and very inefficient. He also told me that the PC bulbs are more expensive and don't last nearly as long as the T5.
Any info would be appreciated, thanks.

[Tim Marvin]

T-5 or VHO. The PC bulbs work fine, but break very easy. One 250 watt DE halide would work great over the center also with one Actinic.

[elm0]

I know that the MH are supposed to be the best, but i'm trying to light this tank for under $250, thats why i've been leaning towards the PC, and even that's alot for me to spend just on lighting.
Anyone got any good second hand lighting they would part with for cheap?

[RobertG]

How wide is the tank? I have a 96 W PC retro kit. It is 36" long About 5-6 " wide. Needs new bulbs. Ballast about 2yrs old, however been sitting for the last year 1/2. I would take 120.00 for it. I paid w/ bulbs & tax over 300.00$$

[elm0]

it does need a 36" fixture, I've been looking at the Aqualight 2x96W unit, I'm not too farmiliar with the retrofit unit, what is that acutally?

[RobertG]

It is something you would have to incorporate into your canopy.. Not a nice fixture something that will be mounted in some way. Retro it make it fit. It has a reflector. Mounts for the bulbs & Ballast. With good length of wire to connect.

[elm0]

I can get the Aqualight 2x96w with bulbs locally for $179, i just don't want to buy something now that i'm going to end up wanting to upgrade in 3 months.

[RobertG]

Go to a MH, your thoughts are already biting you in ---!!! Dont let the money scare you. What you would spend after the fact is nutts....

http://www.premiumaquatics.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=PA&Product_Code =PFO-HQI250SYS&Category_Code=PFOp

Try this out, I dont think it could be wrong.

Mention Maast please they support our cause!!

[StephenA]

Spend the money on MH lighting. IMO the light you are looking at is not enough. I have that much light on my 10Gal Nano.

Who did you talk to at AquaTek? I'd only listen to 4 people there.

[elm0]

Aside from the price, my other concern on a MH is the fact of my tank having a black plastic brace that runs front to back on the top, the guy at Aquatek said that if i cut that out the tank will fall apart, i filled it with water to leak test it and it definately has some tension on it. I think that would create a problem with hanging a single MH above the center of the tank, would create a dark spot in the tank and concerned about it melting from the heat.

[StephenA]

He's right about the brace. You could put 2 MH's on it. Hang them about 13" from the water.

[elm0]

from the prices i've seen so far on MH, i don't think i can afford one, let alone 2....i feel like I may be forced to go with the PC for now, because the MH are just too pricey

[StephenA]

Keep looking around you can find some good prices out there. Start with the Sponsors on MAAST. Most give some kind of discount. You could also post on the WTB Board (http://www.maast.org/index.php?name=PNphpBB2&file=viewforum&f=7)

[samiam_orami]

Here's a pretty good deal ....
It's a magnetic ballast ... but hey ... nothing wrong with that ....

Kit includes bulbs of your choise .... I'd go w/ the Coralvue 20K
http://diyreef.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=101&osCsid=ac17ad85f8 800a0b8eb47b6540f99c54

[MikeP]

Pcs are expensive to replace and have a relatively short lifespan before spectrum drops off drastically. I'd go with t5s - sunlight supply sells inexpensive retrofit kits and when you factor in the bulb replacement cost they are far cheaper - halide would of course be the best solution - if you can stand the color you could get Iwasaki 65k bulb and one of those cheap mercury vapor ballasts - maybe an m58? and a reflectot and a couple of fans and do a hood - would run you just over 100 bucks if you shopped around.

[R.Allard]

if it were me i would go with 2)175w 10k bulbs and two T-5 helois lights (actinic) over that tank you can pick up both helois lights for arround 40-50 bucks and they come with there own ballasts. get 2 icecap MH 175 w ballast from champion pretty cheap 109. each right now. the bulbs and reflector will run you about an extra 150.00 or so but 1. you wont wish you had.... and 2.you have electronic ballasts so you can run HQI later if yu want to spend the money and wont need to buy another ballast and save some money on your electric bill.and 3.the heat isnt as bad as the 250 and youll actually have more watts per gallon which i know is a crude way of measuring
light but seems to be the rule of thumb.. should put you
arround 8.65 watts per gallon with the actinics on.
so i say do it right the first time and save up just alittle more $$.
you wont be sorry.
the other thing is if you decide to change bulbs there are a bunch
out there to choose from.

http://www.championlighting.com
Robert

[elm0]

Here's a pretty good deal ....
It's a magnetic ballast ... but hey ... nothing wrong with that ....

Kit includes bulbs of your choise .... I'd go w/ the Coralvue 20K
http://diyreef.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=101&osCsid=ac17ad85f8 800a0b8eb47b6540f99c54

I don't know much about these DIY kits......what does it matter if its magnetic ballast, and does this kit come with a hood to house the lights or is that something that you have to buy seperately...and if so then where do you buy the empty hoods?

[alexwolf]

i have used magnetic ballsts for a year now, and there is nothing wrong with them. People say how much better electronic are, and i agree, but for the money a magnetic ballast is the way to go. You need to supply your own hood, probably need to have one built for a bowfront. I have a 175 bowfront and i had a canopy built.

[StephenA]

After all that you could have bought those Nova II's

[RobertG]

Magnetic Ballast are less efficient than a Eletronic one. Same output less electricity!!!! IMO after knowing the bill I pay I would love electronic ballast for all my lighting. It just makes more since. I have a large setup, anything helps. Running one MH wont be bad at all.. Ihave the Nova's they are the old style. Mine have a step up transformer to them not 120 but 240Volts. Less efficient than a normal magnetic ballast. Oh well they are doing the job. Anything else I add will be electronic..

[elm0]

I found this on Ebay, please give me some opinions http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=46314&item=2389696 354&rd=1&tc=photo#ShippingPayment

I'm thinking that i would need one on each side of my tank since i have that black center brace on the top of the tank.
What do you guys think?

[elm0]

I don't buy SS for personal reasons, but other than that they are nice. PFO has nice "mini pendents" too, much smaller.

Ok forgive me i'm still in the fog on alot of these terms....what is "SS"
and what is HQI and how is it diff. from other MH?

The price for that unit just seemed too good, thats why i wanted advice on it.

[alexwolf]

SS=sunlit supply. HQI is a much smaller double ended bulb, versus the big screw in ones.

[elm0]

Is HQI better/worse than the others? What do you think about using two of those units for my 46G bowfront?

[elm0]

PFO's look nice but a whole lot more money.....and unfortunately that is my main concern right now, but I want to get somthing good
why are the PFO so much more than the SS?

[elm0]

I just realized that it doesnt include the ballast....that explains the cheap price.