Power Compacts

[crossxfire2]

So obviously, technology is changing. If you are going to have fluorescent lighting, its either going to be t5 or vho. I personally have power compacts. Of course, I do want to sell mine like everyone else, and get some t5's. But that's kindof off topic. So anyway, what else could power compacts be used for? I guess they would be ABSOLUTELY perfect for growing african violets. OR Growing plants in a freshwater tank. I've been thinking about that for a while, because here in a few months, I will be shipped off to college, and if I don't have a tank, I would like to use the pc's for something else. Pc lights were really designed to grow plants in a freshwater tank, or something equivilent? Metal halide has always really been the way to go, so it would only make sense that pc lights were made primarily for that job. I guess they are good enough for softies, but that is all they can really handle. Anyway, if I tore down the tank, would they be worth selling, then move to t5 later on down the road?

[alton]

Over the years I have grown Frogspawn, GSP, Xenia, Mushrooms, Ricordia, Candy Cane, and even Slimmer and Montipora under CFL's. If you have CFL's continue to use them until you have a little money and can change. The big difference between CFL's and T5HO's is the individual reflector for each lamp and the fact that most T5HO lamps are made in USA and Germany versus the CFL's which are made in China. Another item to consider in your changing over from CFL's to either T5HO or MH is the cost of replacing lamps and the time they will last without losing too much of there brightness. Normally CFL's cost over $30 to replace where as T5HO cost around $20. And CFL's normally will last 8 to 10 months where as T5HO last 12 months. My first MH setup consisted of 2 -175 watt SE Reeflux lamps running on 2 coral vue ballast. One lamp after 18 months still had 90% brightness with the other at 60%. I have had DE MH lamps go bad after only 8 months. The only way to check is with a meter, your eyes can not tell when lamps go dim. I have had CFL, VHO, T5HO, MH, setups and have settled on MH. Which ever upgrade you change to in the future I would adivise you to go look at others tanks to get the look you want. Most of the time it is an owners preference more than an actual which is better arguement between T5HO and MH.

[Fish4life]

I'm pretty happy with the performance i get from my t5's. I use to run 400w halides. Big thing to consider is the reflector. Stick with the icecap reflectors and ati brand bulbs and you won't have any regrets.

Cheers,

Kurt

[coraline79]

I run 2 GLO T5 36" fixtures w/ 4 39w bulbs. I don't have a meter or any official way to test the light difference from my previous 192w cfl setup, but you can't really compare the 2. Growth is significantly better, and the color is out of this world. Previously I was rinning only one of these, and it still destroyed the CFL. These are the single reflector for 2 bulbs that everyone says inst so good, but from my research a single reflector per bulb although losing some of light, extends the life of the bulb by 2 to 4 months. Random web fact, are they true who knows, but I can tell you from experience, cheap t5 setup cannot be compared with the cfl lighting. T5 all the way.

[crossxfire2]

That is what I am talking about baby! T5's are definatly sweet. I tell you what, the second I find out if I am stripping my tank or not, I will dive into t5s.