Is this a good light/deal??

[loans_n_fishes]

Yeah, I have them both on. I think the water may be tinted...I'll run some carbon tomorrow and see if it clears it up. Not sure why that would be though?

[TheOtherGuy]

Here's from Drs. Foster/Smith:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/ar...87&aid=350

T5s 16-24 months. Of course, this also says that CFs will last a year or more!

Bill,

IME, HO T5 bulbs last about 8-10 months. That's it. And they just burn-out (ie no more light) when they are done. That is not a totally bad thing that they burn-out as it is easy to know when its time to replace them. Just have new bulbs ready to go. I think the 16-24 months is marketing hype. IME, PCs effectively have the same lifespan of around 8 months except PCs continue to provide some light after 8 months. That is, PCs do not just burn-out like the T5s do but after 8-10 months the light output is greatly diminished.

BTW: URI recently came out with T5 bulbs and I just installed some HO Bulbs in my NO fixtures on my cichlid tank. Only time will tell how long they will last. I will report back in 8-24 months I guess??? Oh and the URI Actinic T5 bulb appears to be a "Real-03" actinic bulb too!.

[Bill S]

Good to know, Mark. I'll be looking to replace mine in the next few months then! BTW, thanks for reminding me when I was in the store yesterday to pick up VHOs... NOT! I forgot all about it until just now!

[loans_n_fishes]

It's a little late, but I think you might have been able to get a 250 mh bulb, ballast, and lumenarc reflector for pretty close to your budget, and that's much better light quality. There are other inexpensive mh possibilities too; hellolights has a retro fit kit for around $75 if I remember that includes a ballast, socket, and reflector. There's some DIY involved, wiring, etc. You could get 2 of those, then scramble together a few bucks to get 2 bulbs (maybe used?) and still be really close to $200.

I thought about this, but I have no canopy and have my tank covered with eggcrate. The lights sit directly on top. Also, my water gets plenty hot as is without the halides, and as I understand, halide bulbs are much more expensive to replace. So, for now doing all of that would be beyond my budget. I looked at pcs. Although the cost for pcs was significantly less, bulb replacement is expensive (basically spend the price of the fixture everytime they need replacing). T-5s were definitely the way I wanted to go this time around since I only have soft corals. If I ever decide to keep SPS, I will invest in halides, etc.

I am really thinking that my water may actually be tinted. :huh It seems a little less yellow today. Maybe I am just getting used to it. :lol Anyway, I just adjusted my skimmer to skim wetter last night. I haven't added carbon yet, but will momentarily. I'll let you guys know how it turns out.

Bill, thanks for the encouragement. It's reassuring to know that this will probably work out. I think I will probably replace the present actinic bulbs with the 03s next time around. Does that make a significant difference?

[loans_n_fishes]

Ok so like I'm new to this web site... I need someone to tell me how to list a "For Sale" item. I have a 55 gallon fresh water acrylic tank in great shape with stand, filter, and light. HELP.... duneebug@yahoo.com :unsure

Sharon, just click on the "For Sale" forum and click "new topic" at the top of the screen. Then you can start your for sale thread. Also, I recommend not putting your email address out there for all to see. The people on this board are really nice, but anyone could find your email addy this way off the internet. Just have people "pm" (private message) you, then you can give individuals your information. Good luck selling your tank! Hope to see you around.

Angela