OPINIONS ON PC ~VS~ VHO!
- Thread starter AQUAHOLIC1
- Start date
AQUAHOLIC":2bne440s said:
go mh-the heat issue isn't nearly what lotsa people say it is, and certainly not that much more an issue than any higher wattage(read, vho, pc) lighting
in fact-mh can often be less of an issue than either pc, or vho, and the long term results do not compare, or even come close, and the flouro options are more expensive, in the long run
If your tank is open top like mine, I would strongly recommend you use hanging MH. 2x250W would be really nice for your tank. By hanging up the pendant, you will not be heating up your tank. Other than the bulb, the transformer also put out heat too. My solution is to wire the pendant so the transformer is in the attic. Not sure if you have that option.
But since the tank is in your bedroom, either PC or MH, you will need fan to blow out the hot air and a pair of sun glasses.
Are you sure you want to put the tank in your bedroom? That's not the first choice for me to put a tank that size. Just think about "what if".................
But since the tank is in your bedroom, either PC or MH, you will need fan to blow out the hot air and a pair of sun glasses.
Are you sure you want to put the tank in your bedroom? That's not the first choice for me to put a tank that size. Just think about "what if".................
what if what? lol i still live at home with parents lol i dont have any other options! haha so you's think with MH hanging above my tank from ceiling i wont heat up the tank or the bedroom? If so about how far should it be from the top of the tank? Wont the light being so high above the tank take light away from the tank?
Heck, since you know Vitz personally, just kiss his @ss and get him to borrow a set of each so you can put it in your room to get the "feel".
I did not say your room won't bake, I said your "tank" won't bake if you use pendant MH. MH is especially frustrating for people with enclosed hood where the bulb heat trapped in the hood. But getting pendant, heat emitted by the bulb will not directly sit on top of your water surface and your tank will not heat up as the ones in the canopy.
I did said you need fans regardless using PC or MH right? PC creates lots of heat too, just not nearly as much as MH. But personally I would only use MH.
I did not say your room won't bake, I said your "tank" won't bake if you use pendant MH. MH is especially frustrating for people with enclosed hood where the bulb heat trapped in the hood. But getting pendant, heat emitted by the bulb will not directly sit on top of your water surface and your tank will not heat up as the ones in the canopy.
I did said you need fans regardless using PC or MH right? PC creates lots of heat too, just not nearly as much as MH. But personally I would only use MH.
AQUAHOLIC":2w8vtws4 said:
opinions have very little to do with much regarding what's known about reef lighting :wink: it's pretty much a fairly well established, and measured, 'science', w/tested and proven results.
"it's all opinions, try and see what you like!" -is a very non committal answer :wink:
you may want to go read some of the articles in the aaolm archives(advance aquarist online mag)-the link is on the reefs.org homepage
and you'll see some really amazing tanks there
Geese, it's 1am midnight, what the hell you Jersey folks doing this late at night?
If you have time to visit a few stores in your area, do a personal comparison between tanks with MH and tanks with PC or VHO, step back and compare the difference. Draw your own conclusion from there. (now, that, you don't have to kiss anyone's arse...............only if you can find a store that has both on their display tanks.)
If you have time to visit a few stores in your area, do a personal comparison between tanks with MH and tanks with PC or VHO, step back and compare the difference. Draw your own conclusion from there. (now, that, you don't have to kiss anyone's arse...............only if you can find a store that has both on their display tanks.)
I've used all three bulb types, including the MH pendants, and I think the best is a MH hood set-up. But now I am using VHO on my 75 gallon reef tank (4 x 110w) and I am very pleased. I have hardly any heat and it beats the look of my PC set-up. In my opinion, I think VHO looks a lot better, but to each his/her own. MH gets hot, and if people think pendants are the key, I don't recommend them. They are very inefficient because of the way the bulb is situated into the pendant, but now they a making new pendants that dont hang from the top vertically, but rather horizontally--that would be a good idea. It really depends on what you want to keep. I love VHO for the look, but I keep stony and soft, not SPS or clams. Personally, I like the look of these two types of corals, so if I were you, find what you like.
Chech this out,if you go with 4 x96 pcs this will save you over 200.00 http://www.hellolights.com/604x96watret.html
Sigh this seems all touch and go... trial by error... but expensive to make to many errors. Like the above poster.. I only have a small tank 33 gallons. I am renting.. so therefore can only use a canopy light system. What would work best for my system. PC or VHO? How many watts would I need for easy corals like polyps, mushroms, and zoo's. Importantly this whole heat thing has got me worried. I don't want to heat up my fish and the house. What causes the less heat output... lastly this is probably a dumb question. I have a Oceanic tank.. washed out oak looks great! Anyhow I have always wondered what is the true purpose of the sheet of glass the is in between the canopy and tank? Should it be removed ... or does it help diffuse heat.. disperse light better?
Okay here's a really dumb question. VHO vs PC how can you tell the difference? Are the VHO the bulbs that have 2 prongs on the ends and the PC are the ones that are 2 bulbs and have 4 prongs
I remember when you only had to decide on MH or Fluorescent.
I remember when you only had to decide on MH or Fluorescent.
I think one thing that's completely missed here is this: what are you planning to keep? Do you only want soft corals or do you want SPS and clams? Decide up front what you want to keep in your tank and then decide what lights you need.
MH are definitely good and I wholeheartedly recommend them. However, here's a kicker: you can run normal output T12 flourescent bulbs in a standard IceCap VHO ballast (either 430 or 660 ballast). Considering that GE Daylight bulbs cost $5 each compared to $25 for a AquaSun VHO bulb and they put out almost the same amount of light, it may be more economical for you to go that route (which is what I did on my 4'x1'x1' tank: http://liquid.homelinux.org/gallery/30gal ). You can change a GE Daylight bulb (6500 K) out 5x before you'd lose money if you'd bought an AquaSun (also 6500 K). I've had that tank up and running since 10/03 btw... You could use this route if you only plan to keep soft corals and some LPS. If you want SPS and clams, go with a minimum of a 250 watt halide.
So the first question is What do you plan to keep?
Shane
MH are definitely good and I wholeheartedly recommend them. However, here's a kicker: you can run normal output T12 flourescent bulbs in a standard IceCap VHO ballast (either 430 or 660 ballast). Considering that GE Daylight bulbs cost $5 each compared to $25 for a AquaSun VHO bulb and they put out almost the same amount of light, it may be more economical for you to go that route (which is what I did on my 4'x1'x1' tank: http://liquid.homelinux.org/gallery/30gal ). You can change a GE Daylight bulb (6500 K) out 5x before you'd lose money if you'd bought an AquaSun (also 6500 K). I've had that tank up and running since 10/03 btw... You could use this route if you only plan to keep soft corals and some LPS. If you want SPS and clams, go with a minimum of a 250 watt halide.
So the first question is What do you plan to keep?
Shane
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