New light purchase. - Aquarium Advice

Brenden · 11-06-2005, 01:44 AM

I just purchased 4-48" 56W T5 Fluorescent Fixtures w/ antic bulbs. Will I even tell a difference with 2000W of HQI [acronym:7964c4f981="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:7964c4f981] light? I mainly got them for a transition for the tank form light going on and off. Just wondered if I could tell if they are running when the [acronym:7964c4f981="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:7964c4f981] are on.

greenmaji · 11-06-2005, 02:48 AM

It depends on the reflectors.. if there the Teck or the IceCap I bet you will still see the diffence..

DragonForce · 11-06-2005, 04:19 AM

I have 28w with no reflectors(did not have room) and I can tell the diff with my 10k 175 [acronym:6af2592ec7="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:6af2592ec7].

greenmaji · 11-06-2005, 11:50 AM

I forgot to ask but how deep is your tank?
Even if you cant tell a diffence you still have the option of overdriving the lamps.. Im assuming your tank is plenty deep enough for that.. IceCap ballasts with there program start, and getting good active ventilation will allow the lamps to survive the overdriving process better.. just a side note.. (4-54w T-5 [acronym:3fb78b088d="High Output Florecents"]HO[/acronym:3fb78b088d]'s can be overdrivin to put out roughly about the equivelnt to 500 Watts of the best output [acronym:3fb78b088d="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:3fb78b088d] lighing, 6500K Iwasaki with PFO HQI electroinc ballast kind of output, to give you an idea of the potential there)

[acronym:3fb78b088d="By the way"]BTW[/acronym:3fb78b088d].. I personaly couldn't fathoum the need to overdrive that much T-5 [acronym:3fb78b088d="High Output Florecents"]HO[/acronym:3fb78b088d] lighting.. but man your tank is big..

11-06-2005, 01:44 AM	#1
Brenden Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Piedmont, NC Posts: 3,876 Images: 32	New light purchase. I just purchased 4-48" 56W T5 Fluorescent Fixtures w/ antic bulbs. Will I even tell a difference with 2000W of HQI [acronym:7964c4f981="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:7964c4f981] light? I mainly got them for a transition for the tank form light going on and off. Just wondered if I could tell if they are running when the [acronym:7964c4f981="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:7964c4f981] are on. __________________ The fact that no one understands you doesn't make you an artist. If guns kill people...Spoons make Michael Moore fat.

11-06-2005, 04:19 AM	#3
DragonForce Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Southern California Posts: 925 Images: 1	I have 28w with no reflectors(did not have room) and I can tell the diff with my 10k 175 [acronym:6af2592ec7="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:6af2592ec7]. __________________ 37 [acronym="Gallon"]gal[/acronym] all glass 50lb [acronym="Live rock"]LR[/acronym] 3' fine sand bed 1x Orange Stripe Prawn shrimp goby, 1x sixline wrassemated pair of true percula clowns, 1x CBS shrimp, 2x peppermint shrimp, 1x pistol shrimp, 1x tiger tale [acronym="Sea cucumber"]cuke[/acronym], ~20+ snails, ~10+ hermits, 1xserpent star. green Bubble coral, hammer coral (8 heads!) ,various Zoos,green finger leather, green star polpys ,[acronym="Mushroom coral"]shrooms[/acronym] 175w 10k [acronym="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym] 28w actinic [acronym="Actinic lighting"]03[/acronym] 2x maxi jett 1200 Prizm skimmer (modded) Hagen powerfilter(for running carbon 24/7) nano arctica chiller

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11-06-2005, 02:48 AM	#2
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	It depends on the reflectors.. if there the Teck or the IceCap I bet you will still see the diffence..

11-06-2005, 11:50 AM	#4
greenmaji Aquarium Advice Addict Join Date: May 2005 Location: Central Kentucky Posts: 5,937	I forgot to ask but how deep is your tank? Even if you cant tell a diffence you still have the option of overdriving the lamps.. Im assuming your tank is plenty deep enough for that.. IceCap ballasts with there program start, and getting good active ventilation will allow the lamps to survive the overdriving process better.. just a side note.. (4-54w T-5 [acronym:3fb78b088d="High Output Florecents"]HO[/acronym:3fb78b088d]'s can be overdrivin to put out roughly about the equivelnt to 500 Watts of the best output [acronym:3fb78b088d="Metal halide light"]MH[/acronym:3fb78b088d] lighing, 6500K Iwasaki with PFO HQI electroinc ballast kind of output, to give you an idea of the potential there) [acronym:3fb78b088d="By the way"]BTW[/acronym:3fb78b088d].. I personaly couldn't fathoum the need to overdrive that much T-5 [acronym:3fb78b088d="High Output Florecents"]HO[/acronym:3fb78b088d] lighting.. but man your tank is big..