Just wondering what the diffrence is. I hear that a lot of people are switching over to T5 and they are better than PC because they are more powerful and have more lumens. What do you guys think? I couldnt find any info on the web anywhere. People compare WPG but I hear that with T5 that doesnt really apply because for like a 56 watt T5 is equivalent to something like a 130Watt PC.
T5 Vs PC
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greenmaji
Aquarium Advice Addict
T5-HO does have more lumens per watt then PC.
the lumen output of a 4-4foot T-5 HO setup is replacing 2-175 Watt MH outfits as far as lumen output is conserned its roughly the same. (one detail to consider: ballasts and bulbs will make a big diffence between exactly what light output you would get out of any lighting system, this is very relevent to MH light system output)
If your going to have a mixed system (diffent light needs thoughout the reef) I would actually recomend MH over any other lighting. being point souce you can always move your low light critters farther away from the light. T5-HO and PC really dont give you this option.
but if your plans are for an all single light needing system (the critters all need simalar amounts of light) then T5-HO really is a good way to go IMHO.
the lumen output of a 4-4foot T-5 HO setup is replacing 2-175 Watt MH outfits as far as lumen output is conserned its roughly the same. (one detail to consider: ballasts and bulbs will make a big diffence between exactly what light output you would get out of any lighting system, this is very relevent to MH light system output)
If your going to have a mixed system (diffent light needs thoughout the reef) I would actually recomend MH over any other lighting. being point souce you can always move your low light critters farther away from the light. T5-HO and PC really dont give you this option.
but if your plans are for an all single light needing system (the critters all need simalar amounts of light) then T5-HO really is a good way to go IMHO.
greenmaji
Aquarium Advice Addict
ok.. now what exactly were you wanting to do with those?
is your system mostly say, one type of invert (like softies?)
or do you have a mixed system?
If your going for high light needing inverts I hope your tank is less then 14" tall..
is your system mostly say, one type of invert (like softies?)
or do you have a mixed system?
If your going for high light needing inverts I hope your tank is less then 14" tall..
It is 19" tall and I am going with whatever I can put in. I only have mushrooms in right now. Well thats all the inverts I have in. besides a peppermint shrimp, snails, a serpant star, and hermits. Oh my mushrooms came with a few feather dusters on the rocks too. I want to get some leather corals and some anemones also some polyps and xenas I hope my light will be good for all these. I am going to have another 45 pounds of LR which will make about 80 pounds. Its a 50 gallon long tank 48" long 19"tall and 12" wide. So I will be able to build up to make stuff closer to the light if they need to be. I bought a true percula and a rose tip anemone. They are still at the LFS though. The true percula's are so cool!
greenmaji
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would say leathers should be fine with that much light..
anenomes.. you might want to ask at a fourm that has more experince with T5 NO lighting to get an answer if this will be enough light because my instincts tell me its not (and I know I dont know for certian) sorry.
If you would like me to PM you a link to a fourm that could answer that question (though Im afraid they will say no) just say so..
part of what I was expressing earlier was...... your lights are not point sorce (the light goes all the way across the tank) so having something like an anenome with leathers and srooms in the tank would take some very skilled aquascapeing. even if your lighting will be intence enough for the anenomes they will have to be near the surfase, then the srooms and leathers might get burnt without being shaded under the rocks. know what I mean?
MH lets you move the lower light needing inverts to away from the light to the extreem sides and middle (depending on were the lights are mounted). Thats why I said they would be best in a "mixed" reef system.
anenomes.. you might want to ask at a fourm that has more experince with T5 NO lighting to get an answer if this will be enough light because my instincts tell me its not (and I know I dont know for certian) sorry.
If you would like me to PM you a link to a fourm that could answer that question (though Im afraid they will say no) just say so..
part of what I was expressing earlier was...... your lights are not point sorce (the light goes all the way across the tank) so having something like an anenome with leathers and srooms in the tank would take some very skilled aquascapeing. even if your lighting will be intence enough for the anenomes they will have to be near the surfase, then the srooms and leathers might get burnt without being shaded under the rocks. know what I mean?
MH lets you move the lower light needing inverts to away from the light to the extreem sides and middle (depending on were the lights are mounted). Thats why I said they would be best in a "mixed" reef system.
rickh
Aquarium Advice Regular
The lights you linked us to don't appear to be high output T5s. A 4' HO T5 puts out more than 28 watts each. R
malkore
Aquarium Advice Addict
T5's also have a shape better suited for a parabolic reflector. The Tek 5 reflectors dramatically increase light penetration down to the bottom of the tank, which is great for high light, low current corals, and FW foreground plants.
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