Planted Tank Neophyte Needs Assistance!

[pitt420dude]

What is HO, is that short form for VHO? ALso how does T5 (whatever that is) compare to PC and VHO?

I'm starting to wonder if it really is necessary to get 220 watts over 55 gallons. 4 wpg is on the very high end of things but it seems an owner of a 48" tank doesnt have many options. Either two 96s, or four 55s right? Doesnt seem possible to run three 55's.

This is why I think two 96's might be better at 3.49 wpg than 220 at 4wpg. Am i missing something? One thing about two 96s is that it would not be as nice of a fit, but thats okay as my hood would hide the light and the 3-4 inches on either side that don't get teh direct light would be negligable.

 

[Purrbox]

HO = High Output, VHO = Very High Output. I do believe that there is a difference in the amount of light that the put out, with VHO being the higher of the two. These bulbs tend to last a short amount of time though which should be taken into account when pricing out replacement bulbs for different fixtures.

You might want to check out Wizard~Of~Ozz's article. He did quite a bit of research on the differences between different lighting options and trying to find a better way of comparing them and estimated the amount of light needed to achieve different lighting levels. There's a calculator towards the bottom that will give you some estimates based on the different types of lighting.

Ultimately the choice is up to you. If you're comfortable saving some money by having the ends slightly less well lit that the rest of the aquarium, by all means that would work. Both should provide plenty of light for growing most any plant you might want.