Switch from 2x96w PC to 2x39W T5?

[DanG]

Anyone done this? I'm stll trying to decide if it's worth it. If I sell my PC setup now, I could get about $150 for it as the bulbs still have a couple of months left on them, and the new T5 setup with bulbs, balast and reflectors would run about $220. My concern is that 192 is a lot bigger number than 78. My LFS was saying that T5's have more actual output than PC's.
Any input?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

What brand t5s? The Helios are crap (burn out within 6-9 months) The Helios brand is a throw away (once the bulb burns out, you're expected to toss the whole unit away & get another new one).

I think you'll get way more light from 2 96w PC, especially with the Panasonic bulb (got mine from Ocean Aquatics). The T5s I use for blue lights (actinics & 20000k) but I found 10000k T5 replacement bulbs hard to find & expensive. A 96w PC is really a 6' HO T5 that's bent at the middle, I believe.

Anthony

[StirCrazy]

My LFS was saying that T5's have more actual output than PC's.
Any input?

I think your LFS is just trying to get a 220 buck sale. T'5s are "COMPARABLE" to VHO and PC's. PC's are about 10% brighter than VHO and T5's should be about the same as PC's. PC's are actually a T4 folded in half so because of the smaller diameter of the PC it is more intense off the get go. now the confusion comes in with HO T5's as they might be a tiny bit brighter than PC's but you are still stepping down to 1/2 the light. so say they are 10% brighter than PCs (and thats being generous) then your 78 watts would be bumped up to 86 watts worth of equivalent output in a PC bulb.. just doesn't add up does it.

Steve

[DanG]

They are not helios and they ARE HO, not NO.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

If you compare the prices between HO T5 replacement bulbs & 96w PC bulbs, (ie. OA) there's only a few dollars difference. Seriously, if you're going to spend that kind of money "upgrading" your lights, consider a MH system, since 2 HO T5s will still not be really upgrading anything but the LFS's bottom line. A single 150 DE or 175w Mogul would give you much more bang for the buck if you're doing corals in a 3' tank.

JMO & JME,

Anthony

[StirCrazy]

They are not helios and they ARE HO, not NO.

I was talking about HO, HO are about the same as PC, if they are a real good one they might be slightly brighter, but the same goes for PCs, get a good one and it is brighter than a bad one. If they were NO's I would have told you to run and not look back.

the problem with T5's is they are still new and no long term stats are out as in bulb life, the amount they degrade over there life ect.. and from what we have seen from the bandwagon of brands that are running out to profit on "the latest and greatest" is not promising.

all I have seen is people comparing them to there tanks that were lit by NO and VHO or that went from two 23 watt PCs to about 8 T5s and said they are brighter no one has yet downgraded from big PC's or VHO's or MH to T5's.

my advice would be for that price start putting together a MH system of some sort as a true upgrade instead of just a change out. then you could go to actinic bulbs with your PC's

Steve