Okay...VHO or Power Compact

[Michael]

I hate to start another lighting thread...but I have read a lot on lighting over the past year, and still do not know which is better .
--This would be for a FOWLR tank which is slowly starting to upgrade to invertebrates, etc :)

--Are VHO and Power COmpact mostly the same, or is one really more powerful/better than the other?

--I will not go to metal halides at this point (although I know they are the best).

Thanks...and this is not meant to start a long light debate :roll:

Michael

[StirCrazy]

I like and recomend a mix of both.. I have not found a 10000K VHO that I like the look of so I recomend PC's for 10000K, but I do like the look of the URI VHO Actinics. so that is the combo I went with.


Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

A combination is nice but, VHO bulbs are like NO fluorescents they should be replaced every 6 months. PC on the other hand last about 14+ months with no noticable spectral change (from what I have been able to find)

[StirCrazy]

A combination is nice but, VHO bulbs are like NO fluorescents they should be replaced every 6 months. PC on the other hand last about 14+ months with no noticable spectral change (from what I have been able to find)

not nessasarly.. that is only if you are driving them with old tar ballasts.. and even if driving that way I still thenk 6 months is suspect.. think about it.. who tells you 6 months is all there good for.. the fish stores.. :shock: ... they want to sell you bulbs don't they... :wink: I think the drop in intensity and such of bulbs has been greatly overstated inorder to boost bulb sales.. but this is just my opinion :wink:

My VHO are 5 months old now and there has been no drop in intensity or change in color.. when you use electronic ballasts you can greatly increase the life of your bulbs.. the NO power glow's I have on my fresh water tank are now 2 years old with only a 10% drop in output.. also when you are talking about Actinics how much of a change does it take to make the bulb no good..

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

I don't buy any tubes or bulbs from the LFSs you can get most everything from either home depot or brite lite and save a ton of $$.
I also grow Orchids, I know you would never know it from my nic (sarcasm), but with them I can see a huge difference when I change over to a new bulb, especially when I change a 5500k bulb (MH) at 6 months of bulb life. I have half of my plants in spike 3 to 4 weeks after changing out the bulb. The bad thing about intensity is that it drops so slowly that it is hard to notice with your eyes, unless you are using a light meter on a regular basis I assume that you would never notice the change in intensity. Even the manufacturers tell you that the bulbs loose 10% + after burn in, that is why they give you an initial and a mean output.
Perhaps the electronic ballasts do make a big difference, I can't comment on that, I would like to get a quantum light meter though and track the changes in tubes and bulbs over a period of a year to a year and a half I think it would be interesting.

[StirCrazy]

I am using a quantum PAR sensor for my tests.. the older test on my fresh water tank was using a LUX meter but all the tests on my actinics and PCs and MH are with a quantum PAR sensor.


Do you grow them indoors or do you use a greenhouse with suplamntal lighting? I grow roses myself (been neglecting them the last couple years) but I was tinkering with setting up a green house for both plants and coral.

Steve

[BCOrchidGuy]

I've got them on some shelves in my basement, using a 400 watt MH and I've been thinking of changing... actually I am in the process of re arranging the basement so I can have the MH over the reef tank. I want a clam or two and figure the 5500k will be perfect for it. I may just go with two 175s over the reef tank and suppliment with NO actinic from Brite Lite, the price is so good. I have all my coral in a 45 gallon right now under the MH and the coral all love the extra light. I have some Montipora digitalis that I thought was brown but under the MH they are green. I don't own the home so I can't build a green house on the property, but the landlord was fine with me putting in a new wall in the basement.

I wonder if you have the results of your tests posted anywhere I would love to read over them and see how much the quality of light changes over time.