lighting a RSM34g questions

[cfrank84]

I know the RSM has 2 55w "T5's" but my understanding is that it is just the thickness of the tube and not an actual T5 but a PC with thinner light tubes.. i may be wrong tho

I was looking at lights today and came across what looks to be a good deal but im not sure..

http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquariuim-light-fixtures/512404/current-usa-nova-extreme-t5ho-x2-saltwater.html">http://www.petmountain.com/product/aquariuim-light-fixtures/512404/current-usa-nova-extreme-t5ho-x2-saltwater.html</a>

anyone know if this would be worth taking my hood off for?

what is the difference between a T5 and a T5HO is there somewhere i can get more info on lighting? i get that 2 24w is less than 2 55w but if it is High output what is it really putting out? ive got about 115 bucks and im looking for the best lighting i can find so any help is appreciated

Thx

oh and i only have 1 sps frag that doesnt seem to be growing or dying it just is there lol the rest is zoas and softies but id like to try to get a clam and know they need more light

 

[cr500_af]

T5 is the bulb size. The number is bulb diameter in eighths of an inch, so T8= 1" and T5 = 5/8". The HO is just wattage. So, the ones you have are definitely T5s... just not necessarily high wattage. Just as metal halides are always metal halides, but a 175W puts out less than a 400W. If your fixture will hold T5s (which obviously it will), the first thing I'd do is see the max wattage available in that bulb length. You may have to change the ballast, but that's cheaper than the whole light setup.

 

[cfrank84]

well i dont think thats possible from everything i have found.. per the RSM official site they are power compacts with T5 thickness and the cord goes str8 from the tank to the wall no ballast so im pretty sure i need to lose the top and get a new fixture but im still confused on the differences with T5 T5HO T5VHO and MH

 

[cr500_af]

T5HOs are high output 5/8" flourescents. VHOs are not T5s, but T8s or T12s (I can't remember which as I've never owned either).

Metal halides are a totally different animal.

No matter what you have on the tank you HAVE a ballast. It's just inside the hood.

And PCs (or power compacts) are not built anything like T5s in size or shape. If it is a straight tube bulb (like a stick) with a contact at each end... like a shrunken down version of the flourescents in every workshop around... they're T5s. If the bulbs have a base on one end with all the pins in it, they're PCs.

 

[cfrank84]

They are PCs :-( so in that case if i went with T5HO even if it was a slightly lower wattage would it be a better light for my tank?

 

[drnecropolis]

The bulbs inside there are power compacts.. What they did was shady... The pc bulbs are the dia. of 5/8" so they called them "T5" when they are not.. I would look for a nice pendent and see what I could find that is the same length as the top and weigh the pros and cons of each..

Yes.. A lower wattage T5HO is going to have a better output of quality light.. That's a bonus for the T5.. Less wattage and more light..

 

[cfrank84]

the reason i dont want to go with a pendant is because i hate this apt and im moving January 1st so i dont want to drill into their ceiling not knowing if it could hold whatever weight would be coming from a pendant so im looking for something with legs and i found

 

[cfrank84]

sorry missed that u answered my question at the end of ur post

 

[drnecropolis]

LoL.. You might have seen it before I edited it.. No worries man!

 

[cfrank84]

well i guess if it will be a better light for my tank its a great price ill go with the nova extreme with 2x24w T5HO

 

[cfrank84]

now my question lol is which is better 10k or 6700k? im wanting more coral growth... is there places i can get more info cuz ive tried googling diff phrases and cant find what im lookin for

 

[cr500_af]

10,000K. Even if the 6700K provides more growth (which I don't think</em> it does but could be wrong) the color is way too yellow and unattractive. You'll see most people here with 10K-14K, and some use 20K (the higher the number, the "cooler" the color, and the more blue it appears).

 

[weaglereefer]

I thought 6500k produced good growth but poor colors, and 20k produced awesome fluorescent colors. That is why some people will run low temp bulbs in frag tanks, for growth, and higher temp bulbs in a display, for more pleasing color. And 12k-15k should be in the middle depending on bulb manufacturers.

If you don't have the means to use a 6500k with actinic supplements, and don't want to run 20k for slow coral growth, then the 14-15k bulbs are good choices. With a dual T5 setup, you'll probably want one bulb in the 10-12k range with another in the actinic spectrum (420-460nm), I personally like Blue+ bulbs, very bright bulbs!