T5 VS Power Compacts

[ckusnierek]

I'm sure this will fuel a fiery debate....
I've been told PC's are the best and I've been told T5s are the best.
Whos right?

BTW I know MH are truly the best! This question pertains to fluorescents.

I have a 75g (w/canopy) so when I set it up I got 2 96w PCs (retro) I was going to get 3 but my LFS only had 2. At this point I don't need MH but will probally get them within the year softies and LPS for now.

When I was choosing lighting it was pretty simple to me.
36" PC retro @ 96w for $100 = $.96/watt
or
36" Dual T5 HO retro @ 78w for $110.00 + $50.00 (bulbs) = $2.05/watt

So why would anyone want T5? What are the advantages?

My PC's are about 3" off the water and I have seen AMAZING growth in just 6 weeks even the encrusting monti I found is growing.

Somebody please break it down for me. I sure there are differences in the frequencies/intensities and water penetration. But what are they?

[bosscrab]

I would love to hear replies on this 260w PC owner here but will be looking for more light in the future.

[Jahreefer]

I have been running PC for a couple years. I just added 2 54watt T5 strips to the mix (with the PC's) and WOW. What a difference to the tank. Those T5 10,000k made a huge impact on color.

[Weatherman]

It's a tough question to answer, since without having something to measure light output and watts consumed, any comparison would be very subjective.

With high-quality reflectors on both (such as PFO reflectors on the PCs and Ice Cap reflectors on the T5s), the light produced compared to the watts consumed should be similar.

A lot of the "T5s are 1000 times better than PCs" comments come about because the people using the T5s are using better reflectors than the people using the PCs and the people using the T5s are overdriving the bulbs (consuming more watts to get more light).

[Jahreefer]

I will have to disagree with the reflector coment. I purchased single strip T5 lighting, 4' 54 watt, no reflector, no baslast. I made a reflector with 4" PVC cut in half, white on the inside. Those single strips are so bright you cant even look at them. I dont have a lux meter though, to measure output but man it got to be high. I have seen a noticable difference in coral growth since adding those 2 strips as supplemental lighing to my 4 65 watt PC's. The colors in the tank also seem to blow out more. Very huge noticable difference from when they are on with the PC and when there off and it is just the PC's.

[Casey]

This is all just a matter of opinion now slap on some real light and get MHs

[Jahreefer]

That is it...it is all a matter of opinion. MH would be ideal, and they will be what I will have when I get my 90gal project up and runnning.

[Weatherman]

Unless you get a light meter and a watt meter. Then, there is at least some objective criteria you can use to compare the two.

[VWD]

I agree it is all a matter of opinion, I have used everything but the T-5's. I have seen the T 5 on tanks and have to say they are nice light and bright, but like weatherman said you have to have a meter to know for sure, and it is also a matter of opinion when it comes to how much light is need for your corals too, I have seen people do things everyone said can't be done when it comes to keeping them under different light

[Jahreefer]

In the world of reefing, as everyone knows, there is no right or wrong answer. I sometimes think folks get to involved with equipment, and try to make things way to complicated. I stick to the basics...I am very much so a DIY on everything.
One thing you cant deny when it comes to lighting is Lumen output...so far MH is leading the pack with output and depth range.

[scottrichards]

Bah. Who says MH is the king of all lights?
Go the T5's!!

[toniell]

Four 96 watt PC do very nice.

[reefermike1]

i kinda look at pcs as a t5 bent in half, i think on smaller tanks pc is the way to go because u can fit more wattage. i completely agree on the reflectors though, pfo, and current have nice individual pc reflectors, they make all the difference. after switching from pc to mh though, there is no comparison, mh is the way to go!

[YiNYaNg]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1088064

Originally posted by pjf
I recommend T5HO lighting over PC lighting. The wattage only indicates the amount of electricity consumed. The wattage * efficiency (lumens/watt) determines the lumens generated.
• PC or pin-based high-wattage compact fluorescent lamps (HW-CFL) generate ~60 lumens per watt: http://lightingresearch.org/programs...L-efficacy.asp.
• T5HO lighting generates ~90 lumens per watt: http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpi.../lat5/pc1a.asp.
T5HO fixtures with individual parabolic reflectors will direct even more light into your aquarium that would otherwise be wasted.

Well after further analyzing the data on the sites
55w PC 21" = 79 lumens per watt = 4,345 lumens
54W T5 HO 46" = 93 lumens per watt = 5,022 lumens
65w PC 21" = 79 lumens per watt = 5,135 lumens
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4 x 55w PC 21" = 17,380 lumens
4 x 54W T5 HO 46" = 20,088 lumens
4 x 65w PC 21" = 20,540 lumens
--------------------------------------------------------------------
T5 HO 80W 58" is only 88 lumens per watt = 7,040 lumens
and calculating the
PC 96w 33" is 7,584 lumens
T5 is more efficient but until higher wattage T5 is produced it doesn't stack up to 65w & 96w PC but if you have 55w PC then T5 shines brighter.
But people! Correct me if I'm wrong that's what we're here for to correct each other for the better of everyone.

[YiNYaNg]

But it's all about the reflectors and light not being lost to not being reflected downward.