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05-06-2003, 05:45 PM
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#1
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Canadian Reefer
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Ottawa,Ont. Canada
Posts: 164
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PC's or VHO?
Hey folks,
Just looking for everyone's .02 here. I've got a 46 bow with 3 55w PC's now. For actinics I'm using 2 NO 03's. I find the daylights are overpowering the 03's. I was thinking of going with 2 3' VHO tubes or maybe 2 55 W PC's of 03. I can get a VHO ballast here fairly cheap and it seems like it would be cheaper to go that way. I'll include a pic of my tank so maybe you'll see what I mean light wise. Thanks!
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46 gal Bow, CPR BakPak, Hang-on- Fuge, 3X55W PC's, 2 VHO 03's, No DSB!
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05-06-2003, 06:29 PM
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#2
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,610
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vho vho 
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Double your drive space. Delete Windows
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05-06-2003, 06:33 PM
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#3
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Canadian Reefer
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Ottawa,Ont. Canada
Posts: 164
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that's what I figured....now...what's the diff between the $50 ballast I can buy vs the $$$$$ ice cap or others?
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46 gal Bow, CPR BakPak, Hang-on- Fuge, 3X55W PC's, 2 VHO 03's, No DSB!
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05-06-2003, 07:45 PM
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#4
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Nothing to See Here
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Montana
Posts: 5,815
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Ice Cap electronic ballasts operate various types of fluorescent lamps including standard, HO and VHO. These ballasts are more energy efficient so they run cooler and extend the lamp life.
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05-06-2003, 09:26 PM
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#5
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Shark
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toledo, Ohio
Posts: 3,074
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yeah and ice caps weigh approximately 273.6 pounds less than the 50 dollar ballasts... i may be off by a pound or two though 
it took three guys to bring my ballast in my house. ok, not really, but it sure would have been nice lol
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05-06-2003, 09:36 PM
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#6
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Ughhh.. Dinoflagelettes..
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Yardley, PA
Posts: 1,262
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Did you weight the ballast while you were holding it Jay??? 
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05-07-2003, 01:33 AM
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#7
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Ghost of reefers past
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 25,153
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hmmm I would look into the 4 bulb vho from hello lites or similar. I am too much of a red neck to do or be PC
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Cowboy is a verb, not a noun
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05-07-2003, 01:45 AM
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#8
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That Biker Looking Guy
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Illinois
Posts: 2,446
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Proud to be a card carrying member of the "J" Crowd
Body By Nautilus; Brain By Mattel.
If Walking Is So Good For You, Then Why Does My Mailman Look Like Jabba The Hut?
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05-07-2003, 08:49 AM
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#9
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Banggai Mommy
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Orlando, FL
Posts: 2,342
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Word of warning... in one bad and ungraceful day, we broke $80 in PC bulbs. ( DOH! )They're delicate, so you do have to be more careful than with VHOs.
Personally, get the VHOs - then you'll have them when (note the "when") you decide to go MH. I wish we had started with VHOs rather than PCs...
Danielle
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BRW and Proud of it!
 230g Softie Reef with 3 x 250W MH + actinics
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05-07-2003, 10:17 AM
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#10
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www.RMMAC.org Dreamer
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Byron MN, USA
Posts: 1,862
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If you are looking at VHO you should consider T5 also. I have both and the VHO atinic are superior but the T5 white is extremely intense.
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05-07-2003, 10:57 AM
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#11
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Ghost of reefers past
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 25,153
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T5 might be good in a lot of respects but VHO eballast fires any No Flo tube thats handy, as opposed to having to buy specialized bulbs (try replacing PC or T5 at 8pm on a sunday in most of the country
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Cowboy is a verb, not a noun
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05-07-2003, 11:14 AM
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#12
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www.RMMAC.org Dreamer
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Byron MN, USA
Posts: 1,862
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In my experence with VHOs, PCs, and T5s only PCs seems to break easily or burn out. I have never in my five years of using VHO had a bulb burn out or break once installed. So being able to slap in a Kmart special bulb seems of limited use to me. T5s are still new to me, I have had mine running for a couple of months now with no problems. They seem more durable and much easier to ship than VHOs and PCs due to their size. I have my T5s and VHO both running on IceCap 660s.
I have talked to IceCap about it and you can easily wire two T5 white bulbs and two VHO Atinic with one IceCap 660. This is what I am considering doing with my 90gallon T5 setup.
Last edited by mjsandbe; 05-07-2003 at 11:18 AM.
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05-07-2003, 12:21 PM
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#13
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Professional newbie!
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Waukesha, WI
Posts: 404
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Alright, I've about had enough PC bashing here!!
I for one LOVE my PC's. Why you may ask?? 
Because my canopy was reallllllllllllly restrictive, not to mention I have a 55gal tank and as we all know those are waaaaaaaay skinny.
If space is a concern as it was in my case PC is a good alternative.
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Offical member of "J" crowd by blackmail!
Card carrying member of the CLR crew!
55 gal AGA, 100lbs 4" DSB, 60lb LR, 2 Maxijet 900 PH, US Aquariums PS, 4x96w PC lighting 2 actinic 03, 2 10k
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05-07-2003, 01:41 PM
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#14
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Shark
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Toledo, Ohio
Posts: 3,074
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jimmer, why such a hard time getting the lights in? i got in a full four bulbs over my tank (same as yours)
i love my VHO's and i HATE pc's.. why do i hate pc's i have no lcue lol i've never used them, never bought them, but doug, geoff, and stang were against them, so i'm against them yeah, i'm a follower
seriously, i jsut didnt like the price differances when comparing wattages to cover a larger tank, that's why i went with the vho's. came out cheaper in the end. the option of being able to replace on the fly with a noflo was a factor as well.
but i'll start liking pc's if it will prevent me from trying on a pair of cement sneakers
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Proud member of the "J" Crowd
Proud Co-Founder of the SRD's
Proud-Macho Member of the MMR club
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05-07-2003, 01:49 PM
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#15
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Professional newbie!
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Waukesha, WI
Posts: 404
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Quote:
Originally posted by thefatman
jimmer, why such a hard time getting the lights in? i got in a full four bulbs over my tank (same as yours)
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The restriction was/is my canopy. Its not custom made and the top of it is quite tiny. All the VHO (my original choice) retro fit kits were just too dern big.
Quote:
Originally posted by thefatman
but i'll start liking pc's if it will prevent me from trying on a pair of cement sneakers
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Is it the brave man or the foolhearty that laughs in the face of danger?
__________________
Offical member of "J" crowd by blackmail!
Card carrying member of the CLR crew!
55 gal AGA, 100lbs 4" DSB, 60lb LR, 2 Maxijet 900 PH, US Aquariums PS, 4x96w PC lighting 2 actinic 03, 2 10k
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