04-12-2003, 06:20 AM
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#1
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: West Lafayette, IN
Posts: 209
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Which lighting do you prefer PC or VHO?
Hola everyone! My Protein skimmer is skimming, finally got my LR up to about 56lbs, added a mj1200 for more circulation and got rid of my damsels! 1 last thing on the list before I can be pretty sure I can raise some spiffy stuff, LIGHTS! I know that PC and VHO's don't look the same and I also know that PC's don't have a true actinic, but what I really wanna know is, Which one looks better?
I was personally thinking about going with PC's but after a lengthy discussion with someone about VHO lighting I don't know if I'm making the right decision anymore. The one thing I really like about a PC set up is hellolights has these 48" Coralife Aqualight Hood things that seem so simple and don't require buying/building a hood, oh and did I mention cheap? Any thoughts are welcome =)
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"The future is here, just not evenly distributed" William Gibson
Tank Specs
Last edited by grazzit; 04-12-2003 at 06:24 AM.
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04-12-2003, 07:16 AM
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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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Grazzit I have both and prefer the vho a true blue and looks better to me.mo
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04-12-2003, 11:22 AM
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#3
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: California
Posts: 151
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Running 4 ea 55w PC with MH.
s
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04-12-2003, 12:12 PM
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#4
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Ghost of reefers past
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 25,150
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On a 48 I think you are better served with VHO, plus a large canopy well help deal with heat build up issues as well as being easily able to accomadate Metal Halide down the line
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Cowboy is a verb, not a noun
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04-12-2003, 12:17 PM
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#5
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Bonney Lake, Washington
Posts: 374
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Well, I voted for VHO only because I didnt want to add the ''you idiot'' part.  But like Doug says, VHO and MH are pretty hard to beat, in my humble opinion, but then I have never had PC. It would take a ton of them to cover the 240g and 350g. ! 
But then we have things that wont do well without MH, so like with most things reef. Do what you like and what works for you!
Most of all, enjoy it!
Chris |
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04-12-2003, 01:27 PM
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#6
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Stress Monger
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Las Vegas, NV
Posts: 3,186
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I was running only PC lightoing and was very happy with it. I just recently added MH lights and like the MH/PC combo even better. I prefer the look of the PC lights to VHO, nicer deeper darker blue look in my opinion. Also you can fit more watts of PC in the same amount of space.
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04-12-2003, 01:47 PM
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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: 25,150
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Also you can fit more watts of PC in the same amount of space.? OK , by shoving more smaller units in the empty spots 
Then again you can get to long tubes for VHO and long tanks, thats definatly cost effective 
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Cowboy is a verb, not a noun
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04-12-2003, 03:10 PM
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#8
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: West Lafayette, IN
Posts: 209
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doh I was hoping for a clear consensus, hehe I should have known better with this topic. It's sounding like I should go VHO though, **** thats gonna cost as much as my tank, stand and protein skimmer to go that way. Time to start bargain hunting! I may wind up having to go with the 48" Coralife Aqualight Hood still though just because of the price.
Thanks everyone!
__________________
"The future is here, just not evenly distributed" William Gibson
Tank Specs
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04-12-2003, 03:49 PM
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#9
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http://atlanta-smas.org/
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: auburn
Posts: 1,688
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i have had great success running pc lamps i have 4 --55 watt on my 55 gallon softie tank and EVERYTHING HAS THRIVED WITH A BULB CHANGE EVERY 14-16 MONTHS. woops caps. i also have 3 96 watt pc's on my 335 and my sps's color up great. i'm pretty sure vhos need to be replaced every 6 months, and thats one more headache i dont need.
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04-12-2003, 04:01 PM
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#10
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Ghost of reefers past
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 25,150
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Actually most people get away with every 12-8 months on an Icecap ballast
Graz look at www.hellolights.com
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Cowboy is a verb, not a noun
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04-12-2003, 04:04 PM
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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: 25,150
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__________________
Cowboy is a verb, not a noun
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04-12-2003, 04:35 PM
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#12
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Little Fishy
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: West Lafayette, IN
Posts: 209
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Dunno how I missed those, thanks doug1, think you might have just sold me those =P
__________________
"The future is here, just not evenly distributed" William Gibson
Tank Specs
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04-12-2003, 05:34 PM
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#13
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Ghost of reefers past
Join Date: Jan 1999
Location: Southern Oregon, Way West of Dimples ;)
Posts: 25,150
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OK I believe thats sans bulbs, but still not a bad deal, note you can sub NO flourescent bulbs and run them at near VHO levels, its handy if you have a bulb burnout or can get the GE or Sykvania 6500K for cheap.
PC is hard to beat on small tanks but 4' I think it catches up and offers more options and the availability of 6' and longer actinic is a great boon for big tanks
__________________
Cowboy is a verb, not a noun
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04-12-2003, 07:48 PM
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#14
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Eat more PIE
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Florida Panhandle
Posts: 18,610
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Definately vho when you get to 4 ft and longer pcs cant cut it.
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Double your drive space. Delete Windows
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04-12-2003, 09:45 PM
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#15
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www.pris-MATIC.com
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 790
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Well I order from http://www.hellolights.com on Friday and I will get them on Saturday. Got it shipped UPS ground but I do live in CA so they are only about 10 hours away from me. I order the:
20" 1x96W Coralife Aqualight CF hood w/ Quad 50/50 -Square Pin
for my 16 gallon tank. Great price buck for the bang. They also have good customer support. I called them up and told them that I was new to the hobbie and asked them some questions about the fish that I want and the anenomes that would grow with the light that I got from them. They told be what leathers, aneomes I could grow with them. My $0.02...
-Paul |
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