T5 vs compact flourescent

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
T

TMartinez

Feeder Fish
MFK Member
Sep 27, 2010
761
1
0
Mandarin, Fl
Honestly i would be going with a t5 unit, the bulbs have better penetration (all pending on the hood of course) but you get much better lighting from the t5's. And yes I would replace the bulbs as they only last 8-12 months before needing to be replaced especially if you are using them for corals. The light will still come on but the quality and amount will be diminished.
 
no i've been reading up on a few sites and all of them say its better as its a brighter more intense light. The system i bid on has 4 65w bulbs (260 total) while the one i thought i bid on is 4 56w bulbs (224 total)... so wouldnt this be better?
 
T5 would still be better, but PC will grow most lps and softies (depending on depth or course). For 18 inches depth, I think you are ok.
 
Well i got the light for 125 shipped and bought a replacement light (one 10k is out) for 30 shipped. So 155 total. Not bad I don't think. Its temporary though just to hold ove the couple I have now till i can afford the 600+ for halides. All the corals for now will be on the upper half of the LR so everything will be no farther than 12
from the surface of the water
 
I need to replace all the lights but the extra 75 (on top of the 30 i just spent) just isn't in my pocketbook right now. If it was t5 i could had all the bulbs for less than 50
 
Power compacts are nearly obsolete in the reefing world, and I am sorry to say, but for what you paid you got raped. For less than the the $230 or so your in I was able to purchase a 432w T5 setup (including shipping) from a major manufacturer. T5s are a far better choice. Power compacts run hotter, have less PAR, less variety in bulb options, far lower bulb life and are overall more expensive to maintain. Halides may not be the best option for you either depending on your setup. For a softy tank especially you'd be wasting your time and money. It can't be stressed enough in the reefing world that research is everything. Do your homework before you make your purchases.
 
Well I'm only in it for 155 total. But the thing was I didn't want power compact. I thought I was getting a 4 bulb T5 setup but read the listing wrong. I have had corals for about 6 months and my other tank (30g) has a 4 bulb T5 setup that was great. The tank will house LPS and softies for now so the PC should do fine, however once I get everything setup the way I want I am going to do some SPS so I fig metal halide would be the way to go. It was just a mistake on my half...
 
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