Comments On Pl Lights

[ruel]

hi,

i noticed a lot of reefers are upgrading their PL lights to T5 or MH. May I know for those who upgraded is it because of cost issue or something else? I am using 4 PL lights as well. just wanna know.

thanks

[roidan]

Normally coz they wanna keep Clams or SPS...

otherwise..you should do fine with PLs still

[hoppinghippos]

yeah me wanna know too, I have 4XPL for my 3ft tank, and have been wondering about using 4XT5 instead, but I think cost wise it doesn't work out cuz 1 T5 tube cost more than 3X of a PL tube! So am wondering if the output of a T5 tube is 3X more than PL tube that justifies its price? I suspect T5 is a new technology thing and given say a year's time, it'll become commonplace such that its price will plummet?

[Matt06]

I am just like you, currently using 4 36W PL for my 3ft tank, dieing to get a good MH at good price now...

[panlee]

In terms of cost (equipment & running), T5 and MH are both normally higher than PL.

MH

====

- If you have high requirement for lightning (SPS, coral) then most people recommend MH. You can get 1 MH bulb MH at 400W which you would need too many PL to be practical.

- If youe tank is very deep such as more than 20in, MH is better bet as it can penetrate deeper

- it tends to get very hot, and when water touch it would break, thus you need to raise it higher. You would need to know how to balance the height of lights vs getting good penatration. You might need to get a chiller if you can not reduce the heat.

- bulb light is shorter => investment in replacement

- many different types such as DE, SE, HQI and also confusing if you are new to MH.

- MH when shine on water have the shimmering effect

T5

====

- T5 is recent lights popular in europe (german) and getting popular in US now and it is florescent based similar to PL.

- Some people has use it successfuly for SPS and coral

- Cost is much higher than PL and is close to MH

- bulb lifespan is marketed as much longer than the rest

- runs cooler, easier to cool with air ventilation to make chiller redundant

Most newbie started they get T8/NO light or PL/PC light. When need higher power, then it is MH vs T5.

[ruel]

thanks for all the inputs.... recently someone had told me that PL lights are not good in the long run as it emmits a certain kind of radiation that is harmful to corals. I am trying to check the validity on this and also not sure if that comment is based on fact or just one unlucky reefer that started his hobby on a wrong foot.

my tank is 20in high (water deep around 18in) and so far my corals are ok. my temp is around 27-29 deg when fan is ON. No clams and SPS, just soft corals.

[boxfish]

thanks for all the inputs.... recently someone had told me that PL lights are not good in the long run as it emmits a certain kind of radiation that is harmful to corals. I am trying to check the validity on this and also not sure if that comment is based on fact or just one unlucky reefer that started his hobby on a wrong foot.

my tank is 20in high (water deep around 18in) and so far my corals are ok. my temp is around 27-29 deg when fan is ON. No clams and SPS, just soft corals.

perhaps FL and MH also will emit radiation

[Matt06]

All technology emit radiation, just the intensity... also, the drawback of those FL-type, be it T5, T8 and PL, they just can't penetrate deep into the tank...

[Achilles Tang]

Just like to point out that the German SPS reefers who have been keeping SPS successfully under T5s are using it this way: ROWS of HIGH WATTAGE T5s jam packed into a hood with individual reflectors to replace a MH bulb.

[Clownfish]

T5s are much betta than T8s or T12s is becos firstly, it has alot more intensity n also as time passes on using it, iit can retain bout 70% of its original intensity, but for a normal t8/t12, they just become dimmer n dimmer n dimmer... n if u forget to change them at 6-12mths interval... u will find that corals start to hav problems.... therefore, in the long run, t5 may just be more economical