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**Damon** · 10-30-2006, 06:10 AM

T5 will run about the same as VHO. The bulbs themselves are cheaper but you require many more bulbs to do the job. Their compact design allows for just this. I'm a huge fan of VHO as they produce less heat than MH and you can still get 8 of them over a 75 gallon tank. Plenty of light for anything you want. URI models also have built in reflectors (soon to be added to the T5 HO hopefully). In short, T5HO, VHO or MH are all ways to go. Depends on personal preference, Canopy style, and corals kept. MH can be too intense for some corals while others (clams come to mind) do much better with them. A T5 HO 48 inch bulb is 54 watts. A 48 (or 46.5) inch VHO is 110 watts. MH run anywhere from 175 and up per bulb.
A lot of planted tank enthusiasts use T5 but due to the color spectrum defficiency (they dont not readily produce the K range we like) they are not used as they could be. The same for VHO but in salt, its not a problem.

10-30-2006, 06:10 AM	#15
Damon Aquatic Naturalist Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dayton, Ohio Age: 32 Posts: 14,982 User Feedback: (0)	T5 will run about the same as VHO. The bulbs themselves are cheaper but you require many more bulbs to do the job. Their compact design allows for just this. I'm a huge fan of VHO as they produce less heat than MH and you can still get 8 of them over a 75 gallon tank. Plenty of light for anything you want. URI models also have built in reflectors (soon to be added to the T5 HO hopefully). In short, T5HO, VHO or MH are all ways to go. Depends on personal preference, Canopy style, and corals kept. MH can be too intense for some corals while others (clams come to mind) do much better with them. A T5 HO 48 inch bulb is 54 watts. A 48 (or 46.5) inch VHO is 110 watts. MH run anywhere from 175 and up per bulb. A lot of planted tank enthusiasts use T5 but due to the color spectrum defficiency (they dont not readily produce the K range we like) they are not used as they could be. The same for VHO but in salt, its not a problem. __________________ For in much wisdom [is] much grief: and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow. Member of the AGA (Aquatic Gardner's Association) Member of the IBC (International Betta Congress)