Backs Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 Power Compacts are only just becomming widely available in the UK but there still seems to be some confusion over them. My question is this...a unit that contains 2 x 55w PC bulbs puts out how much light in watts? I thought it was 110w but my dealer says no, as the PC has 2 tubes, its double, therefore meaning they would put out 220w! Who is correct ??? Also, currently I have a 180 (40 UK gallons) tank that is 18 inches deep. I have 100w of standard T8 tubes and have lovely star polyps, mushrooms, Yellow Polyps and a very large ##### (Colt?) coral growing well. Infact the mushrooms ans star p are spreading well...will the 2 x 55w PC lights actually be brighter than what I have got? Thanks in advance Link to comment
qfour20 Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 A couple of things: First, light is measured in lumens. Power consumption is measured in watts. There is definitely a relationship between power consumption and light production, and that is a function of the type of bulb and ballast being used. Whoever told you that 55w PC's put out 110w because they have two tubes needs to put down the crack pipe. Utterly false. A 55w bulb uses 55watts. You state that you have 100w of T8 lighting right now. I will assume (since I don't remember offhand) that this means NO, or Normal Output fluorescent. 110w of PC *will* put out more light than 100w of NO. It will put out a pretty good amount more light, in fact. However, something to keep in mind is the way that PC and NO lights work: phosphor coatings in the bulb reacting to current passing through the tube. Bulb manufacturers try to even out the spectrum of their bulbs by using many different kinds of phosphors, but the bottom line is that the spectral output of the bulb looks like a mountain range. In order to get a smooth, full spectrum (not just judging by the eye, mind you!) you really will have to go with a HID lamp, such as a metal halide. Do some more searches, and do some reading. I'm certain that you'll find something that makes you and your specimens happy. -q Link to comment
Backs Posted March 19, 2004 Author Share Posted March 19, 2004 Thanks for the reply..much as I thought, the guy was talking crap! As for my lighting, well, I have 4x25w T8 tubes just now, 2xPowerglo and 2xMarineglo. I too presume they are standard output tubes. Believe me, I have done so much research into lighting it is unreal! Here in the UK we have several problems with lighting compared to the States. Firstly, cost, secondly, technology. For example, Metal Halides are silly money. We are talking $80+ for a 150w 10,000k bulb, $400+ for a pendant, without Actinics etc etc. PC lights have only really started to come across and standard T5 tubes are silly money. Actinic at $40+ for a 39w!! and $100+ for ballast and end caps. I would need 2xmetal halides as my tank has a bracing bar across the middle which would cast a shaddow and possibly melt so I am looking at VERY silly money for a twin 150w unit, thats why I am looking for something else. ($1000+) That all leaves me with a dilema. Do I buy an over the tank luminaire with 4x39w T5 tubes at $400 or do I get a version with 2x55w PC bulbs at $200?? The tank is 32" long, bow fronted and 18 inches deep...any suggestions? By the way, all UK prices converted to US dollars at about $1.8 to the £ zzz Link to comment
qfour20 Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 Those sound like absolutely RIDICULOUS prices. You know, you *could* just scrape together some money and have somebody here in the states order the bulbs, ballasts, etc. for you, and ship it across the pond all at once. Shipping a single box to the UK isn't *TOO* bad, and you'd probabbly save a pretty penny. Do some researching on a 2x150w DE metal halide setup and some actinics to go with it (pc or vho... whatever turns you on). Just be sure to plan ahead and get a few extra bulbs. Hey, you might even qualify for a price break if you order a bunch of stuff at once. Good Luck! -q Link to comment
Backs Posted March 19, 2004 Author Share Posted March 19, 2004 My girlfriends company has a base in Houston, Texas and she is there a fair bit so she can bring stuff back or stick bigger items in the shipping crates that come here but would there not be a problem with voltage as the UK is 240v supply? As you can tell, I am not very "electrically" aware when it comes to things like that..lol I was looking at the Hellolights site with envy! Link to comment
qfour20 Posted March 19, 2004 Share Posted March 19, 2004 A lot of the nicer mh ballasts will support 120 and 240 AC. I know the ones you get at hydroponics shops usually do. Good luck getting everything together, and POST PICS WHEN IT'S DONE! -q Link to comment
Backs Posted March 22, 2004 Author Share Posted March 22, 2004 Well, I wimped out of the Metal Halides as I cant really have an open top tank due to cats and the fact the tank is under some stairs and things drop onto it every now and then! I have gone for a luminere that sits directly on the tank rim with 2x55w PC bulbs. Added to this are 2xT8 tubes giving 160w in total Looks neat and tidy and very bright. The corals don't seem to have openned any more but then again, they have always looked good Only worry is the alluminium luminere gets VERY hot..as in would give you a blister if you left your finger on it for more than a few seconds Link to comment
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