VHO or PC

[Singulari]

I'm planning out my new 20G tank.

 

I already have an icecap 660 lying around and am going to us it for my lighting.

 

But should I put PC lighting on it or VHO?

Being only 24" wide I can only fit 55W PC bulbs.

 

Or should I put in 24" VHO bulbs?

 

Do PC bulbs last longer that VHO bulbs.

 

Parts wise they are really close in price.

 

I'm so confused.

 

 

[HuBu]

VHOs. much better. your corals will thank you.

[cmoreash]

DO a search, there's tons of threads on this.

 

Since you already got the ballast, the VHO might be the way to go, but those are big, and you dont have much room on a 20g.

 

I personally like PCs much better than VHOs, but I'm not gonna argue because there's too many threads on this.

[BCOrchidGuy]

You could have up to 380 watts of VHO lighting on your tank, you could grow cacti in your tank with that...... j/k

 

Stick with the vho if you already have the ballast, a 10,000k a 6500k and two actinics or one actinic and a second 10,000k and you could keep clams and hard corals.. heck .. anything in there.

[Pikelet]

If the 660 can fire the PC's, I'd go with those. You'll save on the cost of the tubes over time because PC only need to be replaced every 12 - 14 months if not cooked in their enclosures.

[Kapelakin]

VHO bulbs do need to be replaced more often than PC bulbs. If that's not a problem though with the VHO's. You'll be able to keep almost anything except the most demanding corals with the VHOs. If I remember right, the 24" VHO's put out 75 watts each. You could fit in 2 or 3, for 150 to 225 watts.

 

I had the 2x55 watt PC setup on my 20, and thought it was a little anemic. My next bigger tank will be MH, but if I was in your position, I'd go with the VHO unless you just want to keep some softies. If that's the case, the PC's will probably be a bit easier,less bulb replacement, etc.

[tgrupert]

I read somwhere that a ice cap can be used to power PC bulbs. I just checked google and many places that sell the ice cap 660 say it can use PC bulbs. on the ice cap web site i found this

With an IceCap Model 660 Electronic Ballast, you can use power compacts and different wattages can be mixed and matched...as long as the total number of lamps used is 4 or less. Below are some possible combinations. VHO lamps can also be mixed with power compacts (one 4ft. linear lamp equals one 96 Watt power compact or two 55 Watt power compacts).

 

check out the site. It has a table that shows all the different configurations you can use.

[Dave ESPI]

BBQ Horse perhaps?

 

over a small tank, PC are the way to go.

and No, the Icecap can't be used for PC.

get a CSL retro kit.

 

EDIT: sorry, I was looking at the 660 info page and thinking of Halides. (DAUH.... I We Tart Id)

Im not quite sure how the PC would be wired if you were to use the Icecap.

like piklet said, check the website, or call them fer plans.

[tgrupert]

ice cap's own website says it can.

[Pikelet]

Hmmm. I suspect that the manufacturer has been misinformed by the reefing fraternity. I would ignore what the manufacturer says if I were you. What the hell would they know.

[Singulari]

If one light better than the other. I was told by a few people that VHO is a better quality of light.

 

But two bulbs of the same K rating and wattage does one give more/better light than the other?

 

From what I priced out VHO bulbs are cheaper but have to be replaced more often. (about 8-10 months)

But PC are good for 12-14 Months but are about $10 more.

[tgrupert]

Do you already have any of the end caps?

[Singulari]

Nope I only have the ballast.

[tgrupert]

I'd say go with PC. it's very easy to remember to replace every year. set them up at a date that's easy to remember like christmas or new years. If you do it for christmas then you can always ask for new bulbs. does anyone know which bulbs burn cooler?