Re: [AGA-sc] NEC

["Karen Randall" <krandall@rdrcpa.biz>]

Sounds like LOTS of good info, both for NEC, and for that TAG article!<g>

Karen

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "David Lass" <davidlass@villasunscape.com>
To: "Aquatic Gardeners Association Board" <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 9:22 AM
Subject: Re: [AGA-sc] NEC


> The problem is that most of the T5's that are being offered for sale to 
> the
> hobby are low output -- their nominal 4' lamp is only 35 watts, which 
> makes
> it about equivalent to a T8. To get the HO T5's, and to get them and the
> fixtures at a reasonable price, instead of the grossly inflated price they
> are being sold for in the hobby, you have to go to the lighting industry.
> Since I was in that business for years, and still have contatcs, I get 
> them
> through my friends locally.
> You can, however, also get them --wait for it -- on the web.
>
> http://www.accessdiscounts.us/sku-26300.html
>
> http://www.aeilighting.com/t5l6810.htm
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/Case-of-40-T5-HO-Fluorescent-Lamps-Bulbs-NEW_W0QQitemZ110081907152QQcmdZViewItem
>
> The nominal 4' T5's that are sold through the lighting industry are all 54
> watts, which makes them 1.8 times the output of a T8. They are usually
> available in 5,000K and 6,500K, plus there are actinics, which I always 
> use
> in conjunction with the whites -- after all, you don't see many blue 
> plants
> do you, which means to me that the blue light is really being used by the
> plants.
>
> This page
> http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/lat5/pc8.asp
> discusses the burn life of the T5's -- they are 20,000 hours, the same as
> T8's, so I am at a loss to understand (other than to sell more lamps) why
> the guys who are pushing the low output T5's say they should be changed
> every year. In fact, they should last 4 years if burned 5,000 hours per
> year.
>
> The other thing about them is their degradation curve -- this page
> http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/lat5/pc9.asp
> shows that they are even better than T8's -- never getting below 90%.
>
> The problem with power compacts is HEAT. Heat is the major enemy of lamp
> performance, and PC's are really just T8's turned back on themselves. They
> are also usually crammed into a tightly sealed hood, and there is no place
> for the heat to go, except back to the lamps. That is why you really can't
> pin anyone down on the life or degradation of PCs. I used to use them, in
> fact had all of my lights AH Supply stuff, but I found that they crapped 
> out
> in much less than a year.
>
> So -- that is why I am a big fan of linear T5 lamps -- the HO kind that 
> you
> can get from lighting supply houses, not the wimps that the industry is
> pawning off on us.
> Hope this helps -- sorry for having gone on at such length, but I think 
> the
> URL's will make interesting looking for you all.
> Take care,
> David
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Cheryl Rogers" <cheryl@dustyuniverse.com>
> To: "Aquatic Gardeners Association Board" <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 8:15 AM
> Subject: Re: [AGA-sc] NEC
>
>
>> http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/new-to-aquarium-plants/37462-t5-vs-pc-which-is-best.html
>>
>> Cheryl
>>
>> Karen Randall wrote:
>>> Ahem.  I see a TAG article shaping up here, don't you, Cheryl? ;-)
>>>
>>> Karen
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Erik Olson" <erik@thekrib.com>
>>> To: "Aquatic Gardeners Association Board" <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 7:29 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [AGA-sc] NEC
>>>
>>>
>>>> No no, I think you got my intent wrong!  I am very interested in T5's.
>>>> See this page to see how nerdy I've been
>>>>
>>>> http://mystery.thekrib.com/T5/
>>>>
>>>> You are very enthusiastic about em, and I am curious how they have made
>>>> you feel as such!
>>>>
>>>> Did you go from T8's to PC's to T5's on all your tanks, or did you take
>>>> the plunge directly to the T5's from T8's or T12's?
>>>>
>>>> Where do you get the cheap tubes?  What color temp do you use?  How
>>>> about
>>>> ballasts?
>>>>
>>>> My experience has been that the tubes I found cost similar amount as 
>>>> the
>>>> PC's, and of course they use the same ballasts.  Light output somewhat
>>>> more efficient with proper reflector.  So my conclusion has been that
>>>> they're a *little* better than PCs.  But of course, I have not found $4
>>>> tubes yet.  That would be a reason to replace my single-tube T8's on my
>>>> medium light tanks.
>>>>
>>>>   - Erik
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Tue, 27 Feb 2007, David Lass wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Granted, I don't grow any fancy plants, but I have them on all of my
>>>>> tanks -- including my 300. They are the best lights I have ever used,
>>>>> and
>>>>> I
>>>>> especially like the fact that they are cheap (I think I paid $4 per 54
>>>>> watt
>>>>> lamp) and they last a long time. I run 2 -- 54 watts on a 4' 120, and 
>>>>> 6
>>>>> on
>>>>> my 300. If you don'[t think they are any better then I won't bring
>>>>> them.
>>>>> Take care,
>>>>> David
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Erik Olson" <erik@thekrib.com>
>>>>> To: "Aquatic Gardeners Association Board" <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 5:20 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [AGA-sc] NEC
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> On Tue, 27 Feb 2007, David Lass wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> If anyone is interested, I can bring some T5's and talk a little on
>>>>>>> why
>>>>>>> they are so much better than Power Compacts. I've got them on all of
>>>>>>> my
>>>>>>> tanks.
>>>>>> OK, I'll bite... how have you found them "so much better"?  I've got
>>>>>> them
>>>>>> on one tank, and I like them & would use them for new setups, but I'd
>>>>>> categorize them as "incrementally better". :)
>>>>>>
>>>>>>   - Erik
>>>>>>
>>>>>> --
>>>>>> Erik Olson
>>>>>> erik at thekrib dot com
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>
>>>> -- 
>>>> Erik Olson
>>>> erik at thekrib dot com
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