• Welcome back Guest!

    MARSH is a private reefing group. Comments and suggestions are encouraged, but please keep them positive and constructive. Negative threads, posts, or attacks will be removed from view and reviewed by the staff. Continually disruptive, argumentative, or flagrant rule breakers may be suspended or banned.

What a difference VHO has made (1 Viewer)

Users who are viewing this thread

Cakepro

Guest
Joined
Mar 25, 2003
Messages
1,093
Reaction score
0
Location
Houston
Because hellolight.com's "true pc actinics" were worthless by 6 months, I decided to add 220 watts of VHO to my 2 x 175 watt 10,000K Ushio light system. WOW! After a couple of months of truly true actinic supplementation, my corals have never looked better. A bunch of button polyps that were fugly brown which I had been eradicating as they grew closer to my sps's are now a bright fluorescent green. The centers of my blastomussa, trumpet, and favia corals have never been brighter and the tiny polyps on my montipora monasteriata positively glow. A green staghorn frag I picked up at Global has shifted to blue and a blue acro frag I got from Roger Holt before he moved is even bluer. A plain brown montipora capricornis frag has actually shifted closer to purple with purple polyps. When it comes time to replace the lights in my 4 x 96 watt CSL pc hood over my soft coral tank, I'm going with a 4 x 110 watt VHO system. The difference is unbelievable.

Just thought I'd share for all those trying to decide between pc and vho!

~ Sherri
 
G

Guest

Funny you posted about this...
Today I went from 2 x 65w PCs to 2 x 75w Actinic White and 2 x 75w Super Actinic on a Ice Cap 660 over my 25g. I am not impressed. The LR looks better under the light with the pinkish hue. A good thing is that my GSP looks really good instead of brown but most my zoos don't look as great under the new light. It doesn't seem as bright in the tank either. Did I get the wrong bulbs? Hopefully they'll grow on me.
 
G

Guest

Glad to hear it. I only have 250w MH over my tank right now, and I have been very disappointed. The light is very intense, but everything I put in the tank just turns brown. I'm building a canopy right now to add 2x110w VHO super actinics to the system. I'm hoping the results will be worth all the work I'm putting into it. From what you're saying, sounds like it will be worth it. :)
 
OP
OP
C

Cakepro

Guest
Joined
Mar 25, 2003
Messages
1,093
Reaction score
0
Location
Houston
Tom, when I first went from pc to vho I thought I was gonna hate it, but the color has really grown on me. Maybe after a little burn-in time (I don't know if that applies to vho's or not) or after a little while of getting used to the change, you'll like it better.

If not, I'll trade you my 384 watt CSL hood for your IceCap setup. :D

I also forgot to mention (and I don't know if this is due to lighting), but my birdsnest colony is finally growing into sharp points, whereas before it did not have the typical pointy S. hysterix appearance. I did not change areas, flow, or anything else about my tank except the lighting. Coincidence? I've had it for well over a year now and the change has occured in the past month.

Mikester, I bet you'll love it. :)

~ Sherri
 
G

Guest

VHO vs PC

Hi Sherri;

Very timely post - thank you! I had just ordered more PC lamps & thought the 03 actinics were the way to go. What about softies? Did you have the same dissapointing results with the other styles of PC lamps as well? :?
 

HolyBanana

Guest
Joined
Nov 4, 2003
Messages
450
Reaction score
0
Location
SugarLand TX
I added 220 watts of VHO actinics to my 2 x 250 10K ushio MH and I agree with you. It does make a difference. The colors of the corals stand out and the growth is better. All my corals are happpier with them. :D
 
G

Guest

I didn't like the light from VHO until I added MH to the setup.
I think I'm gonna change to all actinics on my VHO bulbs.
Instead of 2 and 2.
 
Top