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Re: T-8 vx T-12




    * From: "Bill Lynn" <wlynn at telus_net>

Well being Canadian, AH supply CFs look great but the exchange rate and
shipping are killers . I however had a stroke of  luck has allowed me to get
T-8(5000K) at $3Cdn each (wholesale) and a couple of free ballasts. $72 for
24 bulbs, before I was paying $10-$20 per T-12 and changing them every
6months.

Question: I was running 6 T-12 @40W(full specturm) should I replace with 6
T-8 @32W or should I use 8 bulbs?  The T-8s appear much brighter than the
T-12s.

Any good sources for reflectors for T-8 or DIYs, I am currently using
tinfoil to line my light box.
These bulbs are staggered over a 5ft tank so the ends of the tank receive
less light.(that's where the Java Fern and other lower light plants go)

T-8 bulbs give about 20% more light that T-12 bulbs at the same length.
You could stay with 6 bulbs or go on up to 8 bulbs.  You should get a type
of electronic ballast available for T-8 bulbs which can power three or four
of them.   You will need two ballasts and you can use them to run 6, 7, or
8 bulbs.  I would wire the hood for two ballasts, each running a group of
four bulbs.  If you want six bulbs, just take out one bulb from each group.
You could turn off one group and have only three or four bulbs in the
other group if you wanted to cut down on the light.  All in all, you have a
lot of flexibility, 8, 7, 6, 4, or 3 bulbs can be on.  A ballast can't run
fewer than three bulbs, I am pretty sure.

Aluminum foil is OK, and so is white paint.  If you want high efficiency
you have to go to polished metal reflectors, and I think it would not be
easy to get good ones for T-8 bulbs which are probably going to be pretty
close together.

Paul Krombholz in warming central Mississippi, expecting an arctic front on
Thursday.