T5 Bulb PAR Comparison

[Myka]

FECK! I hit a wrong button and deleted the $&%@#%#@% thing!! Damn long nails... Ok, try number 2...

Not sure if this is the right forum?

I'm doing this for me as much as you guys. The information for all of this is in multiple threads on Reef Central, so I'm putting it all together here. All PAR readings are done by TheGrimReefer on Reef Central, so they should be accurate at least in comparison to eachother.

PAR rating - name of bulb - what type of light in bulb (when avail) - Kelvin and/or nm

ATI
357 - Sun Pro - daylight - 6000K
341 - Aquablue Special - blue/daylight - 12000K
311 - Blue Plus - blue/actinic - 20000K - 450n
137 - Actinic - actinic - 420n

Aqua Science
320 - Special - 15,000K
334 - Duo - 17,500K
302 - Blue - 22,000K

Korallen-Zucht "KZ"
342 - Coral Light - 10,000K
320 - Fiji Purple - (450nm I think...anyone know for sure?)

D-D Giesemann
325 - Midday - daylight - 6,000K
324 - Aqua Blue Plus - 60% blue/40% daylight - 11,000K
264 - Actinic Plus - actinic/blue - 450nm
157 - Pure Actinic - actinic - 420nm

UVL/URI
345 - AquaSun - daylight - 10,000K
293 - Actinic White - 50% daylight 50% actinic - 12,000K
210 - Super Actinic - actinic - 420 nm
254 - 75.25 - 75% actinic 25% tri-band phosphor - 14,000K - 460 nm

AquaZ
285 - Sun Pro - 9,000K
323 - Ocean Pro - 20,000K
266 - Blue Pro - actinic - 420nm

Current USA SlimPaq
272 - Daylight - 10,000K
252 - Actinic Blue - blue/actinic - 460nm

Sfiligoi
209 - Super Blue Actinic

GE
340 - Daylight - daylight - 6,500K

* Data supplied from The Grim Reefer's testing using 54w bulbs in a TEK fixture.




I would like to update this thread with a list of suppliers for each brand of bulb. Please help me by posting which Canadian suppliers carry which bulbs. This info is a bit harder to find.

Bulb Suppliers

J&L Aquatics - Burnaby
UVL/URI
AquaScience
Korallen Zucht (just Fiji Purple)
Giesemann

Ocean Aquatics - Delta, BC
Giesemann
ATI
Current USA
UVL/URI

Gold Aquariums - Calgary, AB
AquaScience
Korallen Zucht

Red Coral - Calgary, AB
AquaScience
Korallen Zucht
Giesemann

Marine Aquaria - Edmonton, AB
AquaScience
Korallen Zucht

[mseepman]

Excellent information...thanks Myka!

[Myka]

No problem...more for myself than anything. Now I'd like to include a list of suppliers for each brand.

[albert_dao]

*cough*

The following Albertan retailers carry both AquaScience and KZ bulbs:

Calgary

Gold Aquariums
Red Coral

Edmonton

Marine Aquaria

[banditpowdercoat]

OK, excuse my ignorance, what is PAR and how do I read/understand the info posted?

I presently have 2 Giesemann Midday and 2 Pure Actinics on my tank, As per Wendell's recommendation. I like them, but I know no different yet

[Myka]

albert dao: Thanks for the info. I will add it right away (and contact them about placing an order! ). Do you know what other T5 bulbs those retailers carry???

Originally Posted by banditpowdercoat

OK, excuse my ignorance, what is PAR and how do I read/understand the info posted?

I presently have 2 Giesemann Midday and 2 Pure Actinics on my tank, As per Wendell's recommendation. I like them, but I know no different yet

PAR = Photosynthetically active radiation, which basically means it's a rating of the output of light that is photosynthetically usable. Generally speaking, the higher the better for reef tanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photosy...tive_radiation

I have learned to become lesser of a fan of the Giesemann bulbs. There are bulbs out there that produce equal or more PAR and don't have the dark ends like the Giesemann bulbs do. That's really my only complaint though. There are still decent lamps.

[zulu_principle]

Hi

We have the UVL/URI in 75/25 the balance are coming next week.



Wendell

[Myka]

Originally Posted by zulu_principle

Hi

We have the UVL/URI in 75/25 the balance are coming next week.



Wendell

Thanks! I will add it, I didn't know the 75/25 existed! Now we need PAR ratings for it. Are you going to be carrying the rest of the UVL fleet?

[midgetwaiter]

I assume this is the info from http://tfivetesting.googlepages.com/ ? As such it would be a good idea to specify that the data is from 54w bulbs running in a TEK light.

The PAR measurement for a 75.25 is 254

Aquarium Illusions in Edmonton carries Giesman and UVL

[Myka]

Originally Posted by midgetwaiter

I assume this is the info from http://tfivetesting.googlepages.com/ ? As such it would be a good idea to specify that the data is from 54w bulbs running in a TEK light.

The PAR measurement for a 75.25 is 254

Aquarium Illusions in Edmonton carries Giesman and UVL

No, I got the info from hunting through TheGrimReefer's posts on Reef Central. Now if I woulda known he had a website with it all neatly laid out I would have just bookmarked it instead of making this thread!!

In my case, I don't care what size the bulbs are or what fixture they're in. I'm looking at numbers relative to eachother. As long as they're all tested in the same unit, all should be relative.

Thanks for the link!!!