So I hear a lot about t5 lights, whats the deal with them, benefits, etc. Also, could you put them in a regular hardware light ballast?
And how much are they normally?
And how much are they normally?
T 5 lighting
- Thread starter fhawk362
- Start date
T5s are good lights! They give out a lot of light and don't require a lot of power to run.
Are you trying to grow plants? Otherwise light isn't that important...
Are you trying to grow plants? Otherwise light isn't that important...
I am also interested in T5s as I have recently started FOWLR tank that I hope to convert to a full reef tank at some point. But I keep hearing back and forth "T5, No MH" which do you use and why?
T5s are very efficient especially compared to mh. You can buy ballasts for t5s at home depot but ballasts have to match the lamps used(length,watts and diameter-t5 means the lamp is 5/8" in diameter). I am an electrician.
The benefits are efficiency, high light output, smaller diameter tube. If you're asking if you can put them in a T8 or T12 fixture, no you can't. If you're talking about buying a bare ballast for a DIY, you have to consult the specifications written on the ballast itself to see what kind of lamps it's capable of running. They are also shorter than T8 and T12. A T5 light labeled as 48" is actually about 45 3/4". Also, be aware that they come in standard and High Output and therefore have different wattages and ballast requirements.
One more thing when looking at fixtures focus on the fixtures with individual reflectors for each bulb. Like the NOVA extreme SLR. Good reflectors are the key to T5 lights. A good reflector really allows you to push the wattage per gallon rule. I would stay away from the Coralife T5HO fixture. It looks like they are discontinuing their current fixture.