T5 Lights

[thomas]

Why all you guys like T5? Ever though about Corolife or Orbit Eclipse PC? I am shopping for my planted tank, and I like the Orbit Esclipse for its European shape, brand name, built-in bablast, moon light (even though not usefull for freshwater plant), separeate power cord,...

However, the price is .... $215-249 / compare to the unbrand name @149.99. Is it worth? I need some advice though

[eklikewhoa]

Re: Lighting for 60" x 18" with Tropheus Annectens

T5's are cheaper, run cooler, bulbs are cheaper, similar in intensity oh and that's comparing the same brand.........coralife.

T5 ballast are built in too and IMO that's where PC fail....the heat from the bulbs heat up the ballast and cause premature failure.


Both are really comparable though....where one lacks the other doesn't so it can go both ways.....have you looked into anything other then PC for planted? Its not the best but PC works.

[Tiapan]

Re: Lighting for 60" x 18" with Tropheus Annectens

how do T-5s work per say, they look like normal flour, but they put out soo much more, are they cheaper then PC?, or MEtal Halides?

[Mzungu]

Re: Lighting for 60" x 18" with Tropheus Annectens

Geoff - was trying to split this topic so we can talk about T5s in general and leave this thread for your lights, but then I remembered I don't moderate this forum.  :)  Do you want to split it?

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: Lighting for 60" x 18" with Tropheus Annectens

I split this out from my thread about the lights on my tank, so that a discussion on T5 lights could happen here.

Take care,

Geoff

[Mzungu]

Re: T5 Lights

Thanks!

T5s are fluorescents, just thinner. The T5 HOs put out a lot more light, though. There are normal T5s, too.

From what I've gathered, T5 HOs are great because they're fluorescent, very efficient in terms of energy used, run much cooler than other fluorescents, they have the technology that fluorescents have, and are thinner and so can utilize individual reflectors very well, which means even more light output into your tank.

They're more expensive than normal fluorescents, usually. They seem to be about the same as PCs. And still much, much cheaper than metal halides if you're comparing those normally used for aquariums.

[Tiapan]

Re: T5 Lights

has anyone here used them on any of their tanks before, especially anyone who has experience with power compacts ? also what is a T5 HO , and what is the differnece in that versus a normal T5.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: T5 Lights

T5HO is "High Output"

I have a small one over my multi tank and it does a decent job of growing algae.

[Tiapan]

Re: T5 Lights

it seems confusing, the way they are described they say a 28 watt norm T5 puts out as much light as a 40 watt flourencent normal size, so if you wave the HO bulb which is i think 54 watt does that mean that its the equivalent to around an 80 watt bulb, and does it penetrate the same for plants as the same wattage as Power compact, cus i deffinately like the idea of more light for plants but not so high watt usage, and the reflectors on that AH supply site were cool, gotta think about that for the future. or see about T5s for that top.

[geoff_tropheus]

Re: T5 Lights

What I have read on the T5 lights is basically you get more lumens per watt, which means less of your power spent is given off as heat.

So, T5's last longer because they generate less heat, and they donot heat up you tank.

T5's are more effecient, so that your getting more light for what you paying for in terms of energy use.

Two bulbs, say one is a powercompact at 80 Watts, and the other is a T5 at 80 watts.  The powercompact bulb is going to give off say 10 watts of heat and 70 watts of light.  The T5 is going to give off 5 watts of heat, and 75 watts of light because its more effecient.  So the tank will look brighter in this example using the T5 light.

Heres the deal though, for the same length of bulb, your powercompacts have higher wattages, which means more light, but also more heat, which is more wear and tear on the bulb, and the ballast.

There's a balance, that you have to decide upon.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: T5 Lights

The reason T5 is more efficient the regular tubes is that its thinner in size so there is less "restrike" which is what happens with large tubes.

The tubes are round.....half of that tube is pointing into the tank so cut you power in half since that's all that is getting into the tank. Put a good reflector on both and the thinner bulb will have less reflected back onto the bulb (restrike) so there is more light getting reflected back into the tank.

One of the things people don't take into consideration when it comes to this "WPG" rule for planted tanks......get a reg tube and you automatically think...."oh I have 40w going into my 30 so that's like 1.2wpg but actually its a tube so you pretty much only get 20w into a 30g which barely gives you viewing light.

Another thing with the ballast is most fixtures have fans to cool them or are remote mounted so the heat thing is less of an issue since there is no direct heat invovled anymore.....just the heat that it emmits itself which is probably taken into consideration when made.

Most shops/stores have have upgraded to T5 and the whole reason I see myself is it "looks" brighter compared to old tubes but the cost is about the same to run. The little difference in electricity bill is probably not gonna be noticeable but your eyes will see the difference.

[thomas]

Re: T5 Lights

Compare T5 and T6

T6 tubes are bigger than T5 tubes in term of radius, and so there are more restrike (from eklikewhoa). So basically, wpg is not that simple, because not all 100% of bulb wattage go down to the tank.

That means if you want to buy T6 or other bigger tube bulb, it is best to use many single fixture rather than the dual or 4-bulbs fixtures.

[eklikewhoa]

Re: T5 Lights

Usually the good brands or lets say the more expensive ones will usually come with individual reflectors or a reflector that is made to get the most out of the bulbs.

[Tiapan]

Re: T5 Lights

but didnt the watt per gallon rule develope around the traditions T8-or T12 flourencent bulbs, and hey i can see just fine typically with a single bulb on a smaller tank, even larger ones. i got 1 bulb on my 55 and it lights up real well, might be the white sand, or black background that make it easier to see in. of course the girlfriend did make a comment about how all your tanks seem so very bright, you see she was paying attention when i was there, just not to us but tothe most important things. The Tanks

[eklikewhoa]

Re: T5 Lights

It could have been develop around them but IMO the wpg rule is crap......too many variables for it to work good.

Any light is good to the eye, especially if most all the lighting being compared with is about the same intensity.