Where Can I Get T-5 Lighting Cheap

[Fish Breath]

Does anyone know where I can get T5 flourescent Lighting cheap Ihave found some at the LFS for $25 for a 2 footer with bulb and fixture(includes balast) but wondering if there are any cheaper places out there that can ship I need 4 footers also I am planning on making a oak canopy top for one tank and retrofiting a factory Hagen top for the other
thanks

 

[malkore]

T-5's are kinda new in the US market (compared to PC's and T-12's)...so finding them really cheap will be an issue. I think $25 for a 2 foot fixture sounds decent.

 

[Fish Breath]

Does anyone have any input on these or knowledge of these. The guy at the pet store told me this was the and will be the next thing in lighting in aquariums as they us less wattage then the compact florescents yet emit the same amount of light( two stores told me this) and one guy said he had it side by side with a coralite and the T-5 and he could not notice the difference as the T-5 apparently have a very clean full spectrum wave length. I thought it just seemed like a bit much as they are so small with the ballast included I didn't even know the ballast was in it when i first saw it

 

[Guest]

FWIW a CF is basically a bent T-5 bulb.

And those all in one units are cheap. You get what you pay for.

 

[Fish Breath]

FWIW a CF is basically a bent T-5 bulb.

And those all in one units are cheap. You get what you pay for.

which do you suggest I am looking to do a 25 gal with a oak canopy so I can basically screw anytjing into the top and a 90 gal which will be a retrofit into the factory black plastic canopy But I may make a oak top for it as well the 25 could take a 30" and the 90 takes 48"s but not looking to spend hundreds of dollars but something reasonable I was going to put 6 24 ' T 5s in the 25 gal and stagger them as apparently they only come in foot leghths

 

[Fish Breath]

 

[Guest]

If you lived in the US I would suggest AH Supply at the drop of a hat. But since you live in Canada it's a hard choice. All depends on how much money you want to spend.

 

[malkore]

Fish breath...just so you know, a high light planted tank is not cheap...if you try to make it cheap, quality is gonna be sacrificed.

Rex will agree that the cost for a high light tank starts at $10 per gallon for the whole setup, not counting fish or plants...and tends to peak at $20 per gallon.
So a 25gallon high light tank will be at least $250 (U.S. currency) for all the hardware, and up to $500 (if you went with pressurized CO2..DIY will suffice on that size of tank).

The same holds true for the 90 gallon. Since you already have the tank and a stand, that helps...but you'll still spend about $750 for lighting, substrate, filter, and pressurized CO2.

The only setups more expensive than a high light freshwater planted tank are saltwater setups, especially reef setups.

 

[Fish Breath]

Ok guys thanks for the tips I may have to reconsider
thanks again