T5 lighting

[Liquid_blue]

I was thinking about going with t5 lighting with my fowlr setup. I was wondering if you need a T5 fixture or will the bulbs work in a regular flourescent fixture?

 

[CaPoNe]

No you need a seperate fixture because the T5 bulbs are much smaller than the T8 and T12 bulbs.

 

[Liquid_blue]

That's what I was thinking, but the guy at one of the local fish stores said the would fit in any standard fixture and I thought it sounded kinda um... not right.

 

[CaPoNe]

Just take it to him later and say Alright Tim the tool man lets see you DO IT!!

 

[MrMalta]

Lol!

 

[ccCapt]

The bulbs might fit in the fixture, but T5 HO bulbs won't fire up on a standard, normal output ballast.

 

[Ziggy953]

Like most bulbs you have to match the bulb and ballast. 54w bulbs need a ballast designed to fire 54w bulbs.

There are T5 retro kits our there for a great price. Check with Hellolights.com

 

[Liquid_blue]

Thanks for the advice and the light site.

 

[Liquid_blue]

Anyone know a good review site?

 

[Ziggy953]

If you are looking to compare products, I don't know a site but I do know that TEK is top of the line...I have a TEK 2x54w Retro kit on my system.

 

[Liquid_blue]

OK one more and I'll let it go. Anyone had any experience with coralife products? Their 30" t5 is half the cost of every other I have looked at, I have looked for some review sites. And product descriptions aren't very revealing. So I guess my question is, are their lighting systems any good? And will they take any T5 bulb?

 

[Ziggy953]

T5 bulbs are pretty standard so I would guess that a T5 fixture will take any T5 bulb as long as you match the bulb to the ballast.