30 inch T5 fixtures
- Thread starter hypnoj
- Start date
Robb in Austin
New member
Don't think they make a 30" T5. 24" or 36" AFAIK.
There are 30" PC lights.
There are 30" PC lights.
I just went through 2 days of research on this (and ignored the bulb issue, those will get changed in 3-6 months anyway, then I can go for the ATI etc. bulbs).
Coralife makes a 2 and a 4 bulb 30" T5HO fixture that uses the 31W TRUE HO bulbs. The fixtures don't have individual reflectors (critical for T5HO). Also, Coralife is the only ones that sell bulbs, so I elected to go with a fixture that uses the standard 24" bulbs for more bulb selection. This was an easy choice for me, having run a single 150 watt MH over the tank before with plenty of spread, and currently the single 24" T8 NO florescent provides enough coverage (no coral at the moment).
I elected to go with the Aquaticlife 2 bulb fixture: http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticL...ures-AquaticLife-AK01138-FILTFIT54U-4-vi.html
Its not here yet, so I can't directly comment, but it has individual reflectors on the bulbs, is reasonably priced and the feedback on the Aquaticlife products in general has been very high. I plan to add a second strip once I see how this one is. They make a 4 bulb unit that has a fan and built in timer, but I didn't want the timer (prefer more control with 2 independent strips) and I will see about retrofitting these units with fans. Cost is $100 more for the 4 bulb fixture vs. 2x 2 bulb fixtures, and the 2 bulb fixtures use the same exact bulbs, ballasts and reflectors from what I have read.
Unfortunately, most of the higher quality 4 and 6 bulb fixtures don't have 30" models. I would have gone with a TEK 4 bulb fixture, for example, but it would have required suspension over the tank, not an option for my present location.
Coralife makes a 2 and a 4 bulb 30" T5HO fixture that uses the 31W TRUE HO bulbs. The fixtures don't have individual reflectors (critical for T5HO). Also, Coralife is the only ones that sell bulbs, so I elected to go with a fixture that uses the standard 24" bulbs for more bulb selection. This was an easy choice for me, having run a single 150 watt MH over the tank before with plenty of spread, and currently the single 24" T8 NO florescent provides enough coverage (no coral at the moment).
I elected to go with the Aquaticlife 2 bulb fixture: http://www.marinedepot.com/AquaticL...ures-AquaticLife-AK01138-FILTFIT54U-4-vi.html
Its not here yet, so I can't directly comment, but it has individual reflectors on the bulbs, is reasonably priced and the feedback on the Aquaticlife products in general has been very high. I plan to add a second strip once I see how this one is. They make a 4 bulb unit that has a fan and built in timer, but I didn't want the timer (prefer more control with 2 independent strips) and I will see about retrofitting these units with fans. Cost is $100 more for the 4 bulb fixture vs. 2x 2 bulb fixtures, and the 2 bulb fixtures use the same exact bulbs, ballasts and reflectors from what I have read.
Unfortunately, most of the higher quality 4 and 6 bulb fixtures don't have 30" models. I would have gone with a TEK 4 bulb fixture, for example, but it would have required suspension over the tank, not an option for my present location.
Similar threads
