Home Depot T5s ?

[softieatheart]

Can anyone tell me the difference between the T5 light fixtures sold for reef tanks and the T5 fixtures sold at appliance stores like the fixture below?

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...ogId=10053&langId=-1&keyword=T5&storeId=10051

 

[GSMguy]

the biggest difference i see is that the Fixtures sold for our tanks have individual reflectors. t5s are 3x brighter using Individual reflectors than without.

the second difference is active cooling T5 fixtures like the ATI and Stealth use active cooling to keep the bulbs running at optimal temperatures. without this the bulbs burn out much faster.

 

[nanokeeper]

It's really hard to tell from the picture if this fixture has individual reflectors. It would be awesome if it did. Tek fixtures don't have fans and they perform fine.

 

[coralnut99]

It looks like their are reflectors of some sort in there. But they don't seem as close to the bulb as they need to be. If it weren't for the ridiculous price of retro-fit reflectors, you could probably add them on. But that would almost about double the cost of the unit. As GSMguy noted, the biggest thing that sets them apart is individual reflectors, but even at then they are most efficient when less than an inch from the bulb. The picture makes it tough to judge.

 

[rkhettry23]

Home depot t5's also do not have built in timers.

 

[coralnut99]

To take the IP's question a step further:

http://www.hydrowholesale.com/Fluor...ave-T5-T5-Fluorescent-Fixture-2-ft-8-Lamp.asp