i know is a stupit ?? what is a t5

[thesaent14]

i dont know what is a t5 what powers it and are they good how many recomend a t5

 

[HappyReefer2]

Look up the FAQ or Q&A on T5 lighting. This is the newest flourescent lighting for saltwater tanks... extremely bright and runs very cool (not hot). The best alternative to Metal Halide lighting.

 

[Entropy]

A new an improved version of the flourescent bulb. The letter T basically stands for 1/8 of a inch (1/8"), so T5=5/8" in diameter. Because they are skinnier, you can use a much more efficient reflector to get more light into the tank.

 

[thesaent14]

are they power by a ballast or similar sours of power

 

[Entropy]

Yep

 

[gfk]

whats a leading reason to go for t5's over MH?

MH appears to be slightly cheaper

 

[Entropy]

Heat IMO. T5's generally run cooler which can be an issue on smaller tanks for sure. I prefer metal halides because they are point source and give you glitter lines, plus they penetrate deeper into the tank than T5's.

 

[Morgandy]

Can I have like 8 T5's plugged into 1 ballast? I need to look them up in detail, but just wanted high level overview too. thx!

 

[Entropy]

What size/wattage T5's?

 

[Entropy]

You will probably end up with at least two ballasts on an eight bulb setup (2 IceCaps or 4 triads). Having more than one ballast is better IMO, just in case one fails (you still have one or more that will work so at least you tank will have partial lighting while you are waiting on a replacement.