Quick Lighting question

[thefallenangel]

Any comments on these lights:
Catfish Lighting 54 Watt High Output T6 Retro-Fit Fluorescent Light Strips.
They can come with either 12K Full day bulb or Blue Actinic Moon Bulb. I'm only looking to keep basic corals ( no clams or anemones ). I have a 55 gal.
I can fit 4 or 5 lights so 216 - 270 watts. They are $29.95 a piece.
Thankx for your help

 

[scsinet]

T6 lighting is all but obsolete nowadays. It may be difficult to find lamps that fit down the road.
Another thing I noticed is that the products on Catfish's web site look suspiciously like Jebo/Oddysea stuff. That brand has good prices, but ...let's just say the quality matches the price.

 

[thefallenangel]

I didn't realize T6 lighting is obsolete. I thought they were the newist thing. Silly me. It's hard to search T6 lighting on this forum because "t6" isn't enough letters.
Guessing the Nova T5 Retrofit 28 watts are not very good because there is no reflector. Even though they are only about 20 bucks a piece. Correct?

 

[scsinet]

I hadn't heard of it before, but on another thread of a similar topic another member on here mentioned that it was introduced more or less just before or at the same time as T5 lighting, but T5 is what took off. I researched and read the same.
Of course, at 29 bucks a pop, you could almost replace the entire fixture when a bulb change came due.

 

[thefallenangel]

Is the FINNEX T5 HO (4) FLUORESCENT FIXTURE any good? Has a reflector, but not for each bulb.
and
Is the Catalina Aquarium's 2 X 54 watt T5 HO any good?
Thankx

 

[scsinet]

sorry, I've no experience with either of these.
As far as the reflector goes, generally individual reflectors are best, but I'm not convinced they are absolutely necessary... you just loose a little efficiency.