imfsub12
Member
There are many things to consider when choosing lighting for your aquarium. Lighting a reef tank can be very subjective, with light recommendations varying according to personal taste, intended livestock and affordability.
Reef tanks need a subtantial amount of light and the color spectrum is very important.
Metal Halides and T5 HO Fluorescents are available in the correct color spectrums for coral growth from 6500K (daylight) to 20,000K (blue). So whether you choose T5 HO Fluorescents or Metal Halides your reef aquarium will thrive.
Fish only and freshwater plant aquariums require far less light than reef aquariums. Lighting that duplicates natural sunlight such as 6500K Metal Halides or T5 Fluorescents is sufficient for most freshwater aquariums. The chart below compares the light output of Metal Halides and T5 HO fluorescents.
Compare Light Output of Metal Halide & T5 Fluorescent
Type Watts Lumens Lumens Life Hours Kilowatt Bulb ulb per Watt Hours Cost
per year**
T5 HO 216 20,000 92.6 20,000 946 $9-15
bulb
Fluorescent
*4-54W
Bulbs
Metal Halide 400 32,000 80 20,000 1,980 $30-$40
* 4- 54W T5HO bulbs are equivalent to to one 400W HPS or MH bulb.
**Assumes bulbs are run 12 hours per day, 365 days per year.
T5 HO Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting
T5 lighting is a relatively new light source in the United States that was originally developed as a light source in combination with specialized reflectors for aquarium lighting. Traditional fluorescent T8 & T12 bulbs are simply not powerfull enough to light an area more than 8-10" below the bulb. However, with the recent introduction of T5 technology, aquarists can now reap the many benefits of using T5 High Output Fluorescent Lighting.
T5 bulbs are extremely thin at 5/8" diameter rather than the standard 1½" diameter of standard fluorescent tubes. This slim profile makes T5 fluorescent bulbs more efficient than standard fluorescent tubes. T5 lights offer many benefits over standard fluorescent's including lamp life, power efficiency, extremely high lumen out, output per watt and small size. A typical 54 Watt T5 HO (High Output) bulb produces 5000 lumens which is equivalent to 92.6 lumens per watt.
Sunlight Supply's T5 Tek Lights are specifically made for aquarium use and feature multiple power switches for better bulb control. For example a four bulb fixture has two power switches, one controls the two outter bulbs while the other controls the two inner bulbs. Sunlight Supply's line of aquarium Tek lights come in 2ft', 3ft', and 4ft. sizes and accomodate from to eight bulbs. Sunlight Supply also manufacture's the economical New Wave T5 fixture which comes in a variety of sizes as well.
Because of their minimal heat output, T5 Fixtures can be placed very close to the tank to maximize the light output. Tank mounting brackets and cable hangers are available for easy installation. Choose from a wide selection of T5 HO bulbs including Aqua, Actinic, Sun or Blue. Aquatic T5 Fluorescent system bulbs are not included with Aquarium Tek Lights.
Mixing T5 HO Fluorescent Bulbs
ATI German T5 Blue: Use 10k or 6500k metal halide lamps to encourage bluing in SPS. Other preferred ratios include 1:1 with Sun Lamps, or 2:1:1 Sun/Blue/Actinic for best blend of bluing and fluorescence.
ATI German T5 HO Sun Full Spectrum 6500K: ideally suited to full spectrum use for growth of SPS and also works great when used in a 1:1 ratio with either the Actinic, or Blue supplementary lamps.
ATI German T5 True Actinic: spikes at 420 nanometers for ultimate fluorescence of capable corals. Use in a 1:1 ratio with either the Sun Full Spectrum 6500K or Blue supplementary lamps.
ATI German Aquablue Full Spectrum 11,000K: has 60% Actinic and 40% white spectrum. The color temperature is approx. 11,000K crisp color as a stand-alone lamp. The aquablue is ideally suited to be used as a standalone, or when used in a 2:1 or 3:1 fashion with Blue or Actinic lamps.
Reef tanks need a subtantial amount of light and the color spectrum is very important.
Metal Halides and T5 HO Fluorescents are available in the correct color spectrums for coral growth from 6500K (daylight) to 20,000K (blue). So whether you choose T5 HO Fluorescents or Metal Halides your reef aquarium will thrive.
Fish only and freshwater plant aquariums require far less light than reef aquariums. Lighting that duplicates natural sunlight such as 6500K Metal Halides or T5 Fluorescents is sufficient for most freshwater aquariums. The chart below compares the light output of Metal Halides and T5 HO fluorescents.
Compare Light Output of Metal Halide & T5 Fluorescent
Type Watts Lumens Lumens Life Hours Kilowatt Bulb ulb per Watt Hours Cost
per year**
T5 HO 216 20,000 92.6 20,000 946 $9-15
bulb
Fluorescent
*4-54W
Bulbs
Metal Halide 400 32,000 80 20,000 1,980 $30-$40
* 4- 54W T5HO bulbs are equivalent to to one 400W HPS or MH bulb.
**Assumes bulbs are run 12 hours per day, 365 days per year.
T5 HO Fluorescent Aquarium Lighting
T5 lighting is a relatively new light source in the United States that was originally developed as a light source in combination with specialized reflectors for aquarium lighting. Traditional fluorescent T8 & T12 bulbs are simply not powerfull enough to light an area more than 8-10" below the bulb. However, with the recent introduction of T5 technology, aquarists can now reap the many benefits of using T5 High Output Fluorescent Lighting.
T5 bulbs are extremely thin at 5/8" diameter rather than the standard 1½" diameter of standard fluorescent tubes. This slim profile makes T5 fluorescent bulbs more efficient than standard fluorescent tubes. T5 lights offer many benefits over standard fluorescent's including lamp life, power efficiency, extremely high lumen out, output per watt and small size. A typical 54 Watt T5 HO (High Output) bulb produces 5000 lumens which is equivalent to 92.6 lumens per watt.
Sunlight Supply's T5 Tek Lights are specifically made for aquarium use and feature multiple power switches for better bulb control. For example a four bulb fixture has two power switches, one controls the two outter bulbs while the other controls the two inner bulbs. Sunlight Supply's line of aquarium Tek lights come in 2ft', 3ft', and 4ft. sizes and accomodate from to eight bulbs. Sunlight Supply also manufacture's the economical New Wave T5 fixture which comes in a variety of sizes as well.
Because of their minimal heat output, T5 Fixtures can be placed very close to the tank to maximize the light output. Tank mounting brackets and cable hangers are available for easy installation. Choose from a wide selection of T5 HO bulbs including Aqua, Actinic, Sun or Blue. Aquatic T5 Fluorescent system bulbs are not included with Aquarium Tek Lights.
Mixing T5 HO Fluorescent Bulbs
ATI German T5 Blue: Use 10k or 6500k metal halide lamps to encourage bluing in SPS. Other preferred ratios include 1:1 with Sun Lamps, or 2:1:1 Sun/Blue/Actinic for best blend of bluing and fluorescence.
ATI German T5 HO Sun Full Spectrum 6500K: ideally suited to full spectrum use for growth of SPS and also works great when used in a 1:1 ratio with either the Actinic, or Blue supplementary lamps.
ATI German T5 True Actinic: spikes at 420 nanometers for ultimate fluorescence of capable corals. Use in a 1:1 ratio with either the Sun Full Spectrum 6500K or Blue supplementary lamps.
ATI German Aquablue Full Spectrum 11,000K: has 60% Actinic and 40% white spectrum. The color temperature is approx. 11,000K crisp color as a stand-alone lamp. The aquablue is ideally suited to be used as a standalone, or when used in a 2:1 or 3:1 fashion with Blue or Actinic lamps.
