T5 lighting question

Discussion in 'Planted Tanks' started by 10i, Feb 21, 2010.

  1. 10i

    10i catfish-a-holic

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    So I have been thinking about why plants grow so well in my 20 litre yebo all in one tank.

    Turns out it's running T5 lighting with 1 watt per litre of water.
    Now, my question is this: can it be done on a larger scale?

    I am looking to get a 2ft aquarium up and running soon and can remember my previous one that only had 1 watt per 3 litres of water. The T5 I have now is a very short tube, would it be possible to install 3 of these in the hood of my new tank? What would the costs be? :idea:
     
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  3. Max98

    Max98

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    You get 60cm t5 tubes that is more efficient and easier to get tubes.
    Definitely better than the short ones.
     
  4. Sean J

    Sean J

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    You get 24watt T5's. They should fit in there, but you might have to place them at strange angles in the canopy to fit them in. If you custom build your canopy, they will fit fine. You might struggle with the normal black canopy.
     
  5. OP
    10i

    10i catfish-a-holic

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    What do they sell for plus, minus?
     
  6. KiazerG

    KiazerG Sailfin Molly

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    DONT buy them from an LPS as you will get ripped off... check if you can get to a voltex, lamphouse or other electrical shop and you can pick them up for +- R45
     
  7. OP
    10i

    10i catfish-a-holic

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    I think we do have a voltex electrical in town ... but if a place like that sells them, what are they also used for except for aquariums? surely voltex wouldn't sell aquarium only products?
     
  8. KiazerG

    KiazerG Sailfin Molly

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    just get the sylvanias... i bought mine from lamphouse and they had the sylvania aquarium range.
     
  9. Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    Shops use them in display cabinets.
    They get used in undercounter lighting as well
     
  10. Bufamotis

    Bufamotis

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    i found a lamphouse in linbro park the other day, but they only get aquarium fluorescent tubes in stock in a month or so... at least now i know where to get reletively good stuff at affordable prices.
     
  11. OP
    10i

    10i catfish-a-holic

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    i got a t8 15 watt tube for r60 is that expensive? voltex seems to have closed down in jbay... so i bought my stuff at the pet shop instead.
     
  12. KiazerG

    KiazerG Sailfin Molly

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    mmm its okay.... depends on the make of the globe
     
  13. OP
    10i

    10i catfish-a-holic

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    what I meant to ask was, would it be a good thing to buy another 15 watt balast and T8 light - I made some reflectors out of laminated white gloss paper sheets and siliconed them inside my hood, the tank looks brightly lit - but is 10 000k T8 15 watt's enough to properly light a 3ft tank for plant growth?
     
  14. Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    The more T5's you can put in, the better.

    The general accepted rule of thumb is 1 Watt of light per gallon for good growth. For difficult plants, you need to up that to 3 watss.

    T5's and twice as good as T8's. Meaning a T5 15w is twice as good as a 15w T8. Or rather, a 15w T5 = 7.5w T8.

    T8 globes are 50% on and 50% off. They flicker at such a high frequency that our eyes do not pick it up... but basically half the time the globe is off. T5's are on 100% of the time.
     
  15. Laure

    Laure Cyano Terminator

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    I fail to understand how micro seconds of "off time" can impact photosynthesis. As far as I know the main difference between T5 and T8 is efficiency, in other words, light output per watts. And T5 is about 30% more efficient.
     
  16. Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    I also don't understand the impact... but I don't photosynthesise, so I wouldn't know.
     
  17. Zafgak

    Zafgak Old fart

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    To answer some of the queries above - The T5's from voltex etc - are essentially the same tubes as those packaged for aquariums, get the right K value and it is the same thing.
    T5's are far more efficient than T8's BUT T2's are even better ( Sorry not available in SA YET)
    The "flicker" time is essentially the same for any tube - depends on the type of ballst you are using...
     
  18. Laure

    Laure Cyano Terminator

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  19. Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    OLD FART is back online!!!!
     
  20. ACE007

    ACE007 VA-TI-KA-KI

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    That's why it's raining in Cape Town!!! :blink1::blink1::blink1:
     
  21. Zoom

    Zoom Retired Moderator

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    They need the rain more in the Eastern Cape tho!!
     

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