edmondsng Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Hi all, Hope you all have a great Christmas. Where can I get T5 or T8 flouresent tubes from? Apart from the LFS. I am aftering brands like Sylvannia or Phillips. I heard there are really good for plant growth. Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penguinleo Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 If you are going for plants, go for T5s. They are awesome. Very effective. But...sorry I do not know where do get some besides from LFS. But why not LFS? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
purplecatfish Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 But why not LFS? Mainly the price. You can get T5 and T8 from any electrical wholesaler as the "T" just refers to the bulb diameter (and length?). There are some posts worth taking a look at. e.g. Maran's one on Kelvin ratings: p2 replies by Warren. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Try Mastertrade, Stewarts, Rexel, Ideal Electrical or any good lighting shop. Unless you know someone in the electrical trade they'll likely charge you retail. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Mainly the price. If you can't get the lights at wholesale then the LFS is often similar price so may as well go with a good daylight tube from them. T5's in the colour range you'll be looking for are a bit harder to find at wholesalers but not impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maran Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Before you buy T5 over T8, have a look at this article. It says for 25C temp, they are the same efficacy. Given T8, you can find more of the colours you would want.... Think about it. http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/l ... t5/pc7.asp T5 high output (T5 HO) lamps have greater luminous flux per unit length than standard T8 lamps, but the light output of standard T5 lamps per unit length is almost identical to the standard T8 lamps. If, however, this question requires a more precise answer and lamp efficacy needs to be taken into account, several factors affecting the light output-and therefore efficacy—should be considered. One of the most significant factors affecting lamp light output is ambient temperature. Table 1-7 summarizes light outputs and efficacies of nominal four-foot standard T5, T5 HO, and standard T8 lamps. Manufacturers usually provide light output data at the optimal temperature for each lamp type in their catalogs: 35°C (95°F) for the standard T5 and T5 HO lamps and 25°C (77°F) for the T8 lamps. Light output data for T5 lamps at 25°C (77°F) and for T8 lamps at 35°C (95°F) are also available from manufacturers, however. Table 1-7 shows that, at 25°C (77°F), the light output of T8 lamps is higher than the standard T5 lamps. At 35°C (95°F), however, the standard T5's light output is higher than that of the T8 lamp. With respect to lamp efficacy, the standard T5 lamps are more efficacious than the standard T8 lamps at 35°C (95°F), but the two types of lamps are nearly identical at 25°C (77°F). The lamp efficacy of T5 HO lamps is higher than the T8 lamps but lower than the standard T5 lamps at 35°C (95°F), and it is the lowest at 25°C (77°F). ( all of the above is from the metnioned website, lighting reasearch center) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maran Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 But i guess the lamp does heat up in the closed hood in the fish tanks-so temp might be well above 35C...., when T5 becomes better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richms Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Also, the t5 ho tubes mean you need less of them, so getting more of the usable light out of them into the tank is easier. If you have to put in so many tubes that they are virtually touching, then a lot of light will just hit the next tube over and be absorbed by it, instead of hitting the reflector and then the tank. Also, T5's are slightly shorter so when you make your hood without thinking about how the lights going to fit, they will fit whereas a t8 will not. t5 ho batten fittings are a lot more expensive then a cheap t8 one, but comparable to a decent t8, so you gain in the lower number of fittings you need unless you like buying the cheapest thorn piece of crap that there is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmondsng Posted December 25, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 How much would a T5 be worth? What is the life of a T5 or T8 bulb? I realize that T5 might last for a bit longer. Many thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoban Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 I tend to replace bulbs anywhere between 6 and 8 monthes with the RARE replacement being a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maran Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 If you have read the full article above, it says both about 20000hrs life time. I would probably think of changinging it after 15000. thats about 150 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maran Posted December 25, 2006 Report Share Posted December 25, 2006 Does anyone know what colour/CRI lights are available in T5? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richms Posted December 26, 2006 Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 If you have read the full article above, it says both about 20000hrs life time. I would probably think of changinging it after 15000. thats about 150 days. Perhaps if you run them 100 hours a day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zoban Posted December 26, 2006 Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 15000 / 24 = 625 days or 20.83 monthes based on an average 30 day month so numbers are screwy somewhere there. That is also assuming 24-7 operation which would drive the fish nutty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maran Posted December 26, 2006 Report Share Posted December 26, 2006 My bad. numbers are screwy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazzard Posted December 27, 2006 Report Share Posted December 27, 2006 I have just purchased 4x t5ho for my new tank. I went with the recommended 3x blue and 1x white,however when they arrived one of them was a red one. Curiosity got the best of us so we had to try it out. It gave a sort of pink tinge to the tank that didnt look that good so we returned it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richms Posted December 27, 2006 Report Share Posted December 27, 2006 I have just purchased 4x t5ho for my new tank. where did you get them and what did it end up costing you all up? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hazzard Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 4x tube,2x ballasts, 8x tube end holders $ 240ish Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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