# fact check big al's advice on lighting



## colisalalia (May 17, 2011)

So I just called the tech support at Big Al's. I was inquiring about the T5.

He said there is no reason to get a T5 unless I plan to do C02 or CO2 supplements. He said I will just get algae.

He suggested a T8 fixture to get good coverage with a good full spectrum bulb.

He said I would have very slow growing plants if I don't do C02 additives.

He said to stay with proper groupings- no C02, slow plants, T8

or do T5 HO, C02 added and fast plants.

Is he right?

Thanks,

Christy


----------



## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

It's not bad advice. You can get by without CO2 on most tanks with a T5HO, but you'd have to raise the fixture well above the rim with anything other than a single T5HO bulb. Financially speaking, if you want a low tech tank, certain shoplights directly over the tank will be just as effective as a couple T5HO's raised a foot or more above it. The vast majority of posts entitled "HELP! ALGAE!!!" involve too much lighting.

IMO, the advantage to buying a T5HO fixture over anything else is that when you eventually do decide to go high-tech (and you will  ) all you need to do for the lighting is lower the fixture.

Don't get me wrong - a T5HO will work just fine for any purpose, including yours. But, for low-tech, the guy at Big Al's was correct - a couple (or even four) T8 tubes with a decent reflector will do everything you want, and will likely be much cheaper.


----------



## ubr0ke (Jul 28, 2010)

wow a chain store giving good advice...I think get the t8s....if you want better growth then add co2....if you still want more growth then add more light...t8 fixtures are cheap.. start there if you want low tech..


----------



## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Best advice from a large store I've ever seen. We don't know anything about your tank.... so hard to say otherwise.


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

The Coralife T5NOs can work pretty well for taller low tech tanks, but I keep hearing they've been discontinued. If that's the case, that does leave dual bulb T8 fixtures probably the best secondary option for most low tech tanks unless someone wants to DIY.


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

It isn't true that you shouldn't use CO2 unless you are using T5 lights. CO2 is a great advantage for any tank, with any amount of light. With low light and good CO2 you can grow almost all plants very well, just slowly.


----------



## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

Hoppy said:


> It isn't true that you shouldn't use CO2 unless you are using T5 lights. CO2 is a great advantage for any tank, with any amount of light. With low light and good CO2 you can grow almost all plants very well, just slowly.


I don't think that the advice was to NOT use co2 if you are using t8. More that it was that co2 was mandatory with t5ho.


----------



## snafuspyramid (May 27, 2010)

That is solid advice.

However, Excel (or gluteraldehyde) can work great with T5HO, provided you're sensible.

You can always raise your lights if they're too high.

T5HO runs much cheaper and cooler, and takes up much less space (although the bulbs can cost). I've not regretted buying them.


----------



## OverStocked (May 26, 2007)

snafuspyramid said:


> That is solid advice.
> 
> However, Excel (or gluteraldehyde) can work great with T5HO, provided you're sensible.
> 
> ...



This message is way different than your first draft.!

I don't think you will save any money using t5ho in a non co2 tank. You have to raise the bulb way up and they still consume more power than t8 that provide low light. 
Sent from my LogicPD Zoom2 using Tapatalk


----------



## lauraleellbp (Feb 3, 2008)

I think it's a pretty good in terms of general advice, but once you get down to the nitty-gritty of any individual setup, you'll always find exceptions...

I do run T5HO over my own low tech 90gal (2x54 watts) and have found ways to make it work without CO2 or regular Excel... but I'd also agree that it's pretty challenging to keep everything in balance, CO2 would probably help against the occasional BBA and Clado breakouts the tank experiences, and I do have to maintain a pretty short photoperiod.

I think what I'm saying here is "what's possible" is different from "best advice" to give to a newbie just setting up their planted tank. IMO avoiding T5HO if you don't want to do CO2/Excel in most cases is good advice.


----------



## ktownhero (Mar 21, 2011)

Why is everybody jumping to the conclusion that the OP would have to raise a T5HO "way up" above his/her tank? We don't know anything about what they are considering buying or the size tank they are talking about. 

Depending on the tank height, a single T5HO bulb could be laid directly on the top and still provide "low light". It certainly can be hung 4"-6" off the water surface on a tank 18+ inches tall.


----------



## colisalalia (May 17, 2011)

I have a 20 gallon long. The spot next to my desk where I would be able to watch it the most and get the most pleasure has an overhang of a cabinet that will cover the back half of the tank sitting 4.5 inches above the tank. The light would have to fit in that space.

So there isn't really an option for hanging it high above.

I really like the slim look of the t5. Someday the tank may go somewhere else.

If I did get a t5 normal output dual which are going for about $50 now, would it still be too much light sitting on the tank with it's brackets?

Or do you know of a fixture for the t8 that looks nicer than the hoods or shop lights? How many, which brand and which type of t8s should I get?

My current 5 gallon tank that I am getting rid of has an eclipse 10w spiral compact fluorescent. My crypts are the only thing that were okay in there. Of course it could be other reasons than the light but it still makes me worried about going too low. They made the fixture sit in front of the filter so the light gets blocked to the back of the tank.


Thanks for your help,

Christy

Thanks

Thanks


----------



## fresh.salty (Jul 2, 2010)

Getting any kind of spread from a single bulb sitting on top of the tank is unlikely. But then I don't see anything about tank size.


----------



## colisalalia (May 17, 2011)

I think we were typing at the same time. Check the post before yours for the type of tank and set up.

Thanks


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

A 20 long tank is only 12 inches high, and 12 inches front to back. You really can't use any 2 bulb T5 light on that tank, without it being medium or high light, where CO2 is essential. If you wanted to DIY a single bulb T5NO light, that would work, but nothing in your post makes me believe you want to to that.

One option always available is to use fiberglass window screen as a light filter between the light and the tank. A Coralife 2 bulb T5NO light, with 2 layers of window screen would give you low light, enough for growing plants, but not so much that CO2 would be essential. With T5HO lights, it would take more layers of window screen than would be practical to drop the intensity to low light.


----------



## colisalalia (May 17, 2011)

I don't mind a single T5. Does the light spread enough?

Thanks,

Christy


----------



## colisalalia (May 17, 2011)

I don't mind getting a single bulb. I could get a 36 inch so I don't have such an irregular size bulb. That would be great. They are on sale. I could buy an extra bulb for next year. 

The other poster said there wouldn't be good enough spread with that depending on the tank. Would it work for a 12 inch deep tank?

Thanks again.


----------



## ktownhero (Mar 21, 2011)

Yeah, a single T5HO directly above a 20L is going to be high light. You'll want the light to be suspended 10"-12" above the water level... maybe higher. A 36" bulb isn't a bad idea if you have some house plants to put on the sides of the aquarium that will love the spill over. You might need to raise that bulb even higher though, my former recommendation was based on using a 22" bulb (which is what I use over my 29).


----------



## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

20 Long ~	30 x 12 x 12 so one 24" T5HO fixture with good reflector should work fine. It's easier to tone it down with window screen than trying to brighten up a T8 fixture later on, which by the way is going to have a much larger HxW profile.

My tank has two Sun Blaster single strip fixtures with attached reflectors and they only have a 2"x2" profile and I just set them on top of my glass tank cover. Sun Blaze T5HO strips with reflectors are good too.

I went with Sun Blaster as I needed a 36" light and I liked the clip on reflector implementation better. Cost me $45 per light.


----------



## colisalalia (May 17, 2011)

Do you mean mosquito net when you say window screen?

I keep seeing replies with HO and NO. Shouldn't I get the normal output?

Thanks


----------



## ktownhero (Mar 21, 2011)

colisalalia said:


> I keep seeing replies with HO and NO. Shouldn't I get the normal output?Thanks


If you can find a NO fixture, yes... they are great. The problem is that they aren't really made in the hobby any more. You can rig something up from home depot though.


----------



## kuni (May 7, 2010)

Big Al's is right. Go with two T8s and you'll be in business. You could also do twist CFL (or walmart aquarium) bulbs - there are several commercially made reptile hoods that would work well for this purpose.


----------



## kevmo911 (Sep 24, 2010)

You can also do 2 or 3 of these. Really easy to get high light with 23w bulbs, and raise them a bit to lower the light.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_203219-1373..._prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1

And check this sticky, post #21 for more info on them.

http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/85667-par-data-spiral-power-saver-bulbs.html


----------



## Hoppy (Dec 24, 2005)

colisalalia said:


> Do you mean mosquito net when you say window screen?
> 
> I keep seeing replies with HO and NO. Shouldn't I get the normal output?
> 
> Thanks


Home Depot sells fiberglass "insect screen" for ordinary window screens. That's the one I tested. It reduces the intensity 40% for each layer you use. One layer leaves you with 60% of the intensity. Two layers with 36%, and 3 layers with 22%, etc. (Intensity equals original intensity times .6 to the n power, where n = the number of layers.)


----------



## kuni (May 7, 2010)

Here's a link to the 30" reptile hood I was referring to:

http://www.petstore.com/Coralife_(E...ht_Fixtures-Coralife-ES00434-RPLILI-0-vi.html

(better prices can be found if you shop around)

This has some advantages over an aquarium hood - it's cheap, contains no ballast, so there's very little that can break. Bulb replacements are generally cheaper, too! The fact it's painted white inside is another nice bonus, as that reflects light into the aquarium better than most reflectors.

I would try one of these with two Wal-Mart aquarium screw-in bulbs, which are a little nicer than your average CFL daylight twist.


----------



## audioaficionado (Apr 19, 2011)

colisalalia said:


> I keep seeing replies with HO and NO. Shouldn't I get the normal output?
> Thanks


I had a dual lamp T5NO and the problem was that it had no reflector option, thus it was no better than a typical T8. My T5HO cost exactly the same as the NO fixture and it had the option of a reflector for at least twice the efficiency.

One T5HO w/ good reflector is brighter than two T8s without a reflector.

Still, Big Al's advice is good in your case, but if you decide to go with higher lighting levels at a later time, you'll have to get a new fixture.


----------



## Darth Toro (Mar 6, 2010)

kuni said:


> Here's a link to the 30" reptile hood I was referring to:
> 
> http://www.petstore.com/Coralife_(E...ht_Fixtures-Coralife-ES00434-RPLILI-0-vi.html
> 
> ...


I like this idea. Have you used it and if so over what size tank?


----------



## kingdave (Feb 20, 2010)

To those of you that mentioned that the Coralife 36" double T5NO fixture might be unavailable: I just ordered one on Amazon.com for $61.00 shipped (sold by Petstore.com). I'll be using this 42 watt fixture to replace 34 watts worth of T8 lighting on an 18" tall tank. The problem with the T8's is that the tubes are only 24" long over a 36" long tank and don't cover the whole width. I'll give my review of the fixture once I have it if anyone is interested.


----------



## Hilde (May 19, 2008)

My favorite is SolarMax T5NO, which is sold at Pet Blvd. 

I have the coralife T5NO for I got it for $18. When I need replacement bulbs I will get them from Pet Blvd.


----------

