# Coralife F/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light,,, help me out here!!!



## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

hey guys i have a Coralife F/W T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light- 48 inches... its for a 75G, right now i have piranhas in it (soon to be sold) but i have not clue what kind of bulbs are in it im pretty sure the one is a 6700K but im not sure and i dont know what the other one is, and i also have no clue where i could find a bulb for that fixture in MI, any help here? and i also dont want to be spending a fortune on the new bulbs for this tank as its not going to be getting and ferts (will get excel and DIY CO2) i want to start to plant it slowly and than make it a community tank...


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## J.B. (Nov 16, 2006)

If you haven't ever replaced the bulbs in it, it will have one 6,700K bulb and one 10,000K bulb in it. 

As for finding replacement bulbs for it in your area, I can't help you there, but BigAl's dot com is where I buy replacements for my CoraLife fixtures. I think they are pretty fair with their pricing.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

alright thanks a ton man =]


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

what are the best combinations for plants???


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

wadesharp said:


> what are the best combinations for plants???


The planted setup coralife has I am guessing is the T-5NO strip, comes with a coloramax bulb and a 6700k bulb. Some do not like the look of the colormax bulb, but I think it makes the plants and fish pop. (the bulb itself has a pinkish hue)


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

yea thanks what i have but to be honest i cant tell the difference because i havent seen my tank with a different bulb in it so... and pictures wont help because its not my tank haha


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

wadesharp said:


> yea thanks what i have but to be honest i cant tell the difference because i havent seen my tank with a different bulb in it so... and pictures wont help because its not my tank haha


I really cant see the pink coloration that others say they see. I have a 5500k in my 10 gal. and I can see the difference by comparing them together. The 10 gal is much more yellow, while the 36 is a very bright green.


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## odie (Dec 29, 2009)

What is the "K" rating for the Colormax?


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

i have no clue it does not say on any web sites i checked or on the bulb its self


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## shane3fan (Nov 2, 2009)

odie said:


> What is the "K" rating for the Colormax?


 
http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/76552-colormax-bulbs.html


FWIW, I replaced the colormax bulb in one of my tanks with a 10000K bulb last night and I am happy with the looks. I now have a 6700K and a 10000K in the tank. Time will tell as far as plant growth goes, but I like the visual aspect of it.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

shane3fan said:


> http://www.plantedtank.net/forums/lighting/76552-colormax-bulbs.html
> 
> 
> FWIW, I replaced the colormax bulb in one of my tanks with a 10000K bulb last night and I am happy with the looks. I now have a 6700K and a 10000K in the tank. Time will tell as far as plant growth goes, but I like the visual aspect of it.


thanks... i was planing on ordering my 10000K bulb once i get a job... (in one week)


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## Angels7 (May 27, 2008)

I have another question in regards to the Coralife T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light in my 65 gallon tank and really didn't want to start another thread since it is in regards to the same light. As stated, it has two lights, A 6700K bulb (F21-T5-8P) and a colormax bulb (F21-T5-8P). I have Java Ferns, Amazon Swords, Annubias, and Wisteria in my tank. The problem is that I think the light is too bright for some of my Tetras because they don't swim around with the lights on. They pretty much hover around in one spot. I noticed that they only swim around the tank and school after I turn the lights off.

My question is, can I replace one of the bulbs with another one that doesn't make the tank too bright without doing damage to my plants? If so, please advise which one I can replace and with what.

My plants are growing great but I really want to enjoy watching the fish swim around instead of hovering in one spot most of the time when the lights are on.

Thanks


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

Angels7 said:


> I have another question in regards to the Coralife T-5 Aqualight Double Strip Light in my 65 gallon tank and really didn't want to start another thread since it is in regards to the same light. As stated, it has two lights, A 6700K bulb (F21-T5-8P) and a colormax bulb (F21-T5-8P). I have Java Ferns, Amazon Swords, Annubias, and Wisteria in my tank. The problem is that I think the light is too bright for some of my Tetras because they don't swim around with the lights on. They pretty much hover around in one spot. I noticed that they only swim around the tank and school after I turn the lights off.
> 
> My question is, can I replace one of the bulbs with another one that doesn't make the tank too bright without doing damage to my plants? If so, please advise which one I can replace and with what.
> 
> ...


My tetras tend to stay in the bottom half of the tank where there is more shade under my plants. I had never thought that it could be due to the lights. occasionally they will wander out and go above the plants, for brief amounts of time though.


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## Angels7 (May 27, 2008)

I only noticed it over the past week. I usually turn the lights off and leave the room. But lately I have been staying in the room and noticed that when I turned the lights out each night, that is when they started swimming all around the tank. It may or may not have to do with the lights but I wanted to try and reduce the lighting just to see if it would make a difference or not.The only thing I may be concerned about if I reduce the lighting, is whether or not less light will cause some kind of algae outbreak. I have never had any algae problems since I set up the tank a year ago. People always comment on how clear my water is and how clean the tank is and I want to keep it that way if at all possible.


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## Angels7 (May 27, 2008)

I took out the colormax bulb and left the 6700K bulb in the lighting fixture just to see if the Tetras would swim around more and one of the groups are actually schooling around the tank. It is quite a bit darker though and I hope it doesn't cause my plants to die. The plants that need more light are in the background which is directly under the lights so hopefully it will be okay.

I really don't know much about lighting. Which bulb is actually better for the plants? The 6700K watt or the Colormax? Is it okay to only use one for now or should I use two of the same bulb that emit less light? 

I want to keep both my plants and my fish happy :icon_wink So if someone could give me their opinion I would really appreciate it.

Thanks


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

just try and get a 10,000K bulbs plants will do really good under that if done right


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## Angels7 (May 27, 2008)

Thanks Wadesharp. I'll go out and get one as soon as this blizzard calms down.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

you might have to order it like i have to... here is a link.... http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsUS/ctl3684/cp18356/cl0/lighting look around on there and you should have good luck im going to order my 48" 10,000k light bulb in a few days


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## Angels7 (May 27, 2008)

Thanks again. I forgot that is where I ordered my light in the first place. 

I have another question.... since it is a double strip light and I am only going to put one light bulb in it, what do I do with the other strip? Is it okay to leave it empty? 

I really love it that my fish are swimming all over the tank now. Never thought that light affected them as much as it did but now I know.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

just use both the 6,700k and the 10,000k light bulbs most people dont have a single problems with there fish hiding... they might just be shy and not use to people walking around them just give them some time to get use to you and other people in the house... like my piranhas will only eat and swim in the open when im there because i dont let many other people in my bed room where my tank is...


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

Angels7 said:


> Thanks again. I forgot that is where I ordered my light in the first place.
> 
> I have another question.... since it is a double strip light and I am only going to put one light bulb in it, what do I do with the other strip? Is it okay to leave it empty?
> 
> I really love it that my fish are swimming all over the tank now. Never thought that light affected them as much as it did but now I know.


Do you have any other light in the room? I just glanced at my tank, and realized that all of my glow lights which usually stay in the shade of the plants all day, are moving all over the tank. It seems to me that the light in the room is making them a little shy too.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

what i would recommend for both of you(noahma, and angels7) is to get some frog bit or some other type of floating plants to cover part of the top of the fish tank so the whole tank will have a little more shade with the same amount/ power of light... thats what i have seen some people do and its cheap... (frog bit grows FAST to so thats why i recommend that) and just use a 6700k and a 10000k bulb


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## bsmith (Jan 8, 2007)

Couple of things, I have 96w of t5HO light above my 37g that are in a fixture with highly polished single reflector. I also have a coralife t5 dual strip and I can say the light on the 37g is more then 2x's the output, more like 4x's. In that tank are Cardinal tetras (13) and they swim all over the place in their school no problem. Personally I would say there is something else erking them, tetras can be finicky when not in a decent group (10 or more).

In my Coralife t5 strip I have the 6700k/10000k combo and I have to say that it has the best color rendition of ANY of my fixtures, I love the way it makes the tank look. I'm actually contemplating ordering 2-6700's and 2-10000's for my HO unit and over driving them. At less then half the price of the current bulbs it would make it easier to replace them slightly more often


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## Delslo (Feb 5, 2010)

why not just raise up the light a bit higher? I know that it attaches to the side of the tank, but a quick bit of wood work could raise up the light 4 inches or so and reduce the light enough to get the fish moving, keep enough light for the plants, and not have to be constantly scooping out duckweed.


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## wadesharp (Nov 27, 2009)

Delslo said:


> why not just raise up the light a bit higher? I know that it attaches to the side of the tank, but a quick bit of wood work could raise up the light 4 inches or so and reduce the light enough to get the fish moving, keep enough light for the plants, and not have to be constantly scooping out duckweed.


to be honest i totally forgot about doing that HAHAHA


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## Noahma (Oct 18, 2009)

wadesharp said:


> what i would recommend for both of you(noahma, and angels7) is to get some frog bit or some other type of floating plants to cover part of the top of the fish tank so the whole tank will have a little more shade with the same amount/ power of light... thats what i have seen some people do and its cheap... (frog bit grows FAST to so thats why i recommend that) and just use a 6700k and a 10000k bulb


The problem with adding even more shading to the tank would be some of my plants would probably end up kicking the bucket. The fixture I am using is over a 21" deep tank. My Glowlights spend most of the time in the shaded lower end of the tank swimming along the front. About half of my Tetras do the same, while moving into the back of the tank with the rest of the neons among the lower end of the plants. They get quite a bit more active around feeding time lol darting across the tank to grab whatever made it to the bottom after getting their fill from the initial feed. Occasionally they will venture above the mid point of the tank. Maybe it is the Danio's and Rainbow fish that might be a bit too active for them? I wish to stay away from the duck weed, that stuff is a plague if you wish to rid yourself of it lol. I have thought about floating plants, although I fear that the shade they would produce would harm the plants below. After my lotus plants get a sufficient amount of leaves under the water, I will be letting some of the pads reach the surface again.
after watching a few more Youtube videos, they seem to act very similar to the videos lol. I had Neons and Glowlights when I was a kid (when my dad used to take care of the tanks) But have not had them myself since then. I thought I remembered them being much more active, maybe not though lol.


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## lake_tuna (Jan 20, 2010)

Hey guys, I'm reviving this thread because it seems that many of you have replaced bulbs on your Coralife dual light strip fixture. I have this (http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...5/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight30) from Big Al, and the Colormax bulb died after 5 month (!).. I tried to take out one of the bulbs, but I cannot get it out. The two bulbs are too tightly placed, and I'm unable to get a grip onto the bulb ends.. how did you guys get the bulb out??


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## [email protected] (Jul 17, 2008)

Check out your nearest couple of Petco stores. They are clearing out Coralife everything. 
My local store was selling Colormax and Daylight T5HO bulbs for $5.00 and $7.00 each. 
Good luck.


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## lake_tuna (Jan 20, 2010)

[email protected] said:


> Check out your nearest couple of Petco stores. They are clearing out Coralife everything.
> My local store was selling Colormax and Daylight T5HO bulbs for $5.00 and $7.00 each.
> Good luck.


hm.. I did today, but they didn't have any (none actually in any brand) 30" light bulbs. However... I didn't check out the clearance section.


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