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T5 Aquarium Lighting

Go to: T5 AQUARIUM LIGHTING GENERAL INFO (bottom of page)
Go to: REEF AQUARIUM HOOD LIGHTING CHART
Go to: REEF AQUARIUM RETROFIT LIGHTING CHART
Go to: FRESHWATER PLANTED TANK & FISH ONLY TANK LIGHT CHART
Go to: T5 REPLACEMENT BULB CHART

T5 Aquarium Lights by Length
T5 Fixtures: 18" & 20" T5 Fixtures: 24" T5 Fixtures: 30"
T5 Fixtures: 36" T5 Fixtures: 48" T5 Fixtures: 60"

 
T5 Fixtures: 72"
 
T5 Retrofits: 24" T5 Retrofits: 36" T5 Retrofits: 48"
T5 Fixtures: Aquatic Life 2 Lamp T5 Fixtures: AquaticLife 4, 6 & 8 Lamp SALE!!
For Reef & Saltwater Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The AquaticLife 2 Lamp Marine Fixtures comes with 10K & 420/460 T5 HO Lamps. They can be linked together to make 4 or 6 lamp fixtures.
For Reef Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The AquaticLife T5 HO 4 Lamp, 6 Lamp & 8 Lamp Fixtures w/ Lunar Lights combine 420/460 nm Actinic lamps, 700+ nm (10K daylight) lamps, 460/620nm Purple lamps and Lunar lights in one streamlined unit—controlled by a built in digital timer.
T5 Fixtures: AquaticLife Freshwater SALE!! T5 Fixtures: Coralife Aqualight Freshwater HO
For Freshwater Planted Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The AquaticLife 2 Lamp, 4 Lamp & 6 Lamp Freshwater Fixtures come with half 6000K T5 HO lamps and half 650nm T5 HO Lamps. 4 Lamp & 6 Lamp Fixtures come with a built in digital timer.
For Freshwater Planted Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Coralife Aqualight High Output T5 FRESHWATER Fixtures provides significantly more light than conventional fluorescent systems. The Coralife Aqualight High Output T5 Fixtures are an excellent choice for freshwater aquariums.
T5 Fixtures: Coralife Aqualight HO SALE!! T5 Fixtures: Coralife Aqualight NO
For Reef & Saltwater Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Coralife Aqualight High Output T5 Fixtures provide significantly more light than conventional fluorescent systems. The Coralife Aqualight High Output T5 Fixtures are an excellent choice for saltwater or reef aquariums.
For Fish Only Freshwater & Saltwater Aquariums
Lamps: Normal Output T5
These Coralife Aqualight T5 aquarium lighting fixtures use normal output T5 bulbs and are recommended for use with fish only tanks.
T5 Fixtures: Coralife Lunar Aqualight Freshwater T5 SALE!! T5 Fixtures: Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 SALE!!
For Freshwater Planted Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Coralife Freshwater Lunar Aqualight T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixtures combine two Colormax and two 6700K high output T5 lamps with directional moonlight LEDs—making this the perfect light for freshwater planted tanks.
For Reef Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Coralife Lunar Aqualight T5 Aquarium Lighting Fixtures combines two daylight and two actinic high output T5 lamps with directional moonlight LEDs—making this the perfect light for saltwater and reef aquariums.
T5 Fixtures: Hagen Glo T5 Fixtures: JBJ Trinity
For Saltwater & Freshwater Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Hagen Glo T5 HO Lighting System is either sold without bulbs (this is the only T5 fixture on our site sold without bulbs), or with saltwater reef aquarium bulbs (18K & actinic) or freshwater planted tank bulbs (6700K).
For Reef Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The JBJ Trinity T5 HO aquarium lighting fixture combines four T5 HO lamps and LEDs. The Trinity features the Flip Top Stand, which allows you to flip the light up—making it easy to access your tank.
T5 Fixtures: Marineland T5 Fixtures: Nova Extreme Pro T5
For Reef Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Marineland T5 Deluxe High Output Aquarium Lighting Fixture, 48 inch, is for covered tanks. The start button on the top shifts the light between settings for actinic bulbs, daylight bulbs and all bulbs.
For Reef Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Current USA Nova Extreme Pro T5 aquarium lighting fixture is for reef aquariums. With six T5 HO bulbs, and individually contoured reflectors, the Nova Extreme Pros have greater output than almost all non-metal halide reef aquarium lights.
T5 Fixtures: Nova HO X2 T5 Fixtures: Nova HO X4
For Reef & Saltwater Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
These 2-Lamp Current USA T5 fixtures comes with one TrueLumen 12K and one 460nm Actinic Blue T5 HO fluorescent lamp. Comes with individually contoured reflectors, legs and two power cords.
For Reef Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Current USA Nova Extreme T5 fixtures are for reef aquariums and they come with two SlimPaq 10K and two 460nm Actinic Blue T5 HO fluorescent lamps. These fixtures come with legs, individually contoured parabolic reflectors and two power cords for independent control of the two sets of lamps.
T5 Fixtures: WavePoint T5 T8/T12 Fixtures: Perfecto Perfect-A-Strip
For Reef & Saltwater Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The Wave Point High Output T5 2-Lamp & 4-Lamp Aquarium Lighting Fixtures are innovative and solidly built fixtures with unique safety features, such as the GFCI Plug. These fixtures are appropriate for reef aquariums. The T5 lamps are energy efficient and the lack of a fan ensures this fixture will run silently.
For Fish Only Aquariums
Lamps: Standard T8 & T12
The Perfecto T8 Perfect-A-Strip Double Bright Aquarium Reflector offers a simple solution to your aquarium lighting needs. The instant-start feature allows the use of timers. Top vents provide heat dissipation, and interior reflectors provide maximum light output into the aquarium.
T5 Retrofits: AquaticLife Ballast Kits T5 Retrofits: Hagen Glo
For Saltwater & Freshwater Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The AquaticLife T5 HO Ballast Kits come in two lamp & four lamp 24W, 39W and 54W versions. Reflectors and lamps are not included. You can use any type of T5 HO lamps with these Ballast Kits.
For Saltwater & Freshwater Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
With the Hagen Glo T5 HO Retrofits you purchase the ballasts, bulbs and reflectors independently. This gives you maximum flexibility to put a together a system that fits your canopy and coral needs.
T5 Retrofits: Sunlight Supply Sun Blaze T5 Retrofits: WavePoint
For Freshwater Planted Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
Sunlight Supply Sun Blaze T5 HO Strip Lights are retrofits lights that can be easily attached to the underside of an aquarium canopy. Each retrofit light comes with a power cord and a "daisy chain" cable to link multiple fixtures together.
For Reef Aquariums
Lamps: High Output T5
The WavePoint T5 HO 4-Lamp Aquarium Retrofit Kits are innovative and solidly built fixtures with unique safety features, such as the GFCI Plug. The reflector can be screwed into the underside of an aquarium canopy. Although the end caps are water resistant the WavePoint Retrofit should only be used over a covered tank.
T5 Parts: AquaticLife T5 Parts: Coralife




T5 Parts: Current USA T5 Lamps (bulbs): AquaticLife
We carry all available Current USA Extreme & SunDial T5 HO Fixture Parts. This includes ballasts, fans, end panels, docking mounts & power supplies.


T5 Lamps (bulbs): Coralife High Output T5 Lamps (bulbs): Coralife Normal Output




T5 Lamps (bulbs): Giesemann T5 Lamps (bulbs): Hagen




T5 Lamps (bulbs): Current USA T5 Lamps (bulbs): TrueLumen




T5 Lamps (bulbs): UV Lighting (URI) T5 Lamps (bulbs): WavePoint




Fluorescent Lamps (bulbs): UV Lighting (URI) Fluorescent Parts: Ice Cap




T5 AQUARIUM LIGHTING GENERAL INFO
Fluorescent aquarium lights come with T12 lamps (1.5" diameter), T8 lamps (1" diameter) or T5 lamps (5/8" diameter). Compact fluorescents are also, as the name implies, a type of fluorescent light--but we put them all in their own compact fluorescent lighting section. Many of our metal halide lights also come with fluorescent lamps--usually actinics.

T5 Lamp Aquarium Lighting
T5 aquarium lights have become extremely popular in the past couple years. When run with an electronic ballast, which all of our T5 HO lights use, T5s are said to be more energy efficient, longer lasting and cooler running than other types of aquarium lights. Because the lamps are thin, they will penetrate the water better than thicker compact fluorescent and other fluorescent types of bulbs. T5s are a great choice for tanks that are 20 inches and deeper.

All of our fluorescent aquarium lights come with T5 bulbs (though we do sell T12 and T8 replacement lamps). The T5 bulbs are either normal output (NO) or high output (HO).

Normal output T5 fluorescents are low wattage and should only be used for fish only tanks. We carry the following normal output lights:
High output lamps are higher wattage and can be used for lighting reef aquariums and planted tanks. The following lights can be used for reef aquariums:
To choose the best light for your reef aquarium please visit the Hood Lighting Chart and the Retrofit Lighting Chart.

For freshwater planted tanks we carry the AquaticLife 2, 4 & 6 Lamp HO Freshwater fixture & Coralife Aqualight Freshwater fixture.
 
We carry a wide variety of T5 lamps.
Fixtures & Retrofits
All the above listed T5 lights are described as either retrofits or fixtures. If your aquarium has a canopy (usually a wood box cover), you'll need to purchase a retrofit. The WavePoint Retrofits come complete with the bulbs mounted to a reflector--you just need to screw the reflector to the canopy. The Hagen Glo T5 HO Retrofits are a-la-carte retrofits--you can purchase the ballasts, reflectors and lamps separately.

T8 & T12 Lamp Aquarium Lighting
We carry the Perfect-A-Strip w/ Double Bright Aquarium Reflector fixtures.
 
Fluorescent Lamp Color Temperature
Reef tanks require half the lighting to be actinic lighting and half the lighting to be full spectrum daylight lighting. For the actinics any bulb listed as an actinic--whether it is a True Actinic, 7,100K Actinic, Actinic or 420nm Actinic--will be adequate. For the daylight bulb the best bulb for corals is the 10K (aka 10,000K) bulb. 6,700K, 8,800K, 12,000K, 14,000K & 20,000K bulbs are also fine.

Freshwater planted tanks usually use the 6,700K, 6,500K or 5,500K bulbs. Fish only tanks can use any light that makes the fish look good. The fish really don't need much light to survive--so it is really a matter of aesthetics. Most people will be happy using 6,700K bulbs, which are very close to daylight, for fish only tanks.