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Re: [AGA-sc] NEC
The problem is that most of the T5's that are being offered for sale to the
hobby are low output -- their nominal 4' lamp is only 35 watts, which makes
it about equivalent to a T8. To get the HO T5's, and to get them and the
fixtures at a reasonable price, instead of the grossly inflated price they
are being sold for in the hobby, you have to go to the lighting industry.
Since I was in that business for years, and still have contatcs, I get them
through my friends locally.
You can, however, also get them --wait for it -- on the web.
http://www.accessdiscounts.us/sku-26300.html
http://www.aeilighting.com/t5l6810.htm
http://cgi.ebay.com/Case-of-40-T5-HO-Fluorescent-Lamps-Bulbs-NEW_W0QQitemZ110081907152QQcmdZViewItem
The nominal 4' T5's that are sold through the lighting industry are all 54
watts, which makes them 1.8 times the output of a T8. They are usually
available in 5,000K and 6,500K, plus there are actinics, which I always use
in conjunction with the whites -- after all, you don't see many blue plants
do you, which means to me that the blue light is really being used by the
plants.
This page
http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/lat5/pc8.asp
discusses the burn life of the T5's -- they are 20,000 hours, the same as
T8's, so I am at a loss to understand (other than to sell more lamps) why
the guys who are pushing the low output T5's say they should be changed
every year. In fact, they should last 4 years if burned 5,000 hours per
year.
The other thing about them is their degradation curve -- this page
http://www.lrc.rpi.edu/programs/nlpip/lightingAnswers/lat5/pc9.asp
shows that they are even better than T8's -- never getting below 90%.
The problem with power compacts is HEAT. Heat is the major enemy of lamp
performance, and PC's are really just T8's turned back on themselves. They
are also usually crammed into a tightly sealed hood, and there is no place
for the heat to go, except back to the lamps. That is why you really can't
pin anyone down on the life or degradation of PCs. I used to use them, in
fact had all of my lights AH Supply stuff, but I found that they crapped out
in much less than a year.
So -- that is why I am a big fan of linear T5 lamps -- the HO kind that you
can get from lighting supply houses, not the wimps that the industry is
pawning off on us.
Hope this helps -- sorry for having gone on at such length, but I think the
URL's will make interesting looking for you all.
Take care,
David
----- Original Message -----
From: "Cheryl Rogers" <cheryl@dustyuniverse.com>
To: "Aquatic Gardeners Association Board" <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 8:15 AM
Subject: Re: [AGA-sc] NEC
> http://www.aquaticplantcentral.com/forumapc/new-to-aquarium-plants/37462-t5-vs-pc-which-is-best.html
>
> Cheryl
>
> Karen Randall wrote:
>> Ahem. I see a TAG article shaping up here, don't you, Cheryl? ;-)
>>
>> Karen
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Erik Olson" <erik@thekrib.com>
>> To: "Aquatic Gardeners Association Board" <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 7:29 PM
>> Subject: Re: [AGA-sc] NEC
>>
>>
>>> No no, I think you got my intent wrong! I am very interested in T5's.
>>> See this page to see how nerdy I've been
>>>
>>> http://mystery.thekrib.com/T5/
>>>
>>> You are very enthusiastic about em, and I am curious how they have made
>>> you feel as such!
>>>
>>> Did you go from T8's to PC's to T5's on all your tanks, or did you take
>>> the plunge directly to the T5's from T8's or T12's?
>>>
>>> Where do you get the cheap tubes? What color temp do you use? How
>>> about
>>> ballasts?
>>>
>>> My experience has been that the tubes I found cost similar amount as the
>>> PC's, and of course they use the same ballasts. Light output somewhat
>>> more efficient with proper reflector. So my conclusion has been that
>>> they're a *little* better than PCs. But of course, I have not found $4
>>> tubes yet. That would be a reason to replace my single-tube T8's on my
>>> medium light tanks.
>>>
>>> - Erik
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, 27 Feb 2007, David Lass wrote:
>>>
>>>> Granted, I don't grow any fancy plants, but I have them on all of my
>>>> tanks -- including my 300. They are the best lights I have ever used,
>>>> and
>>>> I
>>>> especially like the fact that they are cheap (I think I paid $4 per 54
>>>> watt
>>>> lamp) and they last a long time. I run 2 -- 54 watts on a 4' 120, and 6
>>>> on
>>>> my 300. If you don'[t think they are any better then I won't bring
>>>> them.
>>>> Take care,
>>>> David
>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>> From: "Erik Olson" <erik@thekrib.com>
>>>> To: "Aquatic Gardeners Association Board" <aga-sc@thekrib.com>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 5:20 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [AGA-sc] NEC
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, 27 Feb 2007, David Lass wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> If anyone is interested, I can bring some T5's and talk a little on
>>>>>> why
>>>>>> they are so much better than Power Compacts. I've got them on all of
>>>>>> my
>>>>>> tanks.
>>>>> OK, I'll bite... how have you found them "so much better"? I've got
>>>>> them
>>>>> on one tank, and I like them & would use them for new setups, but I'd
>>>>> categorize them as "incrementally better". :)
>>>>>
>>>>> - Erik
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> Erik Olson
>>>>> erik at thekrib dot com
>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>> AGA-sc mailing list
>>>>> AGA-sc@thekrib.com
>>>>> http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/aga-sc
>>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>
>>> --
>>> Erik Olson
>>> erik at thekrib dot com
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> AGA-sc mailing list
>>> AGA-sc@thekrib.com
>>> http://lists.thekrib.com/mailman/listinfo/aga-sc
>>>
>>
>>
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