# light fixture?



## quinn808 (Jul 12, 2013)

Apparently my light doesn't provide enough for my plants so I need too find a light that can provide well for a 11.5 gallon tank dimensions are 48x30x30 cm and I need a good light that isn't too pricey. Someone please help me and it would be cool too know if they ship too Hawaii.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

What light was on there (wattage/spectrum)? I forget.


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## quinn808 (Jul 12, 2013)

jrman83 said:


> What light was on there (wattage/spectrum)? I forget.


(2) 14 Watt 6500k t5 bulbs. I'm leaving them on for 10 hours it used too be eight... but I read photosynthesis peaks at 8-10 hours after the light has been on...


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## Avraptorhal (Jan 24, 2013)

quinn808 said:


> Apparently my light doesn't provide enough for my plants so I need too find a light that can provide well for a 11.5 gallon tank dimensions are 48x30x30 cm and I need a good light that isn't too pricey. Someone please help me and it would be cool too know if they ship too Hawaii.


For Flouresents = try Current USA. I have their 2XT5HO 30" inch fixture on my 29 gal 30"x 12"x 18" (approx. 75cmx30cmx45cm). I have jungle in the tank and am going to prune the wisteria with a lawnmower LOL to give the fish somewhere to swim.

For LED - try Finnex. I am looking at them for my Betta 5.5 planted tank.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

quinn808 said:


> (2) 14 Watt 6500k t5 bulbs. I'm leaving them on for 10 hours it used too be eight... but I read photosynthesis peaks at 8-10 hours after the light has been on...


We(I) really don't want to give the wrong info here. Reason for this statement...the ONLY 14W bulb I could find listed
was a 15" (38.1cm) T8 bulb.
When I use 2 18"(45.7cm) T8 good quality bulbs in my tank that size I see algae on the front glass 3 days after I scrape
it off. But T8 fixtures usually are single bulb.
The length is important here. A lot of T5 bulbs come in either 15" or 16" / 38.1cm or 40.6cm to fit the 20"/ 50.8cm fixtures.
Unless you plan to hang it from the ceiling, the measurements are very important as most fixtures are made to fit
a tank that is 20"/50.8cm instead of the 18"/45.7cm tank that you have. But some are available/w what they call a reverse
bracket which rest on the inside of the ends instead of on the outsides of the ends. One of those brackets might fit it.
So it is important that you give the correct Watts and length of your bulb(and maybe a brand name) so we can make
good suggestions which will actually fit.


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## quinn808 (Jul 12, 2013)

Raymond S. said:


> We(I) really don't want to give the wrong info here. Reason for this statement...the ONLY 14W bulb I could find listed
> was a 15" (38.1cm) T8 bulb.
> When I use 2 18"(45.7cm) T8 good quality bulbs in my tank that size I see algae on the front glass 3 days after I scrape
> it off. But T8 fixtures usually are single bulb.
> ...


Is a t8 bulb that much better than a t5 bulb? If so I can upgrade .


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

T5 is better. The T8's usually come in single bulb fixtures. It should be printed on the bulb what it is and the Watts.
You may just have cheap bulbs but we don't know what you have. How long is your fixture ? How long are your bulbs ?
What does it say on the bulbs by the side by the end of the bulb ?


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## quinn808 (Jul 12, 2013)

Raymond S. said:


> T5 is better. The T8's usually come in single bulb fixtures. It should be printed on the bulb what it is and the Watts.
> You may just have cheap bulbs but we don't know what you have. How long is your fixture ? How long are your bulbs ?
> What does it say on the bulbs by the side by the end of the bulb ?


I got (2) 14 watt t5 bulbs that are about 22 in. Long. Do you think you could link me too something better that is affortable.


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## Raymond S. (Jan 11, 2013)

I'll give you a couple of links but I would like for you to take a look at the Watts on these bulbs. They are the same length but a different Watts.
I'm going to say this tells me that the ones you have are the type they give you/w the fixture which sometimes are good...and sometimes
are less than good. I was being picky because if i (we) don't know exactly what you have, then what we suggest may or may not actually
be better. I hope you can understand this and that I was not just playing games or something. I bought a ...well here look at it.
But the reason is that it came/w two bulbs but they are less than great.
T5 Dual 20" 6500K Aquarium Light Plant Freshwater Tropical Fish Discus Tetra 36W | eBay
That comes/w bulbs but cheap ones.
Either of these are great plant bulbs. I just got the first one. I have had the second one but only in a T8. That is a great bulb for plants also.
But you want T5 for more light so either of these but the first one has the best viewing light.
T-5 HO Aquarium Lighting: T-5 HO Freshwater TrueLumen Flora
Zoo Med T-5 HO Flora Sun Max Plant Growth Fluorescent Bulb at PETCO
You will need to make sure your fixture can handle those bulb Watts first. That info should be on the manufacturer's site.
I don' believe you ever mentioned which brand that fixture is... Most should handle it because how else would they feel they would not have trouble
with their product as T5 lights use caps which fit the ends of the bulbs and as such they can be placed on most any bulb that fits between the ends
and also is not too short. The T8' bulbs fit into slots so only the correct bulb can be used but those T5's theoretically could have multiple bulb brands 
which could be multiple Wattages plugged into them. Odd that there would be that much difference between the bulbs however(in Watts).
All the T5 bulbs that are 22" which I have looked at say 24W. BTW some bulb manufacturers state the actual length of the bulb when saying what
the size is and some just state the length of the fixture as if it actually were the bulb length so don't let that confuse you.
I bought some off e-bay made/sold by the same company that sells that light which I gave the link to and they are actually 17"(for their 20" fixture)
but any which I have looked at other places are 16" but both still fit because of the caps. I bought an extra 2 bulb set before realizing their less than
optimum quality. ...impulse spending...again...
I would check even to the point of e-mailing the manufacturer about the large difference between those bulb Wattages.


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## quinn808 (Jul 12, 2013)

Cant get t5 hO at my local petco so I got 17 watt t8


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