# PL Tubes or T5 Tubes .....



## sridharp77 (Apr 8, 2005)

Guys,

Want your advice as to choose whether PL tubes or T5 tubes for my four feet planted aquarium. One of my very close friend is returning from Singapore so he told me that he will buy the things from there. The size of the tank is 4 X 1.5 X 1.5 Feet. The two options are

1) PL tubes 55 W or 2) T5 tubes 28W

For further details please go to the website http://adec.com.sg. There click on products and in that choose lighting. In the lighting page click on the link DYMAX OB LIGHT for details on T5 tubes and click on the link DYMAX MATRIX P2 LIGHT for Pl tubes details. In case I am going for PL tubes I need to buy only one set where as for T5 I need to buy 3 sets.

Guys please advice. I am getting confused as which one to choose.

Regards,

Sridhar.P


----------



## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

I'm curious why the T-5 tubes are only 28 watt? You should be able to get HO T5 tubes that put out 54 watts each. I'm currently using the T5 HO tubes on one of my tanks that is very close to the same size as yours and they work nicely. I have 4 of them on my tank.


----------



## Gumby (Aug 1, 2005)

Those T5s are normal output T5s. All of CoralLife's fixtures are NO T5, as far as I know. The only real advantage of NO T5s that I know about is they run very cool compared to PCs.


----------



## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

A T5 is essentially a straightened out PC bulb. The reason they run cooler is that they are skinnier and with the proper parabolic reflectors more light gets around them and into the tank than back into the bulb (restrike). So they run cooler and provide a little more light in the process.


----------



## sridharp77 (Apr 8, 2005)

The problem is that we do not get the HO T5 tubes out here. We only get the Normal ones. That is why I has to choose the 28 watts tubes. Can you please advice me which is better the normal T5 tubes or the PL tubes. I intend to grow medium to high light demanding plants in my tank. 

Regards,

Sridhar.P


----------



## AaronT (Apr 26, 2004)

In that case go with the PL tubes or use 4 normal T5 tubes.


----------

