# Proper T5 Light for a 29g tank?



## Derek (Apr 12, 2010)

Hey guys,

I want to have moderate light for my planted tank, but dont know which T5 lighting system get. Everyone says that the wpg rule is different for T5s, so how many watts should be looking at for my 30" 29g tank to put me into the moderate light spectrum? Or should I just get a 65w power compact fluorescent? 

Thanks everyone


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## tom855 (Feb 5, 2006)

I'll tell you from experience that with ~2 WPG of HOT5 you can grow a lottttt of plants. It also, however, puts you in the range that you probably want to be considering CO2.

There are a lot of great HOT5 fixtures available these days. T5's are another option. Usually they are a bit smaller fixtures and a fair amount cheaper. But, they are less wattage.

I see no reason to go with the PC. They get HOT. T5s or HOT5s are just so much nicer to deal with.

Tom


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## londonloco (Sep 25, 2005)

I have a catalinaaquarium.com T5HO 3x24W fixture on my 29g. It's suspended 10" from the surface. Two lights are on 8 hours a day, the third light is on 4 hours. Plants are crypts, java moss on driftwood, difformis, HM and gloss planted in mineralized top soil capped w/3M color quartz. The tank has been set up over 6 months now. I have always done a 30% WC weekly. I dose recommended amounts of excel daily, and beginning of this month I started dosing all my tanks PPS. Growth is slow, but steady. I have never seen any algae in this tank, but the light is suspended 10" above the tank. T5HO's put off a lot of light, and you can have an algae farm if not careful.


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## TarantulaGuy (Apr 15, 2009)

I have a Sundial 4x24w t5ho fixture for my 29 and I love it. That being said, I also run C02, and initially did experience some algae problems, but once you get it balanced you will have beautiful plants. I think its a great amount of light, the only thing I don't like is that the lights aren't staggered. If you can get a staggered t5ho fixture that's only 30" in length, do that, and you'll get better coverage over your whole tank, instead of having 3" deadspots on either side. I have a 36" 4X36w over my reef tank and I love that light too, and I get complete coverage. I think the Sundial line has better features though.


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## Rodan (Apr 19, 2010)

What about a 30" Coralife T5NO 2x18w freshwater fixture that has almost 30" length bulbs? They go all the way across unlike 24" bulbs that are in most 30" fixtures.
http://www.bigalsonline.com/BigAlsU...5/cl0/coralifefwt5aqualightdoublestriplight30


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## Derek (Apr 12, 2010)

Hey everyone, thanks for all the help, I really appreciate the replies. I have downgraded to a 20g tank to save some dollars. So now I'm looking at a Coralife Aqualight HOT5:

http://www.marineandreef.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=RES08610&CartID=1

Or a Catalina Silver Star 24":

http://www.catalinaaquarium.com/product_info.php?cPath=71_190&products_id=1410

What do you guys recommend for lamp combinations? That Coralife comes with a 6,700K and a Colormax lamp. What do you all think about Colormax? The Catalina says you can request 6500K lamps. Would these be better than 6,700K lamps? Should I get two 6,500Ks, try to get two 6700Ks, or opt for a combination?


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## Derek (Apr 12, 2010)

I also found this on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/24-T5-HO-Aquari...ultDomain_0&hash=item45f278ff2b#ht_1744wt_941

Seems like it might be too good to be true. It doesnt appear to have individual reflectors, but the 96w might make up for that. Or not. Thats just a guess. Any thoughts/opinions?

They also have this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...758963&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_1926wt_941

A dual 24w (48w total) fixture for only $33. Again, no polished reflectors. But, I'm thinking I could get two of these to overcome the single reflectors, and this would also allow the lights to be more spaced out, creating more even light.


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