Best T5 fixtures

[yortbogey]

i've been running a sunblaze 4ft 8bulb...for over 5 yrs...almost 24/7.....

 

[SKUNK420]

I also heard from aquarium forums it's beneficial to cool T5s for about a 20% increase in performance if they're not already air cooled. The ideal temp should be 35C or 95F.

Also cooling should be done at the label end where it's hottest (110-120F). Some of those hobbyists mod a Tek light w/a dremel or hole saw and install 2-3 120 mm pc fans w/speed controllers. There's even 4 channel fan controllers for that (about $35). Just do a search on Tek light mod and you can do it with just about any noncooled fixture.

Just watch you don't cool the bulb centers too much as you'll lose PAR (as the ideal operating temp designed for T5 fixtures is about 35C). Your bulbs can run too cool as well as too hot. Some forgo the mod and just use a clip on fan (or fans) to do the trick. Guess a small oscillating fan would work too. Here's one example: Sunlight Supply Air King 6 inch Clip on Fan.

I also noticed that info about bulb temps from the aquarium forums

I'll ask again, is there anybody using VHO's?

 

[jay-toker]

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[Stonefree69]

Jay's right. If you want more lumens just add more or double up on the T5 HOs. The only advantage a VHO would really have is better penetration. By that time I'd look at HIDs or hang the HOs vertically somehow w/Badboys.

 

[the gnome]

already posted in this thread... stoner

 

[zachrockbadenof]

we have a hydrofarm 8bulb, 48'' unit- the bulbs are gone after 6months in our tent - they are on 20hrs per day... so much for 20,000hrs... we getting nowhere near that

 

[Stonefree69]

zachrockbadenof sounds like it could be a bad ballast or real crappy bulbs. 20 hours/day is 600 hrs/month x 6 = 3,600 hours life you're getting.

 

[zachrockbadenof]

zachrockbadenof sounds like it could be a bad ballast or real crappy bulbs. 20 hours/day is 600 hrs/month x 6 = 3,600 hours life you're getting.

yep... hydrofarms sent us to a local dealer, who said the fixture is fine... so i told hydrofarms we have no problem buying new bulbs (again)...HOWEVER should these crap out at 3600hrs or anything nearto, i will be looking at them for full replacment... no response yet...

 

[supermanlives]

great read. i think i am gonna order one setup from farmtek as they got bulbs too . i really need 4 8 bulb setups. they got highbay t5 for 179 and bulbs for 9.80 and less. bought alot of stuff from them an never had any issues. they got 3000k 3500,4100,6500k bulbs too

 

[zachrockbadenof]

zachrockbadenof sounds like it could be a bad ballast or real crappy bulbs. 20 hours/day is 600 hrs/month x 6 = 3,600 hours life you're getting.

according to hydrofarm guy, these t5 run real hot, and if you run em 24/7, don't expect much more then 3/4months b4 they die...

don't make a whole lot of sense to me, as most of the bulb manufact's give a life expectency of 20,000hrs, and most give a 1yr guar...

 

[Useful Idiot]

DL844 4'x4 54W T5HO Fixture Flat-Ship$9.95, w/6500k Bulbs, Dimmable, DaisyChain
$79.99 For those with a tight budget,check out this.

 

[zachrockbadenof]

zachrockbadenof sounds like it could be a bad ballast or real crappy bulbs. 20 hours/day is 600 hrs/month x 6 = 3,600 hours life you're getting.

here's a for hydrofarm... they heard my complaint, and are sending me 8 new bulbs. maybe we got a bad batch of bulbs, or maybe as one of their tech's advised these t5's are only good for 3/4000hrs of 24/7 use... in any case 1st class customer service...

 

[DryNobBob]

Good find, thanks

http://www.lightingwise.com/item.asp?PID=142&FID=16&level=1View ImageDL844 4'x4 54W T5HO Fixture Flat-Ship$9.95, w/6500k Bulbs, Dimmable, DaisyChain
$79.99 For those with a tight budget,check out this.

 

[RB56]

I was going to get a Tek-Light T5 fixture and a lot of places seem to be out of stock. So I did some resxearch and found the Tek fixtues use a Fulham Workhorse ballast, which is not as good as the Fulham Racehorse ballasts.

I know the Quantum Badboy T5 fixtures are popular and very good fixtures but found they use 2 tubes per reflector, which doesn't reflect as much light back as the Teks do with their 1 tube per reflector. So I found another fixture from HTG Supply called the Slimstar which does seem to have a parabolic reflector for each tube and is about te same price as the Badboys. Also heard Hydrofarm uses the Workhorse as well.

THEN someone mentioned the Fluorgrow Evergreen T5 fixture and I haven't looked back! They use the Racehorse ballast, have the best parabolic reflectors and was only about $200 shipped! Also they are an American company. Fixture also has dual light switches, able to daisy chain, all aluminum housing, multi-volt and ships in a discrete box. What more can you ask?

I know another T5 fixture that may compete - the ATI Powermodule, but that one's almost $700! Anyone else hear of Fluorgrow? I'm not affiliated w/Fluorgrow in any way, shape or form. But HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Has anyone been able to order one of these recently? I placed an order 10 days ago, card charged immediately, nothing since. Doesn't answer e-mails, doesn't answer the phone. I understand the holidays, but still.

 

[Stonefree69]

Has anyone been able to order one of these recently? I placed an order 10 days ago, card charged immediately, nothing since. Doesn't answer e-mails, doesn't answer the phone. I understand the holidays, but still.

I don't think I had a problem w/my order. It was the holidays when you ordered but charging your card right away? Still very happy w/fixture. Ended up with 8 Plantmax 6500k T5s when most of the GE Starcoat bulbs broke during shipment. The Plantmax's were packaged so well they shut out the UPS hockey team - who should be in the NHL!

 

[Fly by Night]

On top of the T

On top of the T

Quick drying, neem softening, seed germinating...top of the T is not to be sniffed at homies! Very peace

 

[RB56]

I was able to find a tracking number in a not at all obvious place by poking around on the order page. Order page has said "processing" since the minute I placed it. Should be here tomorrow. Looking forward to that. Customer service has been nonexistent so I'd be reluctant to use this source again.

 

[Stonefree69]

I was able to find a tracking number in a not at all obvious place by poking around on the order page. Order page has said "processing" since the minute I placed it. Should be here tomorrow. Looking forward to that. Customer service has been nonexistent so I'd be reluctant to use this source again.

Yeah I'll try to contact them by phone my next order. They should have replied by e-mail at least. My bet is they have a small staff but still a great fixture. I don't order from any company I can't get a hold of though.

 

[soursmoker]

Sorry for the silly question, but where did you guys get the idea that the racehorse ballast is better than the workhorse? I read most of the PLL thread and all that is reccomended is the workhorses...
Are PLL not compatible with the racehorses? or are the racehorses just more efficient for t5s?

 

[RB56]

Yeah I'll try to contact them by phone my next order. They should have replied by e-mail at least. My bet is they have a small staff but still a great fixture. I don't order from any company I can't get a hold of though.

Looking forward to seeing it. A safer bet is that it is a one man show - calls go into a cell phone voice mail system. Really nothing wrong with that. I run a similar business in a completely different market. It can take me a week to respond to purchase questions, but once you have the customer's money you really need to let them know what's going on. Appears to be a drop shipper anyway. Business looks to be in CA and the fixture shipped from FL. Should be other sources for the same product.