Which T5 should I get
 

I have a list below of the T5 fixtures I am interested in. Just wondering what you guys think is the best of the ones listed, which brand is known to be better/last longer, etc. I want to spend money on a good product, not some junk :lol:

My tank is 21" high, I don't want to be limited to what I can keep, I want to eventually incorporate all families of the coral, sps, soft, etc. The tank is 36" long.

These two listed at big al's
1) Current Nova Extreme High Output T5 Fixture-36"
This fixture has 4x39 watts bulb inputs. $350.00
2) Current USA Sundial 36" T5 High Output 4x39w 10K/460
Very similar item, I think it comes with bulbs?

Listed at J&L
3) Sunlight Supply 36" Tek Light T5 Fixture - 4-Bulb, 4 x 39W
Similar, but different company

4) Coralife 36" AquaLight Fixture - 2 x 96W
Only two bulbs, might be okay for my tank?, and is this HO?

5) Coralife 36" Lunar AquaLight Fixture - 2 x 96W
Has luner lights, two bulbs, is this HO?

And if you guys have something that is better than what I have listed for a 36" long tank, 21" high, let me know please! I just want some good quality stuff.

Also, can any fixture house these 10 K + bulbs? I have lots of normal output fixtures that I can slap a nice 10 K bulb into but I am sure it is not that easy. What makes it HO, just the reflector and fans?

Thank you!

I think the Coralife's you are looking at are Power Compact. I would go T5HO over PC for sure. I would stay away from coralife, not the best quality. High Output T5's have specific ballasts and lamps.

i am running an Aquaticlife T5HO fixture and the quality and customer service has been great. I am not sure on the price for what you are looking at, but they have an integrated digital timer that sequences the actinic, 10k and led moonlights which is very cool. I paid $279 for a 24" fixture and if you PM me i can get you the contact info for the guy i bought them from. He said he would give special deals to people on this forum that are referred. You can buy them in canada, but oly from Ontario right now. I ordered mine and got them within 4 working days. Here's a link http://aquaticlife.com/t5ho/index.html

I have the sunlight supply tek light (36" 4 X 39W) and I really like it. It works well and looks nnice too!

The two Coralife fixtures you listed are power compacts, not T5. Coralife is an entry level brand, definitely not the best. The two Current USA fixtures are better than Coralife, but still not very good. The Tek fixture is one of the best T5 fixtures you can buy, very nice, and good quality. HO is higher watts than NO. 36" T5HO will be 39w. You can buy NO 10K and up bulbs, you just won't get the same amount of intensity as you would with HO.

With your tank being 21" deep you will be limited in what you can keep in your tank if you choose to go with T5s to a certain extent. Once you get past about 14-16" T5s don't compare to metal halide for intensity. You will be able to keep all softies, probably all LPS, and some SPS. If you want to keep certain types of clams, anemones, and SPS corals then metal halide would be a better choice. If you're ok with a few limitations, then the Tek fixture you chose should do quite well for you.

Don't go with anything less than a Tek,i'm at 20" deep,clams and millis at the bottom. 8 x54 watts tho.

the reefshope
http://canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=51203

The Hagen GLO T5HO fixtures are not bad either, although they are two lamp fixtures so if you want 4 lamps, you'll need to buy two of the fixtures. They will also have only a single reflector for two bulbs. Not sure whether any of the other fixtures you're looking at have individual reflectors.

If you plan on having a canopy over the tank, consider retrofit kits. You'll need to buy all the components separately, (end caps, ballasts, reflectors, bulbs, timers, switches) wire them up and install them in the canopy.

Hi,
I have the Coralife 3^" 2-95w in an 18" deep and upgrade to the Nova Xtreme T5 HO 4_39W and gald I did. The bulbs for Coralife are $45 each and I had severe algae bloon with em.
Jim

Ya, I would take the Hagen Glo T5HO fixtures over the Nova Extreme. Both of those have just the single reflector for both bulbs, but the Hagen is a better product imo, and cheaper i do believe.

OP: The Tek has individual reflectors which is one of the reasons why the Tek is so much better than the others listed.