[mordoria]

So i found this today. Seems like a sweet deal.
4ft t5 with 4 6500 bulbs 125$ free shpping
4 ft. 4-Bulb T5 High Output Fluorescent Grow Light Fixture-V44 at The Home Depot

 

[Broseph]

I have this fixture for my standard 75 gal.
*4- 6500 K bulbs come with it
*No active cooling system (runs quite hot)
*Casing is just smaller than the rim of the aquarium- can make mounting an issue- unless you plan on suspending it from the ceiling.
*Has an additional outlet on the case itself if you wanted to daisy-chain a cooling fan or other fixture.
*2 separate switches so you can run only 2 bulbs if you want


Hard to argue with the price if you can mount and cool it yourself!

 

[mordoria]

I have this fixture for my standard 75 gal.
*4- 6500 K bulbs come with it
*Has an additional outlet on the case itself if you wanted to daisy-chain a cooling fan or other fixture.

I love this feature!!!

 

[phender]

I have this fixture for my standard 75 gal.
*4- 6500 K bulbs come with it
*Has an additional outlet on the case itself if you wanted to daisy-chain a cooling fan or other fixture.

These are pretty standard with this type of lighting fixture.
It doesn't say if it has individual reflectors or just one big reflector. I know that makes a difference with T5 bulbs.
Here is another one with the features you like plus individual reflectors. Purchase cost is less, but you have to pay for shipping. If I remember I think they charge $10. Sun Blaze 4' - 4 Lamp T5 - Fluorescent Light Fixture (Comes with bulbs)
I don't think this one has two switches.

Depending on your set-up, 4 bulbs might be overkill.

 

[B-NICE]

I need a 1 strip T5 fixture. I haven't really seen it in homedepot though. I might just go with the T8's when I get the rack up.

 

[phender]

I have this fixture for my standard 75 gal.

*2 separate switches so you can run only 2 bulbs if you want

Does it have two power cords so you can put them on different timers?

 

[Broseph]

Unfortunately you can't run both sets of bulbs on different timers; there's only 1 power cord.

It has 1 continuous reflector molded into a wave-like shape. Makes it seem like individual reflectors, but they are not true parabolic like a fancy reef reflector.

And yes, those 4 bulbs put out a lot of light. The plants love it, but I think it will be too hot once summer hits- then I might have to drop down to 2.

 

[mordoria]

Do you have it directly above the tank? Or is it raised above?

 

[Broseph]

I hot glued PVC stilts so that the bottom rim of the fixture is 2.5" from the top of the tank (perfect size to accommodate a 60 mm case fan). This puts the actual bulbs about 4" from the glass top.

The fan I'm using is very weak (but also completely silent). With the home thermostat set to 68º F, the vivarium is about 82º at the very top and 74º at the bottom. This is a little warm for my taste, so I will probably use a stronger (but louder) cooling fan that I've trialed and found to drop the temperature an additional 2-4º F.

Or I could just turn off 2 bulb banks... but then why have a 4-tube fixture?