# T5's or T8's?



## Ali-Jack (25 Oct 2012)

Afternoon all, 
I'm kitting out a 30"+15"+12" 88 litre tank and have a query ref lighting!!!
Initially am going to be dosing with CO2&ferts and the tank will be fairlly heavily planted (ludwigia, crypts, hygro, anubias & java fern).    I may poss use CO2 injection in the future.  
I need to buy a lighting rig to fit in the hood...so what should i get?  
Should i go for a twin T8 ballast or a single T5?  
If I get a twin T5 ballast, is it ok to run 1 bulb and leave the other empty (until poss needed)?  

I want to minimise algae (obviously) and want to show off the plants as much as poss.  But, want a setup where my plants remain healthy.  Fast growth is not really a concern, but healthy looking plants is.   
Many thanks in advance


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## Antipofish (25 Oct 2012)

To my way of thinking you would be better off future proofing your equipment so go for the T5 ballast.  My understanding is that with electronic ballasts you can run single or doubles


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## Ali-Jack (26 Oct 2012)

Thanks for the reply  
So, would one T5 bulb create as much light as two T8's?   Also, would it be ok to purchase a twin ballast T5 starter unit, but then only use one bulb until the other one is poss needed?  
Sorry to sound dumb, i'm new to the hobby so have no reference for this sort of thing!


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## Antipofish (26 Oct 2012)

Ali-Jack said:
			
		

> Thanks for the reply
> So, would one T5 bulb create as much light as two T8's?   Also, would it be ok to purchase a twin ballast T5 starter unit, but then only use one bulb until the other one is poss needed?
> Sorry to sound dumb, i'm new to the hobby so have no reference for this sort of thing!



I cant answer your first question although I do know T5 is brighter than T8.  And I already answered your second question.


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## Ali-Jack (26 Oct 2012)

Cool, cheers mate


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## Ali-Jack (26 Oct 2012)

I do appreciate the reply Antipofish. I wasn't be ignorant, i did read your reply.  I just didn't want to purchase a twin T5 starter unit for my tank and find that this was too much light (i.e. algae) and then find that it wouldn't work properly when running only one bulb.    Really appreciate the advice though, cheers bud.


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## Antipofish (26 Oct 2012)

Ali-Jack said:
			
		

> I do appreciate the reply Antipofish. I wasn't be ignorant, i did read your reply.  I just didn't want to purchase a twin T5 starter unit for my tank and find that this was too much light (i.e. algae) and then find that it wouldn't work properly when running only one bulb.    Really appreciate the advice though, cheers bud.



You must have missed this bit then...  


			
				Antipofish said:
			
		

> ...  My understanding is that with electronic ballasts you can run single or doubles



Cos you then went on to ask the same thing, lol.  Or maybe I didn't make it clear from how I wrote it.  All good though.  If it were me, and I was thinking how you are, I would buy a twin T5 and run one on it only to see how it goes.  Then you can up it   One T5 will not be too much. But you can then turn the second one on if need be, and then increase further by adding reflectors


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## nry (26 Oct 2012)

Not all T5 twin-tube ballasts allow a single tube to work on its own so choose carefully.

I've gone from 2 x 15w T8's to a 2x24w T5 luminaire - I'll be honest, with the same bulb brand used in each (Sylvania daylight), I can't see any major difference in how it looks to my eyes, nor do I so far have any extra algae issues due to the increased lighting.

It matters not in my opinion - T5's are perhaps suited to deeper tanks as they will penetrate the depth better, the main thing is to ensure adequate light for what you want to grow and not go overboard with too much light.

I found the biggest lighting improvement for me was having two tubes instead of one - not for overall lighting 'amounts', purely for a more even spread of light across the aquarium surface.  One tube gave distinctly different growth patterns for plants vs. a more even growth pattern with the better spread from two tubes.


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## Antipofish (26 Oct 2012)

nry said:
			
		

> Not all T5 twin-tube ballasts allow a single tube to work on its own so choose carefully.
> 
> I've gone from 2 x 15w T8's to a 2x24w T5 luminaire - I'll be honest, with the same bulb brand used in each (Sylvania daylight), I can't see any major difference in how it looks to my eyes, nor do I so far have any extra algae issues due to the increased lighting.
> 
> ...



The increase in light output is not necessarily likely to be visible to the human eye.  My TMC LED tiles dont make any huge difference between 70% and 100% for example.  But the human eye is not a good measure of luminance.


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## Ali-Jack (30 Oct 2012)

Thanks both for the replies  
Think I'm going to go for the twin T5's and use one to start with and if no algae issues will switch to both and see how it goes. Im just a bit paranoid about algae!   I have a 38L at the mo and upgrading to the 88L.  The 38 is planted and lit by one T8 and have no algae issues at all!   I was just concerned a twin (or even single) T5 would poss cause a sudden algae outbreak in an 88.  Hopefully all will be cool.  Thanks loads again and sorry Antipofish for the confusion.  Take care


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