# Please help me pick one of these T5 lighting units.



## ed_green (9 Feb 2010)

Hello

I currently have a planted 35ltr arc tank, running with two 11w arc pods. I dose easy carbo/ferts and have available a diy yeast kit made from the nutrafin kits ( although I have stopped using this lately and notice very little difference other than less algie).

The lighting on the arc pods comes to 22w giving me 1.5 wpg (i think?) and it does not seem to be enough to grow hairgrass, HC and other harder to grow plants, so have been lookign for a luminaire to replace the pods and increase lighting.

After investigating/askign arund I have three options ( i cant afford lovely Arcadia luminaires unfortunatly!).

Can you suggest which ofthese three you would go for, as I am not sure.  I worry that the lesser light ones wont make enough of a difference and the higher ones will be too much light with only easy carbo/yeast co2. Let me know what you think:

1 - BOYU T5 14W x 3 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BOYU-T5-14W-x...QQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Fish?hash=item2a02bec2af

2 - BOYU T5 8W x 3 http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BOYU-T5-8W-x-...QQptZUK_Pet_Supplies_Fish?hash=item25551fde79

3 - Compact T5 & LED Aquarium Lamp Unit 55w http://www.aquatics-online.co.uk/catalogue/compact-t5-led-aquarium-lamp-unit.asp


Thanks for your help guys!

Ed


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## Steve Smith (9 Feb 2010)

Thought about perhaps two wave solaris/superfish 18w units?


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## Mortis (9 Feb 2010)

I would go with the 24W version of the HaiYang in no. 3. I have used it on a 15 litre and Im currently using it on a 1ft cube. The build quality is great though keep in mind that you cannot replace the bulb. It shouldn't matter anyway as it is quite cheap. The reason I am recommending the 24 watt one is because it is about 40 cm long and you can rest it on the edges of your tank along the top without clipping it and it looks quite slick. The 55 watt one is too long so the extra wattage would be wasted. If you find the light to be insufficient you could always supplement it with one of the arcpods. A few people have bought number 2 so you might as well wait for them to comment.


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## ed_green (10 Feb 2010)

Mortis said:
			
		

> I would go with the 24W version of the HaiYang in no. 3. I have used it on a 15 litre and Im currently using it on a 1ft cube. The build quality is great though keep in mind that you cannot replace the bulb. It shouldn't matter anyway as it is quite cheap. The reason I am recommending the 24 watt one is because it is about 40 cm long and you can rest it on the edges of your tank along the top without clipping it and it looks quite slick. The 55 watt one is too long so the extra wattage would be wasted. If you find the light to be insufficient you could always supplement it with one of the arcpods. A few people have bought number 2 so you might as well wait for them to comment.




HI, thanks for your message. The only issue I have with the HaiYang option is that it is only 2w more than my pods and it has the same problem they do of wasted light. I wondered if the Luminaire option would direct more light onto the plants.

Thanks for pointing out that the higher watt HaiYang option is too long for my tank, I hadnâ€™t noticed!


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## dw1305 (10 Feb 2010)

Hi all,
I have the 3 x 8W Boyu unit on my low tech. shrimp tank, and other than the legs being a bit flimsy I'd recommend it. Replacement  tubes are cheap as well, although I ran mine with the 11000K actinic tube, and till this failed and plant growth was fine.
<http://www.bltdirect.com/products.php?cat=653&nm=Fluorescent+T5+8w>
cheers Darrel


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