Let There Be Light! :d

[ShaedM]

Lights...need some help..my tube light in my tank seems to be on its last legs..its gone really dim..looked for one of similar size on ebay and was surprised at how expensive they are £20+ ok i get that might not be much to some of you but to me thats expensive considering ive just purchased a 5ft tbue light for the kitchen at £5.99 , well anyway some of the tube lights listed on ebay said they were made for T8 and not T5 and vice versa, whats this and which is mine? here are some pics


http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2zp0f1g&s=7


the ends of the bulb have gone purple..is this a sign that the tube is on its way out? http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=n2izyc&s=7

the end of the bulb http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=24oni3c&s=7



the tank http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=11qqyx2&s=7

 

[england]

Go to LFS With<<< juwel aquarium daylight 438mm T5>>>

Quick look, seen on ebay around 10pounds, one garden centre 5.99...

Also got other watts

 

[ShaedM]

should i get higher watt light? drop me the link to the £10 one please. is it a T5?

 

[england]

how do you find your one works now? prob is you go up in watts you may get more algae,
cannot link it as it was a past ebay item, google it should see some come up

 

[ShaedM]

hmm well algae is not too much of a problem ,on the glass if its there i use a an algae glass scraper and viola, on the ornaments it does build up slighty but the black moor likes to peck away at it, but before i had fake plants in, now ive got some real ones so dont know if that will help?

 

[ShaedM]

still no idea whats a T5 light and whats a T8 light..

ok had a read on the net, how do you find out if you have a T5 or T8?..i've posted a pic, nelly you said T5, why?

 

[Mowbz]

The "T" is a measurement.

a T5 is 5/8ths of an inch, the T8, 8/8ths (or 1 inch).

The thinner (lower "T" value) the tube, the more efficient it is. So the old T12's, are pretty shonky in todays terms.

You'll need to measure yours to find out the width of the bulb, however if Nelly says you need a T5, he's probably not wrong. I honestly cant tell from the pic!

 

[ShaedM]

i'm gutted! i foudnt this lamp unit in the house and it had a bulb in it..and i went an cracked the end was brilliant blue ish light http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=6dzbed&s=7

the bulb even tho it said on it it's bigger (by a few mm) still fitted in my tank hood unit.

the box had these size guidlines on it http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=14e2u13&s=7

so im guessing it must take a T8 tube? http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2rd9jtl&s=7
http/tinypic.com/view.php?pic=kf1cg3&s=7


confused as hell right now lol

 

[Mikaila31]

T8 bulbs are bigger then T5 bulbs. anyway there should be some print on one of the ends of the original bulb that says F##T# with the # being some number. This says exactly what the bulb is.