T5 Aquarium Lighting is the most advanced fluorescent lighting available for saltwater aquariums. It is more intense than normal output, power compact and VHO lighting. Each lamp has a diameter of 5/8 of an inch, so more bulbs can be placed in a fixture. T5 Aquarium Lighting will allow you to keep almost every variety of photosynthetic coral like Ricordea, Mushroom, Polyp, Leather, Trumpet, Duncan, Acropora, Seriatopora, Turbinaria, Stylophora, Montipora, Zoanthid, Brain, Plate, Frogspawn, Hammer, Elegance and Torch. Really the choice is up to you.
T5 Aquarium Lighting Information
When comparing Power Compact to T5 Lighting many hobbyists get confused. The typical four foot fixture has four 65 watt power compact bulbs for a total of 260 watts and the average T5 fixture has four 54 watt bulbs totaling 216 watts. Now it seems like the power compact is more intense, but the 260 watts only measures the amount of power used to run the bulbs, not the intensity. The truth is, T5 Aquarium Lighting uses less power and is more intense then power compact. Therefore, the old rule of watts per gallon is no longer an effective way to determine how much light is going into your fish tank. This also holds true when comparing T5 to VHO lighting. Manufactures have also started to created LED moonlight strips from T5 bulbs. These bulbs will add a brilliant shimmer to your saltwater aquarium and make nighttime viewing more interesting. In conclusion, if you plan to use fluorescent lighting on your aquarium, T5 Aquarium Lighting is most likely the best choice.