The facts you need to know about T5 aquarium lighting

 T5 aquarium lighting has been misunderstood for some time now.  The objective of this article is to provide you with the facts about T5 and what it really means.  Some believe it has something to do with effective distance or lifespan of the tubes.  In fact, T5 aquarium lighting refers to the diameter of the tube.  The number indicates the diameter in 8^th of an inch. 

High output T5 aquarium lighting produces a greater strength light and say a conventional tube.  This creates more energy input into the aquarium.  The effective distance of the light is also greater meaning the larger aquariums are lit much better using this type of lighting.  Another advantage of these lights is that species that struggled to survive under T8 lighting are much heartier and healthier under T5 lighting.

When you use T5 aquarium lighting versus T8 lighting, your choice of soft corals, stony corals, anemones and large polyp increases because they can actually survive under this light.  If you specialize in deep reef aquariums, you will definitely want to check this lighting out for a healthier aquarium.  We all know that light is the critical source for anything to survive long term so do your homework when installing your lights.