T5's

Mine has no fans but the top of the unit is mostly open and I dont notice any heat towards the water it all seems to be going out the top. My lights are the Catalina from www.buildyouraquarium.com after they are here for a few months I will do a write up on em...So far they seem great....
Danny

 

That's sounds like some of that ebay propaganda. T5s may be the coolest running, but that doesn't mean that fixture is.

 

Those are Catalina Light's....

 

I read and hear a lot about T5 being the coolest running lamp on the market. Yes and no, watt for watt, just about all lighting puts out the same amount of heat. Much if it depends on how the heat is directed/distributed.

T5 lamps are not going to run up to their potential unless cooled with fans.

 

Yes that light fixture on ebay is catalina,not very good quality.I too went the cheaper route,and my first T5's were the same,and from ebay.I used them for 6 months and sold them when i bought my teks.NITE and DAY difference in light,i would never buy them again.

 

Say I took some fans and ran them under the light between there and the tank I would have better lights or longer life bulbs?

 

You mean blowing the fan in the space BETWEEN tank and fixture?
That will help cool tank and dissapate heat.
If you want longer lived lamps and better preforming lamps you need to cool the LAMP.... You would need air blowing across the lamps.
You would need to mod you light.
I know a guy that cut out holes in a Tek and installed fans, his PAR levels increased and the lamps lasted longer... the fixture looked kind of hokey but it worked.

 

I wouldn't touch these with a ten foot pole. I have purchased cheap lighting on eBay and it was a horrible decision. Take a look at what coldshot has suggested. Nova Extreme Pro and TEK only come as 24 inches for the fixture length.....so hanging is the only way there. Unless you modded your tank with acrylic to accept the leg supports.......

 

Yeah, with 30" being a popular sized tank and 30" being a NON existing sized lamp you either settle with a 24" or waste light and money with a 36" fixture...
24" lamps on a 29 gal tank will be fine.

 

And go read about what I went through with the last set I bought off of ebay! I went three weeks with everything in my tank under a PC 65 watt bulb because I changed bulbs and it blew out 3 ballast....TRUE STORY it really happened....MIght as well go tops Tek or something with good feedback ...not ebay feedback but go by what these people here tell you...you will save in the long run...And the light on ebay has no splash screen...