[aaron]

Has anyone ever heard of T8 lights?
I have never heard anyone mention it as a option for aquarium use. Is it just the technical name for regular fluroscent lights?

[pmui]

T12 are regular fluros. fixtures, T8 have been around there are a few T* bulbs availabel on the market for aquarium use. T5 bulbs are new to the US, but have been around in Canada and other countries. by the way Fluroscent bulbs has a T# to identify the diameter of the bulbs 1T = 1/8 diameter. Hope that helps.
Peter

[FRY]

The 32-watt T8 lamp is becoming the standard for new construction and as a retrofit replacement for 40-watt T12 fluorescent lamps. All major lamp manufacturers market T8 lamps, and they are readily available in a variety of straight and U-shaped configurations through standard distribution channels. Also available from some manufacturers are T10 fluorescent lamps, a high-wattage, high-lumen alternative to T12 lamps, and most recently, European T5 technology requiring new metric lumenaires. T5 lighting is currently the most energy efficient system available for indoor lighting.

frank

[FRY]

T8 lamps require an electronic ballast specifically designed to operate lamps at a lower current than T12 lamps. Whenever T12 lamps are replaced with T8 lamps, the ballast must also be replaced. Install an electronic ballast for optimum light quality and efficiency; electronic ballasts don’t flicker or hum, and they use less power! T12, T10, and T8 lamps can all use the medium bi-pin base, which allows T8, and T10 lamps to fit into the same luminaires as T12 lamps of the same length. T5 lamps have a different base, and are shorter than T8s, so new lumenaires are needed.

[FRY]

T8 lamps used with electronic ballasts will typically use about 32% less energy than the same lumenaires with T12 and magnetic ballasts. T5 lamps and electronic ballasts will use about 45% less energy than the T12 setup. Additional savings are possible if a lighting re-design indicates the use of reflectors and delamping, or fewer lumenaires. “ECO” T8s also use little or no mercury inside the lamp, saving on disposal and environmental costs. Longer lamp life and less lumen depreciation means lower maintenance costs. Worker productivity increases with light quality improvements.

frank

[aaron]

Wow! that all sounds pretty positive,
The reason I ask is that I have a new, two lamp, rapid start electronic T8 ballast. I'm not sure if i want to install it over my tank or swap it for a lps or a soft coral frag.

	LPS Large Polyped Stony corals – In the aquarium hobby this is a common division of the species of stony corals based upon the visual assessment of the size of the polyps. Corals in this category were among the first stony corals to be kept successfully in captivity and include many very beautiful species. Commonly kept Genera include Euphyllia (hammer/frogspawn coral), Favia (brain coral), Plerogyra (bubble coral), Lobophyllia (meat/tooth coral), and Caulastrea (candycane coral). LPS corals also include the popular solitary non-colonial stony corals such as Fungia (plate coral), Cynarina (button coral), Trachyphyllia (open brain coral), and Herpolitha (tongue coral). Like their SPS counterparts, LPS corals require good water quality, intense lighting of the appropriate spectrum, adequate water movement and regular supplementation of calcium.

[FRY]

T8 and T5 lamps achieve both improved color rendering and high efficacy by employing rare-earth phosphors. The correlated color temperature (CCT) and color rendering index (CRI) of the lamps is controlled by varying the selection of phosphors. Like T12 lamps, T8 lamps are available in a variety of color temperatures, including warm (3000 K), neutral (3500 K), cool (4100 K), and very cool (5000 K). “Full Spectrum” lamps are typically 5000K or higher, and emit 10 to 20% of their output in the form of UV light. The CRI of T8 and T5 lamps can be specified from 70 to as high as the mid-90’s. Every lamp manufacturer has a product coding system denoting CRI, which may require a catalog to decipher. For great lighting quality, specify a CRI of at least 80.

[aaron]

Do you own shares in the company or something?

[FRY]

no just used them at work