Where do you buy your T-5 bulbs?

[JayM]

Where are you guys buying your T-5 bulbs?

I'm facing the need to buy 8 36" bulbs for my 92, and I definitely like the geismann Actinic plus....but also need some 'growth' bulbs too. The retro fixture I got came with 4 'white' and 4 'blue'. Unmarked no-name POS bulbs .....ya get what you pay for.

I was cleaning salt off the bulbs and reflectors Saturday, and saw that there was a huge PAR shift, because the bulbs were looking wicked dim, even after warmup time. When I swapped in my 1 spare bulb, the PAR difference was very noticeable. Bulb age is 15 months, run about ~11 hours a day

Bulb recomendations welcome too.

 

[SteveDola]

id suggest looking at reefgeek.com or diyreef.com

I like the actinic bulbs made by uvl or even ati. Aquasun is a great "day bulb" with great par and it isnt yellowie that some of the lower kelvin bulbs are.

 

[jc9394]

www.reefgeek.com, great service and price.

 

[briang]

Aqua-Cave, Great price and great sevice.

 

[Cardiak]

I get my T-5 geismann bulbs from Coral Reef Aquarium. I think they are $24 a bulb and they carry the Aqua-Blue, Attinic, and Attinic Plus.

 

[marine mike]

Hey Jay, I just replaced mine over my 92 also. I only have one of each T5, one daylight and one actinic, not like your 8, but I like the Powerchromes also. This time I went with the Pure Actinic and the Aquablue Plus. I also have a VHO in this retro fixture, that one I like with the Aquasun. IMO you can't beat the Geisseman's for color and par combination. Pick your vendor, I happened to use Marine Depot just because their shipping is light (no pun) if you get 4 or more bulbs, which you have to, they drop it quite a bit. Good luck!

 

[JackTheReefer]

I have had good luck with premium aquatics, with a 8 bulb fixture I would also try to mix in a couple Aqua Science Duo and a Korallen-Zucht Fiji Purple; they will help bring out more colors in you corals; the geissman bulbs are great too.

 

[delta]

I get mine @ CRA

 

[Liam]

UVL are the best actinics,and i would take a look at the korallin zuchte Coral lights and fiji purple.They are a blue bulb that help emphasize reds and purples which can be a problem with many T5 bulbs.
Fragfarmer i think carries them.I used to get them from aquarium specialty but i will no longer deal with companies that claim to have things in stock and actually don't.