:lol: hobby dying off because the bulb selection is less varied? Nope.
What you are running into are U.S. federal energy mandates and the discontinuation of older technologies such as the incandescent bulb and the "standard" T12 (1" diameter) fluorescent bulbs. Manufacturers are moving toward the T5 size. My hypothesis is that the T8 also is going away eventually (not anytime soon), although I really likeT8 bulbs!
Regarding the T5HO. Great lights, but unless you are running high pressurized CO2, too much light! I have a 125g w/CO2 and have a T8 single bulb strip light across the back. Plants at the rear do great. I'm using T5HO (single bulb) in the front and, if I'm not careful, I get BBA. Other issue is I can't find a great T5HO bulb that I like - they are either too "blue" or too "red" unless I mix two bulbs and then, it's too much light!
Short answer: T5HO will work, but you may need to use window screen to cut the light levels down. Better to go with a T5 "normal" output or a T8 if you are worried about algae and not using CO2. The T5 fixtures/bulbs are metric, and I think they come in a 34" size?
What you are running into are U.S. federal energy mandates and the discontinuation of older technologies such as the incandescent bulb and the "standard" T12 (1" diameter) fluorescent bulbs. Manufacturers are moving toward the T5 size. My hypothesis is that the T8 also is going away eventually (not anytime soon), although I really likeT8 bulbs!
Regarding the T5HO. Great lights, but unless you are running high pressurized CO2, too much light! I have a 125g w/CO2 and have a T8 single bulb strip light across the back. Plants at the rear do great. I'm using T5HO (single bulb) in the front and, if I'm not careful, I get BBA. Other issue is I can't find a great T5HO bulb that I like - they are either too "blue" or too "red" unless I mix two bulbs and then, it's too much light!
Short answer: T5HO will work, but you may need to use window screen to cut the light levels down. Better to go with a T5 "normal" output or a T8 if you are worried about algae and not using CO2. The T5 fixtures/bulbs are metric, and I think they come in a 34" size?
