t5 HO or NO - General Aquarium Plants Discussions

king kong · 07-09-2012, 12:41 PM

Getting close to sellecting a light fixture but one question. What makes a t5 fixture HO....the bulbs or the ballast? Is there such thing as a HO bulb only?

Michael · 07-09-2012, 01:45 PM

Ballast. If you put an HO tube in a NO fixture, it will barely glow. HO tubes and fixtures are not interchangeable with NO tubes and fixtures.

Left C · 07-10-2012, 11:10 PM

To help with your selection ... there are far more T5HO bulbs to pick from than the NO version.

asukawashere · 07-11-2012, 12:36 PM

It's both, actually - put a normal bulb in an HO fixture, it'll still have a lower output than an HO bulb. And, like Michael noted above, an HO bulb in an NO fixture doesn't do much.

Most HO ballasts can take a NO bulb, but doing that makes it just a more expensive NO fixture. And unless you're inclined to do your own wiring with Home Depot light strips, most of the options on the (aquarium and/or hydroponic) market are HO anyway, so IMO you might as well just get the HO bulbs and fixtures.

Michael · 07-11-2012, 01:05 PM

Thanks for the clarification!

king kong · 07-11-2012, 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asukawashere

It's both, actually - put a normal bulb in an HO fixture, it'll still have a lower output than an HO bulb. And, like Michael noted above, an HO bulb in an NO fixture doesn't do much.

Most HO ballasts can take a NO bulb, but doing that makes it just a more expensive NO fixture. And unless you're inclined to do your own wiring with Home Depot light strips, most of the options on the (aquarium and/or hydroponic) market are HO anyway, so IMO you might as well just get the HO bulbs and fixtures.

I had another talk with hydroponic guy. He know says we do not sell any NO bulbs. All our bulbs are HO. Thanks for the help people!
Gary

Left C · 07-11-2012, 05:24 PM

Coralife is one of the few companies that carry NO's for aquarium use and they also carry HO's as well.
http://www.coralifeproducts.com/product/lamps/