# budget lighting fixtures



## jjrock (Oct 16, 2010)

Hi,

I'm shopping around for a 48" T5 HO lighting fixture for my 55g long aquarium.
From this forum, i discovered fishneedit.com and their line of fixtures that sell well below the average prices of a bigalsonline.ca or some other retailer.

Problem is, they're out of stock of the 48" 4x54watt variety for 2-3 months!

Are there any other places that sell similar lights at these 'budget' prices?

Jay


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

Catalina has a good rep and the prices are pretty close, especially since this one is on sale right now:

Catalina Aquarium


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## alym (Apr 21, 2010)

I agree. My Catalina has been great!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## EDGE (Aug 24, 2010)

JL aquatics has the sunlight 4x 54 watt HO T5 system.


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## Grete_J (Oct 5, 2010)

What's the quality of the Catalina products like? I'm on the lookout for a 48" T5 fixture as well.... and just noticed that their ceramic heat emitters for reptiles are half the price of the ones out here!


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## Jonney_boy (Apr 28, 2010)

I'm using a similar fixture what 2 wheels 2 suggested (but mine is 36" long). I love my fixture. Was cheap to buy and works well 

Puts out decent amount of light too.


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## alym (Apr 21, 2010)

I'm happy with mine; reflectors are good; plants grew great (see my blog for photos of the 46 gallon).

Alym


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## couch (Apr 22, 2010)

Home Depot with full spectrum bulbs.


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## jjrock (Oct 16, 2010)

Thanks for telling me about Catalina, that's probably where i will get my lights instead.
I'm leaning towards getting this one, Catalina Aquarium - 48" Silver Solar T5 HO Aquarium Light Fixture - 4 x 54 watt with Splashguard

Next question may be a matter of preference, but what combination of bulbs should i get for a planted tank?

2x 10K, 2x 6500K? 
or 4x 6500K?

What about this 'plant grow' bulb they sell?


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

I remember when I was researching it, various people told me the bulbs that come with it aren't that good and most people sold them to people with fish only or lightly planted tanks and got other bulbs.


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Upgrading to good bulbs is never a bad thing. I had a Hamilton six foot light that was similar to the Catalina. Very decent build quality but the bulbs that came with it were crap. Upgrading those bulbs made a night and day difference. Giesemann tubes are wicked. Only thing was the cost of the upgrade...not cheap. "Fortunately" for me, a couple of the tubes shattered from shipping! I HAD to upgrade.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

tony1928 said:


> "Fortunately" for me, a couple of the tubes shattered from shipping! I HAD to upgrade.


Hahaha...it's ok Tony, your wife is not listening, you can tell us how you dropped the box from 6 feet high on the way home so you can get new bulbs.


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## alym (Apr 21, 2010)

I can attest to the fact that the bulbs included were crap...definitely upgrade.


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## alym (Apr 21, 2010)

...unless you like algae!


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## tony1928 (Apr 22, 2010)

Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!  I had the box shipped up and I was pretty sure that it was a fair chance that the bulbs wouldn't make it. You'd be surprised what a small little pile of glass that a 5 foot tube makes when its been crushed!



2wheelsx2 said:


> Hahaha...it's ok Tony, your wife is not listening, you can tell us how you dropped the box from 6 feet high on the way home so you can get new bulbs.


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## BubBleBee (May 7, 2010)

That budget place you mentioned in the beginning ships outta the states. I emailed em n they emailed me back with an email to a canadian seller......send a email to this person Sertan" <[email protected]>,he sell opur fixtures in canada,thank you.
regard
simon


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