Nova Extreme T5 HO Saltwater Aquarium Light Fixture -18 in.

BACKGROUND:

I have been wanting to get a nice light setup for my basic 10 gallon freshwater sand/invert setup, but without the mortgage pricetag most light systems come in at. Most 10 gallon setups are about 20" wide. I didn't want a 24" light because of the overhang. I seriously looked at making a lighting setup myself, getting the T5 components, making the reflector, even did research into the cost of it all. I'm a heavy DIYer and this seemed like a good idea.

After finding out that the bulbs alone would run me about $30, not counting cost of the T5 components (about $20 total), the DIY solution for T5 (or even T8) looked out of the question compared to this, because the price was the same. I also looked into running two dual actinic/daylight CFL's, and making a housing for them also.. price came to about $40.

Since I found the Nova Extreme HO for $50, I knew this was the solution for me.

PRODUCT:

* A lot of times you hear 'extreme' in a product name and just think it's partially hype. Do not be fooled with this product. Current-Usa (the MFG) aptly named this Extreme. The light output is phenominal. If you haven't tried T5 HO yet, you will notice the difference immediately.

* The reflector design is really awesome, pushing most of the light into the aquarium, spreading it wide, and preventing backscatter back into the bulbs. Reflectors are very important, and this product has an excellent solution.

* It has an acrylic cover to enclose the bulbs and protect them. Acrylic is optically superior to glass, but easier to scratch. Don't use paper towels or other non-acrylic wipes on this, and it will serve you perfectly for life.

* There's 36 total watts of output if you use both bulbs, which is perfect for 10 gallons. If you don't have a lot of plants or use low-mid light plants, you can use just the one daylight bulb and be fine. Don't worry about the numbers anyhow.. there's tons of light output.

* This light thoroughly fills my 10 gallon and 'leftover' light actually helps light about 1/3rd of the room it's in, which is about another 5' around the tank.

* Within a few hours of running this light, my once-choking Red Wendtii plants burst back to light and seem like they're trying to reach the sky (light) now!

MISC IMPORTANT NOTES:

* For my application I don't need the Actinic, though it does give a great 'marine' hue to the environment. The daylight bulb itself is intense enough for all but the most heavily planted aquariums requiring 3watts per gallon.

* The photos which are being provided by some sellers on this product show the thin metal wire pull-out legs. This particlar model does not use those, instead it uses plastic feet which curve out from the bottom of the light, and extend a little beyond. Actual product photo can be seen here:

* 10 Gallon Compatibility: When I saw 18" in the description I was thinking bulbs, which would make the light itself 20". However, the 18" is the width of the entire light. Using the included plastic feet, it won't reach the full width of a 10 gal aquarium (~20in). Instead you either need to come up with your own simple feet/hanging method, or set a thin piece of plastic across the rim of the aquarium for the feet to sit on. If you have a clear hood on top of the aquarium, you can sit the light directly on it, or better yet use the feet to let it sit up off the hood, providing wider dissemination of light and cooling.

SUMMARY:

If you're looking for a 10 gallon or less light for plants and other reasons.. this is your choice, and can be found for $50 or less. This is a solid product I hope lasts a lifetime.

I got this fixture knowing it wasn't going to fit my 10 gallon tank, so I bought a glass canopy and set it directly on the top without the legs. Its a wonderful little lamp. I highly recommend it to anyone with a little saltwater tank or planted tank(Current does offer a freshwater Flora lamp this size so if you have plants, that's always an option. I love my little light.

Buy Nova Extreme T5 HO Saltwater Aquarium Light Fixture -18 in. Now

I bought this light for my 10 gal nano. It works great but it's too short for my tank. I had to buy a canopy and set it on top but other than that it's an awesome light!

Read Best Reviews of Nova Extreme T5 HO Saltwater Aquarium Light Fixture -18 in. Here

Those who are talking about this item being too short for a standard 10G should've known that the tank is 20" long, so that was a fault on their part.

On to my review, I decided to take the hood off of my Biocube 14 and replace it with one of these, and that was a great choice on my part. It puts a ton more light in the tank than the stock lights did, and I've read many reviews of people keeping SPS corals with it (I'm personally trying a montipora capricornis right now). The two Truelumen bulbs it came with are great, and make for great coloration as well. Though there isn't a large selection of bulbs in this length, I knew that going into this purchase and would definitely have bought it again.

All in all for the application most would go for with this light it's perfect, cheap and sturdy.

Want Nova Extreme T5 HO Saltwater Aquarium Light Fixture -18 in. Discount?

This is a good quality fixture. However, it is not ideal for a standard ten gallon tank because the fixture is a few inches to short. Also, there is a limited bulb selection.