#399: T12 vs T8 vs T5 vs LED Lights - Tank Tip

Let's compare the different types of shop light bulbs. I know planted tank people love to talk about PAR, which isn't included in this review as it varies from light to light, and tank to tank. If growing plants if your goal, stick with the T5HO, for everyone else, the LEDs make sense.

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[ToddWilliams]

So thankful when people take time to share valuable information in an organized well-thought out manner! Very well done and much appreciated!

[canuckfixit]

Watching this here in Canada in 2022. The basics presented are spot-on except for cost. You can still buy T12 and T8 bulbs in pairs for the same cost at your local hardware store or building supply centre. Unfortunately, these stores have not caught on to LED linears in an economic way. Limited stock, lower lumens and anywhere from 2 to 4x the cost of a common 32W/48 in T8. Further, they are all instant-fit so you still need the existing ballast in the fixture. Seems the better way to go is direct-wire/no ballast but those bulbs are more expensive yet.

[HomeAquatics]

Great info Greg! I've been using a T8 for some years now and most of my plants grow amazingly

[TheWaterBox]

Nice comparison. I tend to go LEDs now a days as the tech is working great for planted tanks, even for high light growth. Great Video!

[pelphrey]

Coming up on video 400! Congrats! Awesome explanation on the various bulbs!

[Angie-cilp]

Absolutely one of the best explanations on lighting! Thanks so mush

[evewatson]

Thank you for the video. It's 2019 and this is still good info.

[ianhirschsohn]

This is an excellent presentation. Except that it omits one of the most important considerations: Do the different tubes fit the same holder brackets if the lengths are equal?" Does a T8 fit in a legacy T12 fixture? Same for T5. And LED bulb. Will the older T12 fit in a modern T8 bracket? If the answer is NO, the whole discussion is academic. Replacing the whole fixture to use a different form factor tube is not only impractical, in most cases, it makes all discussion of power savings per year specious.

[CaptainSavageAquatics]

Great review Greg! I appreciate all the info! I was trying to decide to whether or not to swith to LED. I believe that this made my choice easier! Keep up the great work!

[DeFreeseAquariums]

Great baseline material, nowadays the cost to replace some of the bulbs cost more than the fixture when first purchased. I run leds and my plants grow well. Depending on the plant you can use just about any bulb but research is key and with the help of this vid it will give the consumer more info to make the right choices. Great vid!

[danielsbilling]

Just the video I was looking for, thanks! :D

[shriramtikam]

I have led tube lights installed in all my rooms 2 years ago but they have started dimming now. The flouroscent tube lights we had earlier were not giving such problem.

[Killuminati]

T5´s are made for environments of 35c° while T8´s work most efficiently at 25c°, if one calculates that for his use based on his environment it can often be the case that T8´s are cheaper in the end.

[derpnerpwerp]

I have t12 bulbs in my kitchen.. I just asked my gf to buy new ones cause she works at home depot and she brought some home.. I also got a new t12 ballast.. so how did this happen?

[MarksShrimpTanks]

On a serous note, I can get all these lights in Norway I just cant get the right Kelvin ..meaning I have to stick to T8 :(

[deputydogg]

U have trouble getting down to info facts period pleaze. But u did better then some ppl who want to
Show u what there plants look like.
And thy dont even like ther plants enough not to strip them of every leaf on the stem. And uprooting them to harvest. Im just saying.
Thnk u. U have good info.

[bilalelhlimi]

thanks for the video! I did not know which is the best light to purchase for my aquarium plants in order to promote growth but now I do so thanks again.

[D-NICE]

can I replace T12's with T8's?

[VanClaaude]

Thanks for my school teaching everything in metric system. I am sorry for all those poor kids that have to work out 17 & 11/64 bullshits on a measuring tape. All I had to remember was that 1" was 25.4mm.

[GUYANAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA]

Wit that led tube did you have to rewire the ballast and what not?