What is a Vho light?

What is a Vho light?

A different type of fluorescent light is the VHO (Very High Output) bulb. Similar in appearance to standard fluorescent tubes, VHO bulbs offer the aquarist more intensity for the same size. VHO bulbs require special ballasts and end caps. They cannot be used with standard fluorescent ballasts.

Will T5 bulbs work in any fixture?

Yes. As you add more bulbs the ballast will reduce the output. I measure wattage with a Kill-A-Watt thingie. For example, the ballast would drive two 4ft T5 bulbs to 40W each.

Are F40 and T12 the same?

A T12 is 12/8ths of an inch, or 1.5″ in diameter. A T5 is 5/8″ in diameter. All F32 and F40 lamps are essentially 4 foot long lamps (47″ if you don’t count the pins). The FR71T12 is actually a 71″ long x 1.5″ diameter lamp that can handle from 80-120w and is typically run at 100w.

Are all T5 high output?

T5 lamps are available for standard output and high output. The wattages for standard T5 lamps are 14, 21, 28, and 35 watts. The high-output T5 (T5 HO) lamps are available in 24, 39, 54, and 80 watts (49-watt T5 HO lamps are also available from GE Lighting).

Can I put a T5 bulb in a T12 fixture?

T5 lamps cannot replace T12 or T8 lamps because of differences in physical and electrical characteristics. T5 lamps come in different lengths than T8 and T12 lamps. A nominal 4-foot T5 lamp is actually shorter than an equivalent T8 lamp [1149 millimeters (45.23 inches) in total].

Will T5 bulbs work in a T8 fixture?

T5 lamps are shorter so the initial arc may not work well with a t8 lamp, but the problem will be the T5 ballast will allow too much current to flow and drastically shorten the lamp life, possibly causing the lamp to explode because of high heat.

Will T8 bulbs work in a T12 fixture?

In terms of physical compatibility, both T8 and T12 lamps use the same G13 bi-pin base, so as long as they are the same length (e.g. 4-ft), a T8 lamp will physically fit inside a T12 fixture.