T5 lighting has been available to the hobbyist for a number of years now although only recently has T5 lighting become a real alternative other light sources for the dedicated Coral gardener due to the availability of high quality multi tube T5 light units.

Modern, efficient T5 lighting units such as the MATRIXX II are capable of lighting aquariums up to 30" deep, run cooler than halide lighting and can be tuned by the hobbyist for the desired colour temperature by simply changing individual tubes.

The maximum light performance is achieved by the use of the latest reflector technology. The combination of a high gloss finished reflector of 99.8% purest aluminium with CAD-designed light distribution gives the ultimate in reflectance and is revolutionary in the illumination of aquariums.

T5 tubes also gain an advantage as they produce their optimum lumen output at higher temperatures compared to older technology T8 tubes which typically produce their highest output at 25°C.

A recent study by Giesemann showed that the optimum ambient operating temperature for T5 tubes was found to be at around 35°C, a much more realistic operating temperature for a reef tank luminaire and the temperature that the new MATRIXX with its passive cooling technology is designed to run without the use of active cooling fans. Nevertheless, each MATRIXX II 8-tube version is equipped with 2 noiseless fans on top of the glass panel.

Equally tubes that are cooled to temperatures below the optimum also suffer a lumen output thats lower than expected. The MATRIXX lighting unit also incorporates extremely efficient reflector technology meaning that more light is reflected into the aquarium rather than back at the tube. Light that’s reflected back at the tube can increase its working temperature resulting in reduced lumen output.