Current usa nova extreme t5ho 36"(input).

Here are some posts in the PAR vs Distance, T5, T12, PC thread pertaining to that fixture. Both the older style (non-SLR) with the wire legs that come out the ends and the newer style (sort of SLR) with the plastic legs that raises it a couple inches.

older style

older style

newer style

I have both styles but have been using the older style ones on a cichlid tank (no plants) and the newer one I only took out of the box and fired up to make sure it worked but never used it.

I've heard things about this fixture as well. I have someone trading me some corals for one with burned out ballasts. I plan on replacing it with 4 individual T5HO ballasts for maximum control, and one of the ballasts I actually found allows the ballast to run at 50% power as well, so I can really control things.

I have the Nova Extreme T5HO 48 fixture on a 55 gallon tank. I purchased one this past february and it still works and looks great, the lighting of the 10,000K and plant bulb look amazing imo. I have a friend that has one of these fixtures on a smaller tank, and they've had the fixture longer then mine.

It made a huge difference going from some shoplight dual bulb fixture (6700K) to this. I would not hesitate to buy another one of these fixtures if I could get a good deal on one

They can be a good light. They have a reputation for having easy-to-kill ballasts (just by using them normally).


But I had a 4X24 that I used for about 2 years before selling it, worked fine.

I just bought a used one (2X36") that's only been used for a few minutes, literally, so I hope it lasts. If not, I'll yank out all the guts and stuff it with an LED heatsink and make a sweet LED array out of it.

Thanks for the help everyone.

I use the 18'' fixture. I've had it for about 4 months now. Nothing wrong with it so far. Awesome light IMO.