This fixture worked great for 10 months, then it wouldn't turn on at all. I tried replacing the bulbs, but that didn't work. The ballast is not accessible without breaking the frame, if it has one all. This product costs a lot for a light fixture, so it's not exactly a throwaway item. I've got other light fixtures that I've had for 15 years and those fixtures still work, and they were a lot cheaper than this fixture. Unless you've got money to burn, I would not recommend buying this thing.

Cons: price, didn't work

+1point

2of 3voted this as helpful.

Review 2 for Aqueon(r) Freshwater T5 Light Fixture

Overall rating

4 / 5 9 reviews

Overpriced compared to T5 high output fixtures

March 2, 2013

by IbanezRG

fromWestfield, IN

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

4 / 5 9 reviews

Quality

4 / 5 9 reviews

Reviewer Images

RESULTS:
I like how this dual-T5 fixture looks on top of my Marineland Euro 28 bowfront aquarium. Low profile and elegant. This aquarium is lightly planted with the following plants:

9-inch Amazon Sword (1)
Onion Plants (2)
Bacopa (3 clumps)

The bacopa has produced new leaves on top since I started using this light, and a new Onion plant is sprouting from the gravel, growing about 1/4 inch per day. Don't know if the plant growth is due to the light, better fertilization and feeding (API Root Tabs and API Leaf Zone), or both. I eventually want bacopa or anacharis to line the entire back wall of the aquarium (fake driftwood in foreground), so I plan to replace the pink T5 Colormax bulb with another 6700K bulb for maximum ouptut. I also have a 15-watt T8 Aqueon Floramax bulb burning over the tank. That will be 43 watts for about 23 gallons of water (after substrate, decoration, plants, fish), which equals 1.8W/gal. This seems to be adequate to maintain the current amount of plants in my tank, but for maximum growth, I'd recommend a second T5 Dual light for a tank this size -- or a competitor model like the one mentioned below. A single 24" T5 Dual would probably be fine on a standard 20-gallon rectangular tank.

PERFORMANCE:
The light, out of the box, works great but I don't like how the clear protective bulb cover wants to slide out the side. I will probably secure it with a thin strip of electrical tape (to withstand the head). The fixture housing gets pretty hot to the touch but cools quickly after powering off. If you use a timer for this light, make sure it has a 3-prong grounded receptacle. I was disappointed to discover that the $6 kitchen timer I used for the light that came with the aquarium isn't compatible with the Aqueon T5 Dual Freshwater fixture.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
I was undecided for several days about whether to buy this Aqueon light or a 96-watt, four-bulb fixture from another manufacturer online for only $10 more (plus free shipping). That fixture also includes two blue moonlight L.E.D.s for a night mode, so on the surface it seems to be a better value. On the other hand, the competitor model uses a chunky external balast for power, while the Aqueon has an internal electronic balast. I love how much light comes from such a small fixture, but as my plants grow more dense, the 96-watt competitor light seems like a better solution. If you only have a few plants in a standard 20-gal. rectangular aquarium, the Aqueon T5 Dual Freshwater is perfect right out of the box. For maximum plant growth, however, I suggest replacing the Colormax bulb with a 6700K.

Pros: works great, easy to install

Cons: price

+1point

2of 3voted this as helpful.

Review 3 for Aqueon(r) Freshwater T5 Light Fixture

Overall rating

5 / 5 9 reviews

Excellent Fixture

December 18, 2012

by Ryguy82

fromSt. Louis

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?1

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

I purchased the 48" T5 fixture last summer for my 55G low-med light planted tank. This fixture is reliable, bright, well made, and sleek. My plants are thriving w/ this fixture (combined with DIY Co2, Ferts, and excel). However, I do suggest replacing the colormax bulb w/ another Aqueon 6700K bulb if you're looking to get positive plant growth. The colormax bulb is mainly designed to highlight the color(s) of your fish, and not so much to help w/ plant growth. I'm currently seeing about .5-1" of plant growth daily w/ this set-up. As I said, it's a great light for a great price. Thanks Aqueon!

+3points

3of 3voted this as helpful.

Review 4 for Aqueon(r) Freshwater T5 Light Fixture

Overall rating

5 / 5 9 reviews

Very Nice

September 27, 2012

by MadMax2235

fromOntario Canada

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?1

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 9 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 9 reviews

Hello

i buy the 48`` light very nice and bright light,very good and fair price for it.no problem to install it.all in all i recommend it for all people who want a good light.

Pros: price, works great, easy to install

+2points

2of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 5 for Aqueon(r) Freshwater T5 Light Fixture

Overall rating

5 / 5 9 reviews

amazies about fixture light

July 8, 2012

by Dracula

fromworcester, Ma

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 9 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 9 reviews

Reviewer Images

love it that fixture light more bright and save a energy too. my fishes love it and easy see clear as colorful. better than old one. both of two aquarium of 20 gallon high and 29 gallon high too.

Pros: works great, easy to install

0points

1of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 6 for Aqueon(r) Freshwater T5 Light Fixture

Overall rating

5 / 5 9 reviews

Modern design

February 18, 2012

by Theresacrazyfishlady

fromHouston, TX

What is your gender?F

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 9 reviews

Quality

4 / 5 9 reviews

Reviewer Images

I enjoy the low profile of the lighting fixture. It is bright and makes my fake colorful plants glow. it sits low on the top of the tank it can sit on a glass top keeping the attention of the fish environment and not on equipment. If you enjoy slim modern sleek designs this is the one for you. It also has little legs that slide in and out on the ends incase you have a different size tank. Adjusting it to fit your tank is easy!

Pros: works great, easy to install, price

+5points

5of 5voted this as helpful.

Review 7 for Aqueon(r) Freshwater T5 Light Fixture

Overall rating

5 / 5 9 reviews

Very nice T5 system

November 22, 2011

by xxUnRaTeDxxRkOxx

fromDenver, CO.

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

5 / 5 9 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 9 reviews

Reviewer Images

I've got this on my 75 gallon planted as a extra light source, I've replaced the colormax bulb with another 6700k bulb. My plants are really healthy and growing at a steady pace since adding this T5 system to my tank. I'm trimming my plants once a week because they're growing so fast. This is a great system for the price!!!!

Pros: easy to install, price, works great

+6points

6of 6voted this as helpful.

Review 8 for Aqueon(r) Freshwater T5 Light Fixture

Overall rating

4 / 5 9 reviews

Good for what it is

August 13, 2011

by GDP123

fromNC

How many pets do you have?2

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Monthly

Performance

4 / 5 9 reviews

Quality

4 / 5 9 reviews

Reviewer Images

For what it is, it works well enough. These are only Normal Output T5s, not to be confused with T5HO. On my 20L these put out just enough light for my moss, and to light up the tank to a nice mellow viewing level. Its surprisingly sleek and compact, which makes me worry about the quality of the ballasts.

It does have two nice features, which is a splash gaurd, and slide out legs for it to sit on top of the aquarium. Although you can pull the legs all the way out of the fixture, which is probably why they recomend a glass cover. If they fixed this, it would be a 5 star product.

Only con is price. For this much you can buy a T5HO fixture from other online vendors.

Pros: easy to install, works great

Cons: price

0points

1of 2voted this as helpful.

Review 9 for Aqueon(r) Freshwater T5 Light Fixture

Overall rating

4 / 5 9 reviews

Style and Performance

August 9, 2011

by JakeBMW

fromCharleston, SC

What is your gender?M

How many pets do you have?5 or more

How often do you shop at PetSmart?Weekly

Performance

5 / 5 9 reviews

Quality

5 / 5 9 reviews

Reviewer Images

This lighting system is perfect for the basic needs. It comes with a 6700k bulb and a color enhancing bulb. It does a good job of giving the perfect amount of brightness and glowing effects of all colors in the aquarium.

The packaging can be very misleading, however. It's advertised as being lighting for plants. The system does a good job of providing just enough lighting for plants that do not require a lot of light. However, any plants that requires moderate-intense lighting will not be able to survive and grow under this system.

One of the things I love about the system is how sleek and stylish it is. The lighting system is suppose to be used with a glass canopy, which makes the fish tank look way sleeker on the top especially with the systems low-profile design. It is a huge improvement over the "regular" fluorescent canopy tops.

This lighting system does an excellent job of bringing your tank to the 21st century in terms of esthetics. If your looking for a lighting system to grow plants, this system is not for you. I would suggest a High Output T5 lighting system as this is just a regular Dual T-5 system. Overall it is an excellent choice for adding a touch of style to your fish tank

Pros: price

+4points

6of 8voted this as helpful.