American Aquarium Products sells several LED and florescent aquarium lighting options, and also offers a lot of good lighting information on their website. One of these is their ultra-compact T-2 fixtures, one of which I'll be reviewing today as I attempt to catch up on the growing pile of products I have to test and post about!
The 11 watt fixture sent over for review measures 17.5" in length, a little under an inch wide, and a little over 1.5" in height. The fixture is offered with an option for a 6400k daylight bulb (also good for planted nano and nature aquariums) and an actinic bulb. The bulbs are T-2 bulbs, so they're extra slim, making attaching a small but effective parabolic reflector fairly easy, which is just what's been done on this fixture. The T-2 HO fixture's parabolic reflector can be adjusted in a full 360 degree circle, so you can mount and direct the light in a variety of ways - great for small aquariums and hoods. While not waterproof, the reflector has a clear splashguard and the endcaps are enclosed. The fixtures can be daisy chained together with the included cable adapter up to four times for DIY style canopy retrofits.
American Aquarium makes three sizes of their miniature T-2 fixtures:
- 13 watt (21.25")
- 11 watt (17.5")
- 8 watt (12.6")
For the size, flexibility, features, and price, these small T-2 fixtures are a good deal for nano, pico, and small nature aquarium lovers, especially those on a budget!
Pros: Small size, good length options for supplementing AIO nano aquariums on a budget, rotary parabolic reflector, price
Cons: Made in China, with the feel of made in China (but keep in mind the low price), bulb options are limited
Captive Aquatics Blog Vedict: Good
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