• 10,000K daylight white spectrum — a clean, bright white without the added blue of the Reef Blue tube in the same range, for reefers running white and actinic tubes separately.
• Two lengths matched to wattage — 550 mm at 24 W, 850 mm at 39 W, so the tube fits the fixture it's replacing without adapting the reflector.
• Standard G5 bi-pin base — fits any T5 HO fixture built for the matching tube length, not just Aqua Medic's own.
• Straightforward fluorescent swap — no driver, controller or app changes needed if you're already running a T5 HO fixture.

Wattage on a T5 HO tube follows tube length, not personal choice — a fixture is built for one specific length and won't run a different one. Check the tube you're replacing, or your fixture's spec sheet, for the length it takes: 550 mm needs the 24 W, 850 mm needs the 39 W.

Suitable for: any T5 HO reef fixture built for a 550 mm or 850 mm tube, run as the daylight tube alongside an actinic in a mixed spectrum, or on its own over a small reef or refugium.

Not suitable for: fixtures built for T8 or standard (non-HO) T5 tubes — this is a high-output tube and needs an HO-rated ballast. Not intended as the only tube in a display reef; pair it with an actinic for coral colour.

Aqua Medic does not publish a PAR-at-depth chart for this tube on its own, because the PAR reaching the tank depends on the reflector and fixture it runs in, not the tube in isolation. For PAR planning, use the performance chart published for your specific fixture rather than the bare tube figure. As general practice across T5 HO brands — not a figure Aqua Medic publishes for this specific tube — the blue end of the spectrum that corals use falls away well before the tube stops lighting, so most reef keepers replace T5 tubes on a schedule of roughly 9 to 12 months rather than waiting for visible dimming.

• Wipe the tube and reflector free of salt creep regularly — a dusty reflector loses more output than an ageing tube.
• Replace on a schedule rather than waiting for visible colour shift or failure.
• Let the tube cool before handling after use.

Covered by Aqua Medic's standard manufacturer warranty against defects, in addition to your rights under Australian Consumer Law. Ships as a standard parcel — no special handling required.

• Aqua Medic Aqualine T5 Reef Blue — the matching actinic tube for a full white-and-blue reef spectrum.

Can I use the 39W tube in a fixture built for 24W?

No. Tube length and wattage are fixed together on T5 HO — a 550 mm fixture takes the 24 W tube and an 850 mm fixture takes the 39 W tube. Fitting the wrong length isn't physically possible in most fixtures, since the pins won't reach.

Will this tube alone light a reef tank properly?

It gives a clean 10,000K daylight spectrum, but most reef keepers pair it with an actinic (Reef Blue) tube in a multi-tube fixture rather than running it alone, for the blue wavelengths corals respond to.

How do I know when to replace it?

A T5 tube keeps lighting long after its usable spectrum for coral growth has dropped off. Replacing on a set schedule — commonly every 9 to 12 months — rather than waiting for visible dimming is standard T5 practice.

Does it fit non-Aqua Medic fixtures?

Yes. It uses the standard G5 bi-pin base and T5 HO length sizing shared across the market, so it fits any T5 HO fixture built for a 550 mm or 850 mm tube.