T5 lighting

[torch]

Heard that Discus may be shying from strong lighting. Can I use T5 with 21w for a 50 gallon tank? Or will it be too bright?

There are no plants and right now it'll be barebottom with Corbalt Blue background. Lighting will only be on for few hours a day since, I don't want any algae growth due to strong T5 lighting.

Idea to use T5 is that my tank comes without any lighting and pricing for flourescent lighting strip is about same as T5 Aqualight single strip.

[Apistomaster]

I use two AquaLight dual T-5 lamps, 28 watts each to light my planted 75 gallon Heckel Discus tanks. Total of 4-NO T-5 lamps.

I just set up six new 40 gal breeder tanks and bought the Current Nova fixtures, 36 inch, 21 watt, T-5, 10,000K lights and these are discus tanks. I think it is just right; especially for only $20 each tank. I buy this type of fixture from www.petsolutions.com

T-5 Normal Out put lamps tend to burn bright for about 12 to 18 months with little diminution of light intensity. Then they wink out permanently. Conventional fluorescents loose much of their intensity after 10 months but may last for years.

How one can light a tank and not have some algae eludes me. I just keep a small Ancistrus sp#3 in each tank for algae control.
All of my tanks(24) are lit by T-5 fixtures.
Normal output T-5 fluorescent lamps are real energy savers. A 48-inch, 28 watt T-5 is equal to a 48-inch, T-12, 40 watt in light output. They all have high efficiency electronic ballasts.