reviews on hagen lighting system?

I can tell you that I am very happy with all of my Hagen T5 fixtures. Very well made and so far they have withstood anything I can throw at them.

One suggestion is to buy your T5HO bulbs at a local hydroponics or lighting store. Most retailers mark up the bulbs to such a degree that you can buy 2 or 3 of them for the same price elsewhere.

By the way, I have four double 24" fixtures running at the moment.

One thing I did notice about them was that they do not have on/off switches. So a timer is necessary.

Hope that helps,

 

I have both 60cm and 90cm two-lamp Hagen GLO's (1 year or so).
Excellent product, while I would prefer 4xT5 fixture instead of two fixtures with 2xT5.

Light intensity not as high as I wished to - reflector is NOT parabolic.
Two 2x54W fixtures above 100cm tank is quite enough (if you prefer average growth rates).

If they would made parabolic reflector we could hang them higher above the tank to have better access for maintenance.
When you have tow two-lamp fixtures standing on their own “legs” you have very narrow stripe of space to get your hands wet.
It’s pity they missed parabolas – just one smash of pressing mashine... and light would be 1.5 more intensive + pendant more convenient for a planted tanks

Missing switch is really a good thing for beginners – everyone is forced to NEVER use them without a Timer. I absolutely agree with its absence.
Cord is long, but not enough for ADA-style pendant hanger.


Hagen's T5-HO Life-Glo 6700K bulbs is a true luck for a European aquascaper as Hagen is much more available in aquashops in general, and costs cheaper.
It is really one of the best lamps for a planted tanks. They have quite good color rendition (“one thumb up”), but not as good as JBL T5, Arcadia or ADA's lamps (“two thumbs up”).
Good red’s, good greens.
In the morning they seem a little bit yellowish, but at evening they look for my eyes green again .
Especially color rendition is good when only two lamps turned on in a densely planted tank - deep shadows gives better colors and contrast. Beautiful.

Price of Hagen's T5-HO Life-Glo 6700K bulbs is reasonable - $20 per lamp with 9000-12000h life.
Plants growth (I mean PAR for them) is good and there is absolutely no need for par-lamps.

With one 2x24W GLO above 60x30x36cm tank I have glosso growing quite good. (GLO is standing on its own "legs" = ~8cm above water, placing closer to water surface will not improve lighting as light loss through side walls of a tank increases)


naman