I need helping deciding between T5 or MH for a future lighting.

[STiTCH87]

So this summer for my birthday in August, my girlfriend has agreed to buy me an upgraded lighting system for my 29g.

She can't afford to go LED for me which is understandable, but I found both T5 and MH systems which she said she wouldn't mind buying me.

I've come down to two decisions.


A 150w 15k MH hanging pendant with two 14w actinic T5 bulbs...
which i'd likely upgrade the MH bulb to a 14k phoenix or something similar.

OR...

A 96w, four bulb T5 system with 2 daylight and 2 actinics, which i'd likely upgrade the bulbs to a daylight, an actinic, a fiji purple, and something random for the 4th bulb.

I have a 1/15HP chiller set up already so heat from running a MH shouldn't become an issue.

 

[JohnK]

Both are good options. What do you plan to keep?

 

[STiTCH87]

Well i'm already somewhat starting to dip into a little LPS, but eventually i'm sure i'd want some SPS.

The lighting option is more-so for bringing out the true colors in everything to be honest, with the extra added benefit of a more diverse collection of corals.

 

[STiTCH87]

Basically I am looking more so for colors to come out.

I have a 130W power compact right now so I want something that will work BETTER than that for bringing out colors.

Well let me ask this, anyone think I can sell a 1/15HP Current USA Chiller with JBJ Nano Install Kit, 100W heater, and 350GPH powerhead as a bundle for like $250 or so?

 

[STiTCH87]

This seem any good?

I like how it's 30" and has parabolic reflectors and a good ballast, but the only thing i'm not liking about it is the bulbs that come with it.

Would those bulbs be okay?

http://www.petmeister.com/item4170.htm

 

[jayman10134]

if you want amazing color go with the t5.

 

[STiTCH87]

Is the 30" 4x24 SunDial T5HO fixture any good?

I wanted to get this: http://www.petmeister.com/item4170.htm

...but it doesn't have a splash guard which is just foolish because they make you buy a separate $75 splash guard kit. I liked how it vented through the top of the unit however, though it doesn't come with fans though it does have holes on the sides for fans.

 

[Behrmon]

Get new girlfriend that can afford LED's!

I would think your fine w/ the T5s for a 29 but would opt for the MH as long as it had some actininc supplementation.

 

[Reefried]

forget both of those, and that web site check out aquacave, or hellolights...... if you go t5 then go with a tek fixture or for more $$ a ATI, but honestly a 29 gallon is a tough t5 tank to pull off as its only long enough for 24 watters and only wide enough for 4 bulbs of any wattage.......but cheaper than both of them you can get a 250w mh pendant like a reef optix 3, or maybe a lumenarc stealth, and a 250w galaxy ballast for about $250 brand new and much less if you watch the for sale boards around here...........you said that maybe down the road you might want to go into sps IME 150w and sps dont work even in a 29, you could keep sps healthy and prolly some decent colors but those eye popping colors need either 250w or 6X39 watt t5's, and since you can only fit 24watters and only 4 of them go with mh.....

.....the 250 will put NO LIMITS on what you can keep and if you want to stay softie lps for awhile you can go with a less par bulb like the xm15k-20k and keep softies lps no problem, then when you get more into sps you can go ushio 10 k, xm 10k, phoenix 14k whatever you want and have the capability to produce nice color.......and if you upgrade you can just add another pendant and ballast and be good up to like a 4 foot 150gall....

 

[JohnK]

This seem any good?

I like how it's 30" and has parabolic reflectors and a good ballast, but the only thing i'm not liking about it is the bulbs that come with it.

Would those bulbs be okay?

http://www.petmeister.com/item4170.htm

That comes with a flat reflector, not good at all compared to other T5 fixtures. You get what you pay for

 

[STiTCH87]

Well the thing is, MH bulbs are very expensive, and they use a CRAPLOAD of electricity and produce a huge amount of heat as well which is why I was leaning toward a T5 unit.

IDK this is all so unnecessarily expensive considering all it is, is a box full of wires and bulbs that costs like $25-%50 tops for them to manufacture and then they sell them for hundreds of dollars.

I have 50% saying T5 and 50% saying MH, lol.

Boy this is quite the debate.

Everyone keep in mind like I said before however that I am not going over $200 on a light fixture as IMHO it's not worth it on a 29g and would rather spend good money on a high-end light when I upgrade my tank someday.

 

[STiTCH87]

That comes with a flat reflector, not good at all compared to other T5 fixtures. You get what you pay for

It say's that it has a parabolic reflector. It is one single piece reflector, but bent into separate reflectors for each lamp, but just as one piece.

Ahh i'm still so confused. I've been back and forth between LED, T5, and MH for over 3 months now and i'm even more undecided now than I was 3 months ago about which to get, lol.

Aiye dios mios...

 

[Yanni]

Greg at underwater world just got a shipment of tek lights. He has a 24 inch with 4 bulbs for 229 i beleive, that is perfect for that tank and cheap for a new fixture, also it saves you shipping cost or driving costs since he is down the road.

 

[STiTCH87]

Someone had told me that a 4x24 wasn't enough for my 29g though? AHH i'm so confused!

Plus TEK lights do not come with bulbs.

Is SunDial any good? Supposedly they have parabolic reflectors...

Starting to think I should just take Behrmon's advice and find a girl who can afford to buy me an LED fixture! LMAO.

 

[Reefried]

Well the thing is, MH bulbs are very expensive, and they use a CRAPLOAD of electricity and produce a huge amount of heat as well which is why I was leaning toward a T5 unit.

IDK this is all so unnecessarily expensive considering all it is, is a box full of wires and bulbs that costs like $25-%50 tops for them to manufacture and then they sell them for hundreds of dollars.

I have 50% saying T5 and 50% saying MH, lol.

Boy this is quite the debate.

Everyone keep in mind like I said before however that I am not going over $200 on a light fixture as IMHO it's not worth it on a 29g and would rather spend good money on a high-end light when I upgrade my tank someday.

Mh bulbs are expensive but so are 4 t5 bulbs at $20-$25 each, so thats about the same you'll get a year out of the mh and like 13-18 months out of the t5's..........for $200 your not gonna get much as far as a complete fixture thats plug and play out of the box, as you get what you pay for as far as quality goes, and if you go mh pendant style then heat will really not be much of an issue, and like i said before the 250watt pendant can go with you as you upgrade, the 24" t5 set-up will be pretty much useless on a bigger set-up......

 

[kevinpratt823]

Lovely Pets has the new Aquatic Life fixtures in stock and on a couple tanks. They are some of the best lights I've seen. Both MH and T5, some models have a built in digital timer/controller so they only have 1 cord to plug in. Great lights and a good value IMO.

 

[Yanni]

Greg is also offering 10% off the bulbs is you buy the fixture, i was just over there and was talking to him. Bulbs are 15-20 bucks, So basically 300 bucks for a new well built light. As far as not being enough light i beleive its plenty to run a mixed reef. I ran 4x24 on a 45 cube and everything was dandy.

 

[STiTCH87]

Eh, really really don't want to pay over $200 for lights on 29g.

 

[Yanni]

just telling you whats out there, for two beans or under a used current is probably what you will find. Not to many people sell good equipment any cheaper but good luck with your hunt.

 

[STiTCH87]

The SunDial right?