question about lighting...

[ohsweetmadness]

i've been doing some research, and all i get is conflicting information (not that this comes as a surprise or anything this seems to be the case for everything! )

i've been going back and forth on whether to go t5 or mh. i like the the t5s are lower on heat and all. but to be honest, looking at cost wise, it's more expensive to get a good t5 fixture (because to be truly effective they need individual reflectors) then it is to get a mh fixture. plus if i ever want to go sps, i'd already have the halides. the only thing that concerns me is my tank is mostly softies, with a few lps and i don't want to fry my stuff

also, i have a 46g tank... the problem is there is a stupid brace in the center, so that screws up only having 1 mh light, so i was told i'd need 2 different ones to light each side. if that is the case, would 2 175w/10ks fry my tank? i'd be getting some retrofits and building a canopy. also, what would i need for exhaust because i know that the heat is going to be an issue.

any suggestions are helpful, sorry for some many questions, it's just all so confusing haha. thanks!!

 

[Reefdweller]

T5 Lights

I have 2 tanks-a 75g tank with 2 x 250W MH and a 120g tank with 6 x 55W T5s. . I love the T5s and have found that everything except SPS grow great under t5. IMO the only reason to get MH is for SPS. Otherwise, I woudl go with t5 for softies and most other corals.

 

[Bobbofin]

I have MH on my 30g Oceanic cube. The only reason is that the tank is only 20" wide. I wanted T5s but the smallest fixture is 24". I only keep softies and LPS. I recommend T5s like the other post. http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=CU01121

 

[deadhermitwalkin]

You'll be fine with 150's...You could also retro fit some T5's