correct lighting?

i have a 50 gallon acrylic BF tank which is my current project but i don't know what type of lighting would be best or really what the difference is between metal halide and T-5 HO lighting and what wattage i should have to keep corals healthy and happy. I currently have been looking at T-5HO lights but with so many options and opinions i don't know which way to go..... can someone help me out? :

 

its preference really.. but i would steer you to t5 ho since they run a little cooler and acrylic tanks have more problems with heat.

go with like 150-200 watts, the cheaper made the fixture the higher the wattage you will need.

 

I would also say go T5HO.

 

+1. I would go with a 4 or 6 bulb T5HO, depending on what corals you want to keep...soft coral, SPS (small polyp stony) or LPS (large polyp stony) or a mixed reef...what did yoiu have in mind?

Go for something around 200w.

 

t5ho is much cooler imo and costs less to run and will keep almost all corals happy and healthy.

 

alright that is what i was thinking but wasn't sure. thanks for the advice

 

right now i have a mixture of hard and soft corals in my 40 gallon but the lighting isnt the best right now so when i switch over i want to have good lighting

 

A 4 bulb T5HO from Tek or ATI will allow you to keep anything in the tank. I think any with a well formed reflector will do the same. The reflector should form a U around the bulb.

 

I would look into something like this.

http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Fixture_w!_Bulbs_(Black)_by_Sunlight_Supply