help with lights

Ok, i am trying to have a set-up in my tank that can incorperate all kinds of life in my tank ( my tank is 12" wide x 25" tall x 48" long) i also wanted to have the mh lights that had the actnic or moon lights in them already. I called my LFS and they said they would be aroung $700 for a 48" set-up at 150w is this a good price or should i keep looking? If anyone has a good site i can look at that would be very much appreciated... Thank you...

 

well, if you really want MH, then go for it, i think that sounds like a fairly decent price (the 48" kits usually range from 6 to somewhere in the low 8's)

but if money is a concern, i'd recommend T5 HO's either in the 4 or 6 bulb configuration... drsfostersmith.com .... $199 plus shipping will give you the 4x54w with moonlight LED's (not sure how much the 6x54w is)... and then get the individual reflectors from the same place, for i think about 26 a piece... at most, $400, and you have what some will claim to be just as good as the MH... this is the route i'm going because of two reasons... i don't really care for any SPS's that i've seen, so i don't need THAT intense lighting.. but if i change my mind in the future, all i've gotta do is order the reflectors... another reason is they don't get near as hot at MH, so water doesn't evaporate as much, and they use less energy than MH (lower power bill)... PLUS the bulbs are cheaper to replace when they burn out or become weak...and i also think the bulbs last longer... but i'm not sure.. i may end up being completely wrong, but for now, i'm 100% sold on T5's...

 

MH's hands down. You will not get a better light specturm out of a T5 then you do a MH. You ever been to a large aquarium???? What do they light it with...T5, NOT! They are usually running 1000w MH on those large tanks. If you are out to worry about a electric bill then you got in the wrong hobby. Need to take up model cars if your a penny pincher. If you are planning on setting this up for any coral you want you had better get the right light now or your going to spend more money later for an upgrade and then have equipment sitting in the closet you have to get rid of...Florscents..? this is just my opnion, but I would sure do some more research on this before I lay down the money!
Advanced Aquarist Feature Article
This is some good reading!

 

The debate over MH and T5 will go on for awhile, but here is a 110g tank running 8x54w T5s and the tank speaks for itself.
Tank of the Month - March 2005 - Reefkeeping.com