Need a reef light

my ultimate goal is to have a reef aquarium with soft,lps, and a little sps corals. now I need your oppinion on what light is best for my needs. Ive been looking nonstop for a light for all of these qualitys.

-can grow soft,lps, and a little sps
-works good
-wont burn down my house (thats a big one)
-between $free-$250

I dont know how retro's work (I guess you need to buy bulbs, ballast,hanger seperately) but I think that would be a good option.

Help me to find a reef light...please

 

we need tank demensions.

 

Its a 72gal bowfront so...

48" long
12.5" at the ends
18" in the middle
22" high

 

For a retro kit you need to have a canopy or something to mount everything to but they are good value for the money. They come with everything you need, even bulbs.

This is what I personally would put on that tank, it's worth the extra $50.
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...put_Retrofit_Kit_w!_Bulbs_by_AquaIllumination

Otherwise for a fixture I would go with this, again bulbs are included so that might be within your range since bulbs will cost almost another $100.
http://www.reefgeek.com/lighting/T5...t_Fixture_w!_Bulbs_(Black)_by_Sunlight_Supply

 

I have one of these; Aquarium Lighting for Planted & Reef Aquariums: Hagen GLO T5 HO Linear Fluorescent Fixtures, the double bulb type and I will tell you, they are gaining in popularity. They are very intense. I like the unit for its' adjust-ability. Two units will fit on your tank.

 

You don't NEED a canopy for a retro, it will just hide the usually unsightly homemade frame for the retro... I can tell you I am glad I have a canopy over my retro.

 

would I be able to hang it from the ceiling using wires

 

With a retro, all I did was build a simple frame out of 1"x3". I didn't hang anything, nor did I need to. I just made a simple cross type brace that was as long as my lamps. I had three pieces going perpendicular to the tank, the two ends held the endcaps and the center prevented sagging. There was then 2 longer pieces that held all three together that went parallel to the tank and were the length of the lamps. On the topside of these I mounted the ballasts.
All I had to purchase was the wood, which was cheap;spar varnish, to waterproof the wood and prevent any molding; waterproof endcaps and standoffs;ballasts;reflectors and lamps. It took me about a half hour or so to make the frame but that included drinking beer with my old man, and about 1.5 hrs to wire and mount all the electrical, but that also included me running to the hardware store 2x.

 

Would you be able to post a pic of that setup? I'm curious to see what it looks like. I can't paint a clear pic in my head.

Found a pic in your tank thread:

 

Here is a couple

Inside



These are all from November so the tank and the kids have grown alot since!