cant decide, please tell me which is best

OK guys, I was watching a Current USA fixture on ebay, but fell asleep and lost it by 5.00. Anyhow here is my dilema, and im hoping you guys can help me.

Which of the following is better?
3 250 watt HQI's with 2 96 watt PC and 2 65 watt PC
OR
2 250 watt 14k MH with 4 54 watt super actinic T5's
OR
2 250 watt 14k MH with 2 54 watt T5's

Then, would the last one be enough with only the 2 54 watt T5's??? The tank is 24 inches deep.

 

I believe it is watts per gallon to start then knowing what you are planning to keep makes a difference.

you are looking at
942w
716w
608w

all over the board here. what size tank, what are you planing to keep ?

 

tank is a 120 gallon. 60 x 24 x 18. I want to keep all sorts of coral. Pretty much want to be able to keep anything, I dont want light being a limiting factor. Where im lost is are the 4 PC's better then the 2 T5's?? Or would the 2 T5 bulbs be just as bright if not brighter then the 4 PC bulbs???

 

PC's dont penetrate all that well and with a 24" deep tank, id go with either of the last two.

 

if you want to be able to keep anything then totally forget pc's. they are the bottom of the lighting out there.it goes pc, t5 ho, mh. although there are some debates between which is better t5's or mh's. I think you're best bet would be mh supplemented with t5's. also keep in mind that with mh also you may have to deal with a heat issue (not always but it can be a concern.)

 

I would go with the 2x250W MH and 4x54W T5s. PCs are not good.

 

Just an FYI.. When bidding for ebay stuff look into auction snipper. You can have it bid for you. You put in the item# you want to bid for and the highest amount you want to bid and it will wait until it is just about to end and then will put in a bid for you. It will only bid enough to get the item not your max bid unless that is what it will take to win.

You do not always win as others may have a higher bid but you don't have to worry about going to bed.

 

Yes, I know about bid sniper, have used it many times. But i was going to be home and didnt have to worry about it. Or shouldnt have anyways.

 

also, i just noticed, that the bulbs are only 46 inchs long. So chances are they wont go to the ends of the fixture anyhow, so what would keep me from buying a 48 inch light fixture?? If the bulbs are only 46 inches long anyhow, and I would assume they would fill the tank, then wouldnt a 48 inch fixture fill the tank just fine???

 

the 2 250 watters will be fine depending on bulbs and reflectors. i'm growing a gigas clam and some pocillopora on the bottom of my 24 inch deep tank with 175 watt mh