help me pick out my lights

I have a 50 tall whose dimensions are approx 30H x 22W x 18D (picture attached and video here YouTube - Joe and Sabrina's Reef Tank ) with some softies, a dendro and some SPS corals. im currently running 2 CurrentUSA lights (2 T5s and 2 PCs and lots of lunar lights). im looking to upgrade to a single MH light around 150-250 watts. im thinking about hanging a pendant from the ceiling above and i would like to keep one of the fixtures so i can have some actinics. ascetics are big for me as the tank is in my living room.

what would you recommend as a good setup for my tank?

what wattage would you recommend?

I've had Icecap ballasts and Reflux bulbs recommended to me, does anyone have any experience with these?

 

i would go with at least 250wt with a tank that deep

 

I agree with the 250w MH. I don't know of any fixture that will fit on the tank, so you may need to go with a pendant. Icecap makes some pendants that don't look too bad, but I don't know how you could fit the actinic supplementation with it. You could just run 20,000K bulbs. Your tank is a terrible size for lighting. Geissman makes a really nice pendant that would fit perfectly on your tank, but it will cost you about $500. Giesemann Nova II Metal Halide HQI Pendant Lighting System

 

maybe check out hamilton fixtures? I would try reefgeek

 

I have 2 Aquamedic Oceanlight Pendants, they're cool! Aqua Medic Ocean Light HQI Lighting System

 

that would work well, i likes

 

Aqua Medic has a very nice hanging kit as well. Very easy to raise and lower the light for working on the tank.

 

what the difference between metal hallide and HQI?

 

none really. HQI means a double ended MH. Dont base your purchase decision on it. HQI just needs a glass shield to block UV rays, which the fixture will come with. Single ended, or mogul bulbs, have a glass shield built in.

 

the guy who recommended the reflux bulbs said he liked the single ended bulbs. any real reason for this? price, lifespan, heat, color?