LED booster

Currently over my 46g tank I have a Nova Extreme SLR T-5 Fixture it's sadly only 78 watts, I had wanted to purchase the saltwater version of this light but Foster and smith were out of stock and kept pushing the date back further and further. So i opted to get the fresh water because at the time they were the same thing. (and i was stupid and didn't know corals required so much extra lighting) Well now that light has come on the market and it's not the same the new saltwater is 156watts and four bulbs instead of two. Painfully I'm now under powered to support corals Or so I think. I haven't really checked the PAR rating as I'm still unsure about it. I was pondering taking about 8 LEDs and stringing them close to one another forming a sort of Spotlight effect using 60 degree optics to keep the lighting in a mostly narrow band. I figured placing four of them together on one side and four on the other will give a decent spread over the tank's area I plan to place corals.. Now I know they wont be strong enough for say a nem but maybe some lps corals?

I guess I'm just asking is this a good idea or should I go against my loves wishes and buy a new lighting setup because I messed up?

 

I would buy LEDs and add them to your current setup. Make the t5 all actnic and add white LEDs with the lenses for daylight. Rapid LED has an all white kit with 12 for a fairly inexpensive price. No need in wasting the money you already invested. So later on after you save some money you can buy the fixture you really want.

 

I agree with this although I would use the blue LED and replace the T5 bulbs with a blue one and a 12000K white one or two white ones.