Lighting for 30x30 Cube

Looking for recomendations for lighting for a 30 x 30 cube tank. I don't have it in hand yet but I'm going to upgrade my current Biocube 29 to a 30x30x24 cube. I'll be keeping a mixed reef with SPS so will want MH and / or LEDS. My first thought is to find a 1 or 2 bulb MH setup with T5's too. I'd like the light to be a hanging system as I'm planning on going hoodless.

From what I've seen so far, it seems like a 30" lighting system doesn't exist so I guess a 24" fixture is going to be the way to go. Anyway, there's so many fixtures out there and I'm not remotely familiar with most so I'd love input from the masses. Price is a concern as well. I'm not looking to drop 1000's on a super pretty sytem

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

boost led make sbulbs that would be perfect for a cube of that size and wil grow anything you want may cost a little more but I promise you'll never go to anything else.

 

MHs are perfect for cubes IMO. I'm lighting mine 30x30x24 cube with a single 250MH. I only run it about 6 hours a day though, so I also have T-5s and two boost PAR30s to extend the lighting period. A single 250W MH is plenty though by itself though, especially with a good reflector. T-5s are good, but aren't ideal for the shape of a cube. You'd need 8 or more bulbs and would be spending a lot of money replacing bulbs yearly. Leds are good, but much more expensive, short term anyways, but no heat issues and no bulb replacement. Although, with a good reflector, a MH shouldn't have heat issues either, as you can raise it quite high, which I do with a lumenbright mini-wide reflector, raised 16"-18". this is nice, as it also makes it very easy to work on the tank as the fixture is not in the way.

 

here is the fixture

 

I upgraded to a 30x30x18 cube and currently run a Radium 20k 250w mogul bulb in a SLS Lumenmax 2 pendant, driven by a Galaxy e-ballast. I love the look of it and my clams, corals are all doing very well. Mostly LPS, softies, had some monti also. I get good coverage with the pendant, but may go LED one day for less heat in the summer.

Here's an older shot before my re-aquascape followed by a newer shot:

 

Great thought guys. Thanks so much for the super fast responses. I wanted to avoid a hood directly on top of the tank and it looks like it should be easy enough to do even if I just build a suspended hood. I was wondering if one MH bulb would be enough and it sure looks like it is especially with some suppliemental lighting.

I'd love to jump right into LED's. But prefabricated fixtures are just a non-starter cost wise. I'll have to do some research into what a DIY fixture would cost and see if that's doable now or will it have to wait.

Loved seeing the pictures too. Keep them coming!

 

One more thing... although not specifically light related. Can someone that has a Marineland/Perfecto 30x30 cube give me the exact outside dimensions of the tank's trim? I'm going to get my stand built ahead of time.

Thanks to anyone that can help

 

I get the trim is exactly 30" on my 93g.