t5 vs MH

So I'm looking for an upgrade from my PC lighting on my biocube 29 and was wondering which direction I should head. I would like to have the possibility of keeping a variety of corals and possibly an anemone later on. So my main question is will a fixture with just t5s get it done or are there things that just have to have MH, or a mixture of both? Depending on which one, what would be a good wattage amount? Also if anyone has an input on a good fixture on a budget please let me know.

 

this has been heavily debated Ad naseum. There's no one answer, right now the "best" lighting is MH, i'd go with a sunpod fixture for the cube.

Personally i prefer T5's I'd check Reef Geek for lighting fixtures they have some good ones at decent prices, also ebay as always is an even cheaper route good luck


Edit:

Also on the anemone........we had a biocube 14 and we stuck a Sebae anemone in there prolly 2 weeks after we got the tank going (we didn't know this was not good at the time) and under stock biocube lights, right now he's 4 times the size he was originally and could probably eat my face if he wanted to he's so huge, and supposedly Sebae's are one of the harder to keep anemones. All i'm saying is........there are no absolutes, there are so many reasons y he SHOULDN'T have survived we have learned now but he did, mind u he came to us bleached. Just keep in mind, alot of people when speaking about the hobby tend to put alot of permenence, and absolutes in their statements, when in fact there are just too many variables, do what works for you. btw he's in a much bigger tank now, but still under pc's and thriving.

 

I an a ho t5 fan myself don't care for the heat issues of the MH . but thats my opinion. and tadpole1mill has a very good point there are no absolutes in this hobby. imo

 

i wouldnt even think about sticking an MH on a 29G! I did it once and it was a mistake! Heed my warning! The tank gets really hot, you will lose lots of water, and then there is light saturation! Go with the T5!!

 

I use T5s only on my 72. SPS corals are growing fast. I have two anemones. I also have a Maxima clam sitting on the sand bed that is also growing. Don't have to worry about cooking my tank either.

 

Thanks a lot guys. I will go with the t5s now. I was just wondering what to get because I have a birthday coming up pretty soon and you all know this hobby + birthday = endless lists of things. So now the question is which fixture to get. Anyone have any suggestions. Also, would I be better with a four bulb fixture or a two bulb fixture?

 

It has to do with depth!! T5's are great and all but lose their effect in deeper water, say past 20" s

 

Id go with a 150 or 175 mh over that tank, you wont have much if any heat issues with those wattages and you will get the SICK shimmer effect

 

Are you crazy? No heat issue with a 150watt MH on a 29G cube?


EDIT: T5's ROCK!!

 

Yup, i have had a 150 over a 29 with no problems at all, not crazy just seen it done many times