What do you think?

I'm setting up a 20g long frag tank, the guy I always deal with at my LFS sold me a Current Orbit Compact Fluorescent 30" fixture to go on it.

It includes 65W SunPaq Dual Daylight (6700°K/10000°K) and 65W Dual Actinic (420 nm and 460 nm) bulbs.

So it is 130W's total.

He said being as the tank is so shallow and everything I put in it would be so close to the light that I would not be limited as to what types of corals I could keep. I'm a little worried that the compact fluorescents won't be good enough.

So I guess what I am wondering is what everyone's opinion on this?
Would I be better off with the Current Sundial T5 HO 30" fixture. Which includes (2) 24W 460nm Actinic and (2) 24W 10,000°K T-5 fluorescent lamps.

 

Talk to Tangster on here, he will set you up right. I would personally put a Metal Halide on top, but I think you can do T-5's too.

 

im not going to say you will be able to keep all corals because nothing definite in this hobby. but i think you could keep alot of corals. i don't have much expierence with hard corals though and if you were going to have a problem its with those.
your better off with the power compacts theres just to much of a wattage difference between the fixtures for the advantages of t5's to make up for it

 

IMO mh's are just too much for that shallow a tank. it would burn the corals, pc's might be ok actually. I have them on a 24" tall and they are pretty good. I keep stuff you're not supposed tot keep with pc's so...... T5's might even be too strong for it. How deep is that tank?

 

It is shallow. Only 12 inches deep. I appreciate the responses.

 

ya ow only that deep those pc's might be just right! if you used mh's you'd have to have them hanging a foot above the tank, I would think..then the added heat into that shallow of a tank would have you fighing heat all the time

 

I ran the same light and tank and kept zoa's and low light LPS fine. Later on I switch to a 150 MH Pendenant, but had to keep it about 10" inches above the tank. Do not think I would put any SPS under the PC's

 

Yea your right, I didn't think about that.

 

I have a 20 long frag tank, I have this light over it and everything it doing great in it. MH's would be way to much IMO. I agree I dont think I would be trying to keep acros under them but I am sure Monti or two would do fine.

 

Thanks for all the help. Picking the right light is tricky sometimes. I think I am going to give the pc's a try. If after a little bit I'm not happy with them I'll try something else. Thanks a bunch.