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JasonSquared · 01-07-2008, 10:27 PM

For a 75 my opinion is the T5HO over the halides for a few reasons. I know this is debatable, and MH are good too and I currently run MH on my system. But for a 4' tank, that has the 21" depth, the T5's will save you $$ over 2 x 250's and $ over 2 175 or 150's even. Your savings will be in electrical, and the T5HO bulbs last around 18months as well. But you have to make your own decision. But you HAVE to get SLR reflectors for each bulb, and overdriving the bulbs with an ice cap ballast is even better.
My points:

Both are capable of even the most demanding corals or clams
T5's use less power to do it with a 4 bulb fixture being 216 watts, vs a two bulb MH being 430-730 watts if you have actinic lighting.
MH give you the caustic network lines (glitter lines) caused by the lensing of a point source bulb
T5's give you far better control of you lighting color temp (i.e. you want a blue light, add a blue bulb, you want a whiter light, add a warmer bulb)
MH gives you heat -a problem in warmer climes
I don't think that T5's will reach the bottom of a 90 as effectively as MH (so no SPS coral on the sand

)

My suggestion is decide which tank first, then worry about lighting it. But the prices you listed seem high... Where did you get those quotes?

What are you planning on doing for flow, filtration etc?

01-07-2008, 10:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
JasonSquared Flamingo Tongue Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Rochester NY Posts: 115 Karma: 137	For a 75 my opinion is the T5HO over the halides for a few reasons. I know this is debatable, and MH are good too and I currently run MH on my system. But for a 4' tank, that has the 21" depth, the T5's will save you $$ over 2 x 250's and $ over 2 175 or 150's even. Your savings will be in electrical, and the T5HO bulbs last around 18months as well. But you have to make your own decision. But you HAVE to get SLR reflectors for each bulb, and overdriving the bulbs with an ice cap ballast is even better. My points: Both are capable of even the most demanding corals or clams T5's use less power to do it with a 4 bulb fixture being 216 watts, vs a two bulb MH being 430-730 watts if you have actinic lighting. MH give you the caustic network lines (glitter lines) caused by the lensing of a point source bulb T5's give you far better control of you lighting color temp (i.e. you want a blue light, add a blue bulb, you want a whiter light, add a warmer bulb) MH gives you heat -a problem in warmer climes I don't think that T5's will reach the bottom of a 90 as effectively as MH (so no SPS coral on the sand ) My suggestion is decide which tank first, then worry about lighting it. But the prices you listed seem high... Where did you get those quotes? What are you planning on doing for flow, filtration etc? _________ Universal Healthcare: Brought to you by the same people that bring you FEMA, The IRS, USDA, Waco, and Medicare part D! Yeah its THAT good!