T5 or HQI

Trying to make the right decesion on lighting for my Solana 34 gallon cube. The tank is 20x20x20 Solana make a Hanging Pendent 150w HQI 14K that I can get that is desgined for their tank for $200. I plan on having some corals but don't know if the HQI will be enough or should I try and go with a T5? Solana make a nice T5 for my system but it's a 10K system.

what determins the best lighting for a tank is it the level of 10K or 14K higher or lower??

Here is a link to the 2 lights.

Nova Extreme T5H0 | Current What's Next

Solana - Aquarium System | Current What's Next

 

The HQI Metal halide is going to be more light than the T5

 

Is it the Kelvin that decides the strength? So a 14K is stronger than a 10K?

Now the HQI is a diffrent bulb than a T5 system where the T5 is fluorescent bulb,, what's the Pro's and conn's of each? and is one better to use than the other?

 

Its the wattage you want to look at for tha amout of light your getting. The HQI is 150 watts. The 24 in T5 is only going to give you 48 watts of the 10 K and 48 watts of Actinic. The 10K 14K and 20K are the spectrum of light. 10 K is great for growth. 14 K is what most people use because it has a little bit of blue that brings out the color of the coral and 20 K is really blue. If it were me I would go with a 14 K HQI. JMO

 

With HQI Metal halide you may run into a heat problem where the t5's run a bit cooler and i have herd there is a difference in power usage , Metal halide using more.
just something to consider .

 

Great info man thanks. I do know that the HQI does make more heat but heat is not a problem for my tank and plus my house never gets above 71F so my tank is always about 72F.

Think I'll run the HQI then. I also ordered a Moon light 10 LED for the tank also. Any you guys uses one of these? Any Pro's and Con's?

 

yea the halide puts out more heat because the bulb has all the output at one focused point and is slightly less efficent. the efficiencies differ alot on the brand of bulb and ballast for halides. the energy efficeincy of a average t5 is only about 10 lumens per watt higher then halide not that much of a difference, they run at 92 lpw and 80 lpw respectively. if it made that much of a difference people would never by incandest bulbs which get 15 lpw. personally i like the look of halides better more natural look, what is the price of beauty to you. but t5's are cool too they just take up a bit of space above the tank

also about the moon lights i like to only have one bright led. it looks more natural. and in case your wondering its 50 or 60 lpw( however the new stuff their working on blows t5 and halides out of the water).

 

10 led moonlights might be over kill on that size of a tank. one moon like 2 max would be more than enough. Moon lights are more for show and observing your tank a night time hours.

 

Very informative thread..I learn-ded sum-tin today! LOL
Really though, good info...lighting is important....and so many options vs. what are you raising....
carry on folks.
LG

 

I just wanted the moon light like it would be in real life. I want to make this tank as close to a ocean as I can get.