You don't need LED either. Get a good T5 fixture, you're good. Build a nice canopy and retrofit T5 into it, even better.

K if you say so, lol. I am just finding I have dark spots near the back. I have a24" hagen glo t5ho one white one blue lunar leds (x4) and a strip of leds 2 white 2 blue. I just cant get the dark spots to go away lol

if ur going to make a canopy u could always just go with those led strip the stuners. just set them up side by side and u would be able to play around with there placement to rid ylourself of that dark spot

I suppose so, Is there any specific sealer or epoxy i need for sealing the wood? or is clear coat/ varnish ok? I'm assuming I need more then just that

The heat output of a 150w halide isn't too bad. Nothing a few fans can't handle. Grab a used setup (DE) and pickup a Radium bulb and be done with it.

Halides are the new LED =)

lol I'm getting some mixed replies on this one. its a 250w metal halid/t5 by oddysea. is this too bright for shrooms ricordeas and zoos? or is there something I can do to cut down the light on the halide?

I think you'll cook things under a 250 personally...

yeah I hear ya, I guess its got separate switches for the lights so the metal Halide is optional, I thinkI'm going to keep the halide off, and just rune the t5s with my leds, it'll be much cleaner over all then what I have going now

Try a lower par 20k bulb, and reduced hours on. The mh? I have a 250 on my 20 and everything seems happy although some are in the shadow areas. My reflector is not very good though.

k thanks Guys, I think I'm going to suspend it too so it'll be about 5-10 inches above the tank, and then I'll figure out from there whether or not to havd the MH on