[mike31154]

Can't help it, gotta ask. You've been a forum member since 2002 and consider yourself a newbie? Ok, perhaps your experience has been freshwater until now, but surely you've delved into more than a few salt water posts over the years? The lighting debate is never ending, but you might want to look at some sort of LED set up. I reckon in a few years fluorescent technology will fall by the wayside, as will Halide. Even if they don't, it will get increasingly difficult to source bulbs, tubes, ballasts etc. and the cost will rise.