Cheapest lighting cost for SPS coral

[imisky]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Another alternative to consider are over driven NO fluorescent. The bulb cost is significantly lower than T5, the ballasts around the same or possibly less. This alternative could be done cheaper than any other and costs less to maintain. Not as efficient but not by much, considering the cheaper maintenance cost this could be the cheapest lighting source.

imo OD NO florescent will not do the job for SPS, i at least havent seen anyone who has kept SPS in the long term with OD florescent lighting. the bulb cost is significantly lower than T5 but you get less to chose from as well and not as well made reflectors for them than compared to the ones made for T5s unless you have a metal sheet bender which can replicate the degrees on the reflectors made for T5s. the only thing thats cheaper about this is the ballast price. With this setup it would be hard to keep SPS colorful as spectrum plays a big part in pigment development in SPS