looking for info on lighting please

[mr_alberta]

Hi Al,

Making your own is always cheaper than buying a premade setup. This, however, usually requires you to wire up electrical components and may require some wood working. If you are comfortable with both of these things, then I say DIY.

Now, for a 24" deep tank, I would use at least 250W MH. The problem is not the wattage of the bulb, but the depth of your tank. Metal Halides should be able to "punch through" to the bottom of your tank and provide enough light for whatever you want to keep.

Of couse, MH is not the only option. VHO work well and I have seen some amazing tanks lit only by VHO. T5 are also another option that a lot of people seem to like. Your PC are ok too, but may have trouble providing enough useful light to reach the bottom of your tank.