Metal Halide Questions VS. T5

[lastlight]

I think the 2x150w would be fine.

A single 250 is ok but you'll find the stuff right under it will do far better than the rest (sps) and then the stuff on the edges is going to get less and less light. That's what I found with one light (and what I'm finding looking at my tank front-to-back as the stuff up top grows bigger.

[kien]

As fishy said, the 8bulb T5 on an 18" high tank will be more than enough to grow pretty much anything. The halide option is OK too if you can look past the heat issue. Another thing to consider is the fact that the halides will shimmer your tank, where as the T5s will not. To get shimmer while using T5's you'd have to supplement with LEDs.

I personally prefer a combination of T5s with Halides. Halides to grow corals and for the shimmer effect, and t5s for supplementation and colour adjustment.

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by kien

As fishy said, the 8bulb T5 on an 18" high tank will be more than enough to grow pretty much anything. The halide option is OK too if you can look past the heat issue. Another thing to consider is the fact that the halides will shimmer your tank, where as the T5s will not. To get shimmer while using T5's you'd have to supplement with LEDs.

I personally prefer a combination of T5s with Halides. Halides to grow corals and for the shimmer effect, and t5s for supplementation and colour adjustment.

T5s will also light the sides of the coral a bit better.

[kien]

Originally Posted by lastlight

T5s will also light the sides of the coral a bit better.

very true. T5s are a much more enveloping light where Halides is more directional much like the sun.

[lorenz0]

^^^

willing to do a test, put the same frag in each tank at the same depth/ distance from the light in each of your tanks?

[gobytron]

I dont think anything will make you happier than 2X250 MH and 4Xt5's...

Best of both worlds.

[Lethbridge]

I like the shimmer of the MH and with the t5 supplementation I can get the colour correct. I know that a halide does about 24" x 24" area so really I'll be looking at two halides now I just have to work on the depth issue which is only 16" worth of water once you take into account the sand bed. So would two 150w not be enough to grow sps anywhere in the tank? I'm not looking for anything large than need fro this setup as if I do upgrade I will get a bigger light. I also run fans on my setup to keep it cool on very hot summer days, my temp ranges from 78 to 81, if I kept the light about 8" or so would that help keep it cooler? The 250w seems to be quite alot of light and typically I've read that 250w halide is for 24" deep tanks or more and 150w are for 18" or less.