Coralife Aqualight Pro vs T5's

[TJSlayer]

OK just about to get my lights and wondering on pinions here....

Option A
NEW - 48" Current Usa Nova Extreme Pro - 6 HO (54 Watt) T5 Bulbs - Individual Like refelctors

or

USED - 48" Coralife Aqualight Pro - 2 x 150 Watt MH DE 2 96 Watt PC Lights with 3 moon Lights.

Want to be as flexible down the road when it comes to keeping corals so wondering what would be the best bang for the buck, both close to same price, but one is used....

Let me know your thoughts ASAP

Thanks
TJ

[andresont]

If you go with T5's make sure that you get good reflectors.
Individual "W" shaped or seagull wing shaped reflectors are the key of your success.
Any thing other then that is waste of money.

[saltyrockbox]

you will get more light from hte used MH fixture and the 96W CF bulbs are great also. I think my CF shine brighter then my T5s. CF are being replaced by T5s though...I got a new bulb today and there is a lot less selection of CF then there used to be...I would still go with the used MH fixture.

[fkshiu]

How deep is your tank? What are you planning on keeping long term? Exactly how "flexible" do you want to be? For example, if you want to keep crocea clams and SPS thriving on the bottom of a 30" deep tank, neither of these lights will cut it - not even close.

With proper bulb selection, both these lights are just "adequate" for keeping SPS/clams near the surface.

[TJSlayer]

Tank is a standard 75 Gallon so I think that's 18" deep...

I have no idea what I may want to keep in there a year from now hence why I asking which one would be etter in terms of flexibility.....

Hope that helps

Thanks for the help

[digital-audiophile]

T5's baby!

Better colour, better par, better in the long run.

The T5's would be more than adequate for SPS and clams and would easily outperform the 150MH.

[bv_reefer]

i can't believe i'm saying this, but in this case i'd go with the t5's, for one reason everyone complains about coralife bulbs, saying there crap. then again think through about what you plan to keep in the long run, if clams, sps and acans interest you, they thrive under intense light with great results, i know 70-175 watt are real popular with soft coral keepers. insufficient light makes clams look pretty dull and you don't get all the full colors you can. under 400 watt mh my clams and sps look great and are growing good, but my soft corals are pretty miserable about it. clam has nice highlights and stripes, i'm sure you could get the same with a good t5 fixture though-

[TJSlayer]

So far then even though the T5 wattage is lower it will give me better saturation in a 75 gallon tank then?

I think that's the general mood I'm sensing here.....

[Aquattro]

I'd go with a 250w MH fixture. I have the 150, I'm selling it to upgrade to 250. None of those silly T5 things.

[fkshiu]

I would get neither unit.

Go with 250W MHs or a better quality T5HO unit and you'll never have to upgrade down the road.

Whether you go MH or T5 is a matter of subjective aethetics and your priorities. Better yet, do what I did and do a combination of both.