Trying to pick the right lighting system...please help

[joem1cha3l]

30 gallon tank guys, looking to do all corals. Will this work for what I need? If not please recommend a different option

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...2&pcatid=12772

[MTB]

That light should work for most corals. But I'd go with a 250 watt halide. I have a 29 gal I just set up with a lumenarc mini. Seems to fit the tank nicely.

[abulgin]

You'd probably be okay IF you removed the 2 actinic bulbs (practically useless light spectrum) and replaced them with 10,000K bulbs. Without doing this, the 2 daylight bulbs will not be sufficient for anything but the hardiest of mushrooms and other low-light loving corals.

Personally, I would opt for a fixture that has individual reflectors, which increase you light output by as much as 300%. Without individual reflectors, HO T5s are the equivalent of power compacts. Examples would be:

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...roduct=CU01080">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...roduct=CU01080

http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...product=SL2113">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...product=SL2113

Or better yet: http://www.premiumaquatics.com/aquat...T-TX53600.html

If you're handy, you could build your own using a retrofit kit from IceCap: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...product=IC1533">http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...product=IC1533

OR, probably a better option (IMO) would be an HQI fixture from Aquatraders.com--cheap and reliable (I don't care what people say--this fixture is proven). http://www.aquatraders.com/index.asp...ROD&ProdID=334

Just upgrade the ballast with something like this: http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewIt...product=IC3161

You'd end up with a great fixture for the same price (or less) as the T5 setups above.

Don't skimp on lighting--it's one of the most important pieces of equipment you'll buy if you plan to keep SPS/LPS.

[Tswifty]

In my opinion I would NOT recommend that fixture. As abulgin stated above, T5's will compete with MH's only when they employ the use of individual reflectors for each bulb.

I would look at a unit which utilizes individual reflectors, or a retrofit kit (I like the IceCap SLR kits from ReefGeek.com). IF you are curious as to their output, I will be doing some PAR testing on my 90g tank (6x54w Icecap retrofit) hopefully later this week.

In my opinion a T5 unit without individual reflectors is no better than a PC unit.