reef tank lighting

cp5041

i am starting a 55g reef tank. i plan on having corals, anenomes, clams, fish, the whole works( hopefully) i have been looking at t-5 lights and was wondering if it would be a strong enough light for what i am planning on doing.

trreherd

i here t-5 are a good choice. maybe a halide retro just for sum extra light for the anenamones and the clams.
these are high end for vho
http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_...it.asp?CartId=
cheep halide lighing.
http://www.hellolights.com/hidretrofitkit.html

usmc121581

Yes trreherd you said it go with a MH's retro kit or pendent. You can not go wrong with them, you will be able to keep what ever. But I would not mix corals with anenomes.

caferacermike

T-5s are proving to be a great way to go with the smaller tanks, 60g and under. But you will need to fill the top of the tank as much as possible to get the max benefit. You need to queeze in as many, 5-or more to make it worthwhile. Why when you can get a nice 150 or 250w halide with 2 T5 suplemental actinics and just be done with it? In reality that many ballasts and bulbs becimes as expensive or more thatn a good halide setup in the lng run.

cp5041

trreherd should i get the mh's as well as the T-5's and if so how strong a light should it be

usmc121581

On my reef I have 2-250w MH on top of 4-65 watt PC's.

trreherd

You should do a mh and a few t-5 or cps. NOW you can either do a 20 k halide and some 10k t-5s for looks or you can get a 10k halide and some actanic t-5. Corals thrive on blue light so i would do the 20 k halide. with the t-5s just to make it so your tank isent totally blue.
or you could do a 14 k halide witth a actanic t-5 and a 10k t-5, that would make a awsome color in your tank

Halide come in 5k-20k+. 20 being the bluest. Actanic light is also blue. 10k is nutrael. Just in case you dident already know :D corals thrive on blue light.