I've used NO, T5s, PC & now MH. Go with MH right off & save yourself hundreds in unnecessary upgrades. I've seen & heard of people doing it successfully with "lesser" lights, but for a 2' by 2' tank, that would take a lot of PC 65w or t5s to give proper coverage & the replacement costs on those other bulbs would be as much, if not more than for a single decent MH bulb. HO T5s are expensive & so are multiple PC units. Do they make a 2' long VHO?
If you do a search on this subject, this same question has been asked zillions of times & the general consensus is go straight to MH to avoid the cost of upgrades. Why try with minimum light when you can actually give your corals good lighting instead? If you're worried about the extra cost of a MH pendant, then get out before the next VISA bill hits you because this is only a drop in the bucket when it comes to reefing expenses.
Anthony
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