There are a lot of ways to grow corals and there are alot of ways to waste money. I've done them both. IME, T5 does not penetrate very well, therefore good for shallow tanks and corals that doesn't require intensity. To the naked eye it appears a littly hazy, like a slightly overcast day
. MH on the other hand is a sunny day, and don't we all love sunny days
.
The reason why I stated that is because most people start out with lighting, or other equipments, that are gearing for the current interest, and perhaps lack the future interest for keeping SPS(everyone's goal
). Investing in something for the long run is always wise and saves you money in the long run. IMO, T5 cannot bring out the vibrant colors of the corals that MH can, and that is truely the main objective, isn't it.