personally i would go with your original decision of the L3 on a 30wide tank. My rationale for this is the light spread difference on the two. Assuming that the reflectors will be mounted at least 6" above the water and your photosythetic livestock will start around 6" below the water, the light spread on the L3's would be quite even at this point whereas the mini's would still be too focused which will then cause many darker shadows if you have any overhanging rocks or corals.
Your concerns for having only 5" on each side for atinic can be addressed by the method in which you mount the atinics and the height in which you mount the reflectors. Its only 5" of linear space if you mounted them flush with the tank. If they are mounted 6" above the tank, its a 5"x6" space for atinic supp.
I mounted atinic supp to my luminarc minis by attaching an aluminum strip to the ends of the reflectors. Then I mounted the T5 ends onto the aluminum strip. I'll post pics of it later. BTW good luck finidng T5 ends at local hardware stores - i had to special order them in at an electrical trades supplier at $5 each.
__________________
____________
If people don't die, it wouldn't make living important.
And why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.
|