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My 120 mixed reef has done fine for the past 5 or 6 years with an 8 x 54 Watt T5 Tek-Light however over the past few months I have removed most of the BTA's LPS and all the soft corals in order to go full blowN SPS. The Tek-light seems fine for SPS in the top half of the tank (and Montiporas on the bottom of the tank) but I think it is time for more light.

The fixtures I am considering are:

AquaIllumination LED light
Vertex LED fixture 48"
PowerModule 8 x 54 Watt T5
PoweRModule 10 x 54 Watt T5 (used one available)
PowerModule 8 x 54 Watt T5 with dimmable ballasts

The two LED fixtures run around $3000.00 after taxes and shipping. I can afford $3000.00 but I can't afford to spend $3000.00 and then find that the light is not what I thought it would be and have to buy new lights again.

The PowerModules seem tried and true however they are pricy, with bulbs you are looking at close to 1500.00 after taxes and shipping, and the new dimmable PowerModules may be more expensive (waiting to hear back from a vendor on this).

There is a used 10 x 54 Watt PowerModule that will be available soon however it seems like it might be too much light for my tank and I don't want to bleach everything out.

On the one hand the pricey LED fixtures seem like a gamble that may not pay off. On the other hand it seems foolish to buy an expensive PowerModule when I might just end up upgrading to LED a year or two later.

Any input or advice on this would be appreciated.