Lighting 120g, limited Budget

[kwirky]

I have a budget of $500 for my lighting, and there's oh so many options available for either MH or VHO.

My tank's 48x24x24, and the 24" depth is making it harder to make my purchase decision. I've realized AFTER i built my tank that if I had chosen a tank 18" deep, lighting wouldn't have been as much of an issue...

Anyways, I'm thinking of using either a VHO setup, and purchasing reflectors/mogul plugs to make my hood "ready" for MH, or going with pure MH.

If I went VHO, I don't think an anemone, or any sandbed corals would do that great.

I can go with two Venture 250w 10000k bulbs (they'll run at about 14000k when horizontal), and the animals would do a lot better, but I'd have no method of "dawn-dusk" timing.

Would running just MH stress the animals when they turn on?