What does everyone think of T5's for reefs

[kwirky]

Originally Posted by Reefer Rob

I'm thinking a combination of MH for texture, and T5s for homogeneous light, with 50% of the wattage each split between the two might be ideal. Has anyone seen this kind of hybrid system?

seen quite a few exactly like that on the zeovit forums, usually people upgrading their existing MH setups by supplementing with T5 actinic instead of PC. Seem some people using Iwasaki bulbs with T5 bulbs and ending up with a 10k colour. T5's are WAY more efficient than PC lighting.

Would be pretty expensive though, and I have a feeling marcingo has a budget to keep within Two MH lights plus 4 T5 bulbs with ballasts and fixtures to boot would run about $500-900 without the bulbs, I think.

I find the retrofit options available for T5's quite lacking ATM, and wish there was more available, as that would make such a lighting setup dooable without being outrageously priced.

Anyone know how long T5 bulbs last when overdriven with an icecap 660 ballast? Heard it's 6 months...