Monthly upkeep costs for your system?

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

If cost, not room, is the biggest concern, go with a 6' fowlr but with decent lighting, such as an Aqualight Pro 150w all-in-one unit. These are going for very low prices nowadays. As a fowlr, you can either run just the two side MH and not have the center light on most of the time (so 300w). Then later, if you add some hardy softies, like green sinularia and toadstools, you can turn on all three lights. If you use 14000k Phoenix bulbs, these can easily last 1.5 years or more for this application. The last few Aqualight Pros for sale on this site went for under $100.

Save up for LEDs if you eventually decide to go more reef, than fowlr. Also look at some of the DIY LED threads to light up a 6' tank without blowing your budget.

180g is a nice size since it is a full 6' long but only 2' tall, so more powerful lights are unnecessary - thus saving you some $$.

Until I switched all my lighting (tanks & even some for the home) to LED, I used the Aqualight Pro lights for years.

Anthony