Need Help Choosing a Lighting Solution

[Myka]

Originally Posted by WarDog

Just want to make the correct purchase now rather than finding out the hard way I bought the wrong fixture for my needs. Do you think 6x39w T5's are enough?

I don't know if there is a "wrong" fixture provided you buy one of the known brands regardless of which type of lighting you go for. I think halides would probably be somewhat "wrong" just because that is a lot of heat for a small tank to deal with.

6x39 watt T5s would be enough - if you had 8 there wouldn't be any room to feed the fish! I would use 8 over a 24" wide tank. Even with 6 you will find corals that want to be on the sand. 24" deep is the deepest I ever recommend T5s for - deeper tanks need halides or really good LEDs to penetrate.

If you decide to go with LEDs (which I don't think is a bad idea, just not one I would make in your situation) I would suggest you remove the center brace and install a eurobrace if the side glass thickness requires it (ask a tank builder). That way if you choose one of the modular LED fixtures that have better spread (like Radion or Mitras) you could get away with one fixture over the tank. The ends will definitely be a bit shaded, but you can always find corals that prefer those areas or leave the ends open sand for swimming area. A pyramid-type rock formation would look pretty cool under a single modular LED and would provide all sorts of light conditions. Purchasing two of these fixtures for a 36" tank seems a waste to me...I'd be getting a 48" tank to fit the lights.

Don't forget, a good skimmer will knock you back $300-800 depending how nuts you go in that category. All this will seem cheap when you start forking over $100 bills to your LFS a few at a time when you go coral shopping. Super nice LPS are super expensive. SPS and softies are cheaper. My LPS tank is a humble 50-gallon for a reason - it puts a spending cap on things.