[teajay33]

well like most of us, metal H. is too expensive, but the guy at the lfs said t5 would be the way to go and i could keep anything i wanted in there. what do you guys think? t5 the way to go?


TJ

[sarha]

i personaly feel that metal halides are the way to go! spare no expence on lighting and filter expence, it will save trouble in the long run especially your skimmer. in my opinion the most important filter in any system

[Twan013]

i found a MH setup for like 400 bucks...almost exactly like what i've seen at other places for around 6 or 7....same wattage, same length, same # of LED's, etc... unfortunately they didn't have them in stock anymore (i forgot what the website was called...) they also had the exact same setup that i can get here, at the LFS for 300 cheaper... 399 at LFS, only a hundred on this website... but its a compact flourescent, and even though the sales people say its the best you can get for the money, everyone on here basically curses the CF... actually, they curse anything lower than t5's...

[teajay33]

ok lol, lets pretend MH is non exsistant.. what do you guys think you'd go with. i dont have $500+ for MH.

[glampka]

T5 can be as good as MH. The important thing is to have individual reflectors for each bulb. You don't want one with 1 reflector for all the bulbs. The big plus is that they run much cooler than MH and rumor has it that the bulbs can go 18-24 months before replacement.
I've had PC on my tank for years with no problems. Have had great coral growth. Basically comes down to what do you want to keep in your tank? I echo what sarha said - spare no expense on lighting & skimmer.

[sarha]

i bought a 400 watt reefstar by hamilton for 350 bucks two years ago with a 14000 degree K bulb. had pc before and there is no comparison between the two, coarals took off at an amazing rate along wilth the coriline alge. wich whent forma flat pink to a very dark purple in just a few months. it also seemed that i had fewer nuciense alge blooms after the change, don't know if that was directly related to the upgrade or not but seemingly

[teajay33]

would this work for a 37 gallon tank?


AQUALIGHT ADVANCED - HANG-ON TANK MOUNT


its about the same price.. and its MH. maybe 2 of them?

[sarha]

looks like a good light, the rule i was told, one mh for every 2 feet of length, not sure of the lenght of a 37gallon.

[Taras1]

Don't skimp on the skimmer!!!! What's the output of your Aqualight and Color Temp? These are just as important?

[teajay33]

This is it! The Coralife Aqualight Advanced Series Hang on tank fixture is here! 150 Watts of Light in one sleek and compact unit!!!
*Hang-on tank HQI metal halide fixture
*150 watt 20,000K double-ended HQI metal halide lamp
*External HQI metal halide ballast with on/off switch
*12-foot lamp cord and 6-foot power cord.
*Three points of articulation for multiple lighting positions Sleek, anodized black-aluminum housing with ventilation grill.
*Highly-polished reflector
*Built-in cooling fan
*Glass HQI lens cover
*Heavy-duty mounting bracket



so what you guys think?

[teajay33]

and for the record, the lfs guy said my skimmer is "ok" but i certainly need to upgrade when i go to the 55 gallon. so i didnt skimp on it.. i plan on buying one for $250 that the lfs guy uses in all his aquariums at the store and at home.

[RyanG]

Originally Posted by teajay33

and for the record, the lfs guy said my skimmer is "ok" but i certainly need to upgrade when i go to the 55 gallon. so i didnt skimp on it.. i plan on buying one for $250 that the lfs guy uses in all his aquariums at the store and at home.

What Skimmer is that?

[teajay33]

the one he has? not sure. i didnt ask since i wasnt going to need it right now. probably 6 mos down the road i'll get it.