David W

So before you completely rule out MH I'd ask a few more questions; a) what size is your tank (how tall?), b) is it hot where you live, c) is your tank located in a basement, and d) what kind of coral are you wanting to keep?

Not all tanks automatically require a chiller when MHs are used. T5s are also quite hot. Depending where you live and where you take is situated makes a big difference in determining what equipment you'd need.

I think you're best bet is this lighting fixture right here... http://www.reefaddicts.com/entry.php...ctinic-Fixture

Just my opinion...

My tank is 21 inches tall. Inside it's about 78 degrees. It's in the house. Clams, soft corals, zoos, lps, sps. So basically a lot of corals. The reason I question the T5s is because I don't know if it will be sufficient lighting. Very nice setup mledford I will look into that Great price.

I was referring to where you are. E.g. I'm in Canada and I definitely don't need a chiller because my tank is located in my basement, and because of my local temperatures.

Oh ok I live in Florida.

A lot of people use T5s as their primary lighting source and they have no problems keeping clams, hard corals, etc.

While T5s are usually billed as being cooler then MHs, I find when running them you need just as much ventilation as MHs.

Oh ok thanks

I would go with t5's for that size tank, but that's JMO. The 48" sunlight supply 4 bulb t5 tek fixture is what I have over my 48" 55g reef which has sps, lps, zoas, and clams. My maxima clam is halfway to the top and I have a derasa on the sand. Definitely enough light with this fixture, it's almost too much for some of my lps. Led's are also a good choice, but they can get expensive if you don't like to do DIY projects.

I would not use MH on such a narrow aquarium. T5's would be a good choice. LED's would work as well, but they are still fairly expensive for brands that I think are going to stand the test of time.

Thanks all. This helps especially because led and metal halide are so expensive. I think now I will go with my original choice and go with the T5s.

Originally Posted by David W

Thanks all. This helps especially because led and metal halide are so expensive. I think now I will go with my original choice and go with the T5s.

I think t5's are a great choice for a 48" tank. If you had a bit more money you could try LED's but I don't know how they work yet. I'm a T5 lover, but i'm trying LED's on my new tank. I'll let everyone know if I like them.

I've been running on an ATI Sunpower 6 bulb T5 system for the last year on my 90G Oceanic Tech tank. I can keep anything in my tank, and have to work at shading my LPS at the bottom so they don't get fried. From your 48"x12" Dimensions, I am guessing you have a 55G. The width of the Sunpower 6x54w lights is 12" and would be perfect for a 55 with high lighting needs. Keep in mind you would probably want to raise it up off the tank 6-12" depending on what you are keeping, because it is pretty powerful and your tank is not as deep as a 90G. However, I just noticed your budget is $400 and this fixture may be too expensive at $619 (Reefgeek) w/bulbs. You might be OK with the 4 bulb version but that's still $479 with bulbs. But, I really like these fixtures and think they are worth the money. My tank runs at 78 degrees constant and I don't get any heat transfer from the fixture. It has a pretty intelligent cooling system that exhausts all the hot air out the left side. My house temp. is set at 75 degrees in summer and 70-72 in winter. No need for a chiller with the ATI.

I have a 4 lamp Icecap T5 HO (not overdriven) retrofit kit over my 50 long, which is the same dimentions as your tank, except about 2" shorter. I'm actually having trouble because it's too much light for my mushrooms and leathers. However, my LPS's love it. T5 also has the advantage of a huge selection of spectrums available so you can mix and match for whatever color effects you like.

I agree with Steven Pro, with a long narrow tank it's going to be hard not to waste a lot of the light from a Metal halide set up. The work better with tanks that are at least 18" wide (front to back).

I don't have any experience with LED's myself, but there seems to be some ongoing debate as to how well they hold output and color 2 or 3 years down the road.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. The T5s you suggested are very nice and seem like pretty good prices for how good they are. I'll keep them in mind when I finally get the money together. Hope to hear about the LEDs Jessy.