40B lighting for starter corals

CAPSLOK

New member
I am setting up a 40B and would like to try some easier low light corals - mushrooms / ricordea, maybe zoas or GSP, or other starter corals.

Would a 2x39W T5 fixture be sufficient, or would I need to get a 4 bulb fixture? What (reasonably priced) brands are not junk?

I'd be looking at a 36" fixture on mounting legs over a BRS DIY mesh top, if that makes any difference.
 
I would consider a 6x39w fixture if its a current, aquaticlife or tek. A 6x24w ATI Sunpower would be good too as you can put your lower light needing corals around the outside and lower near the sand bed but will have plenty of light under the amps for any hard corals and lams you may want to get later on.
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6x just seems like overkill for what I'm going to want, coralwise, and I've read a few threads of the 6x T5 fixtures being too strong for softies and the like in a shallower tank like this.

So you would recommend 4x over 2x in any case? AquaticLife seems to be pretty reasonably priced, I take it that and Current are good brands (I know tek is out of my budget)?
 
go with the 6 bulbs that way you wont need to buy another one down the road
with 6 bulbs, you can run 3-4 at a time too.
 
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