432 watts of T5 vs. 500 watts of MH

[quangtam7]

Keep checking this THREAD

 

[Stoney Mahony]

24"=halides

 

[msuzuki126]

I'm still contemplating this lol, but thanks for the input everyone!

 

[McCrary]

Why not just go with 2x250 halides and 2x54 watt T-5 actinics? You can use 10K halides and even them out with the actinics.

 

[msuzuki126]

well money is the issue lol, so it's one or the other.

 

[gcarroll]

then get the metal halides and later when you can afford it, add T5 as a supplement.

 

[55semireef]

T5s man.

 

[my2girls]

I have a Tek 6 bulb fixture (fixtures are not overdriven) on a 75 g tank. Acros low in the tank are not as colored as they could. My advice would be to go either with 4 overdriven T5s and 2 normally driven T5s (retrofit) or go with 2 250w 14K halides.

 

[jay24k]

Hate to say it but I'd pass on doing a SPS tank if I was in highschool. Do a fish only and save your money. Save up as much as you can now. When you go to college, but a cheap house you can rent out the other bedrooms to your friends. Build the equity now so when you graduate college, you can have the house you want and then the fish tank you've always dreamed of. If money is an issue and parents wont be paying it, go easy and just hold off.

This hobby is great but it is a big sink on the wallet. I'd go with a custom T5 or VHO retro kit and hold off on the SPS. You can build yourself a nice kit for about 200 bucks with everything.

 

[my2girls]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8109015#post8109015 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jay24k


This hobby is great but it is a big sink on the wallet.

Truer words have never been spoken.

 

[cowcio]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8109015#post8109015 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jay24k
Hate to say it but I'd pass on doing a SPS tank if I was in highschool. Do a fish only and save your money. Save up as much as you can now. When you go to college, but a cheap house you can rent out the other bedrooms to your friends. Build the equity now so when you graduate college, you can have the house you want and then the fish tank you've always dreamed of. If money is an issue and parents wont be paying it, go easy and just hold off.

This hobby is great but it is a big sink on the wallet. I'd go with a custom T5 or VHO retro kit and hold off on the SPS. You can build yourself a nice kit for about 200 bucks with everything.

Awesome idea, but when the bug hits you... you don't want to wait!

 

[msuzuki126]

I agree cowcio. I don't want to wait like 6+ years! haha.

 

[55semireef]

I think sps looks real amazing and all but I would get tired of them after a while. I personally like soft corals, lps and best of all anemones. Your choice though.

 

[jay24k]

That's how I used to be. After about a year and seeing amazing sps tanks in person, my mind was changed. I still enjoy anemones but nothing beats the coloration varieties of sps.