55 Gallon

[SSalty]

I am having trouble finding a powerful light fixture that fits properly on my 55 gallon. We ordered a MH/Actinic fixture and the width is too wide for the tank. The light shoots over the aquarium. I am now leaning towards the T5, because the other MH fixtures that I am looking at that might fit are up in the 800$ range.

Those of you with a 55 gallon tank, what are you using for lights?

I really want to be able to keep SPS.

 

[Joshua1023]

You could always go w/ a couple of MH pendants. $400 should be plently to get you where you want to go.

 

[SSalty]

I don't want to go with just the Pennants. I wan't a fixture includes everything.

 

[Joshua1023]

A Coralife Aqualite metal halide w/ just the MH would work for you. The fan and ballasts are included.

 

[aclos3]

A 55g tank is one of the tanks where T5s REALLY make sense. Unless you must have the shimmer from halides, T5s make a lot of sense on a 55. For one, the 48 inch length is perfect for the 54w 48 inch bulbs. Another, is that for a 55 w/halides, you need to have two small ones over the long, narrow tank. This creates some reflection issues off the front and back of the tank, and you will be a lot more limited as to what type of supplementation you can run over the tank.

I'd recommend a 6 bulb t5 fixture, but I am no T5 expert, someone else will need to recommend fixture/bulbs.

 

[SSalty]

I didn't know they make a 6 bulb. I only thought there were 4 and 8.