lighting

[Danyal]

so i'm planning a 29g total system(16g display, 10g sump, 5g refugium) for my first nano(and first SW) i have everything planned out perfectly except for the lighting. the display tank is going to be 24"x16"x10" and i really don't want to spend alot of lighting, considering that the tank is so shallow i don't think it will take alot to support some lower light corals but i still an not sure. i'd love to do some 2xODNO 24" t8 bulbs x4 w/ ahsupply reflectors but i'm not sure exactly how much light this would supply(atleast 3,000 lumens) and i think i could do this for under 100 bucks. does anyone know of any other cheap yet suitable lights? i don't really want to do pc bulbs because of the cost of replacing them and because i want to be able to control dusk/dawn simulation nicely(having a single bright bulb suddenly snap on when i'm not expecting it makes me jump, can't imagine how the fish feel)

 

[aclos3]

I really think that overdriving T8 bulbs, wont be any cheaper than running normally driven HO T5s or PCs. What were you thinking in terms of bulb choices, and number of ballasts, etc?