mh/t5 Bulb Question

[cuteraccoon]

I have a 180rr tank and am thinking of having some lps and sps in it. I am buying a new lighting system that has 3 x 250 watt metal halides and 4 x 80 watt t5's. Anyone got any ideas on what bulbs I should get for the metal halides and t5's? The more I read on lighting the more confused I am getting.

 

[Henry Bowman]

All you'll get here are opinions... Here's mine. I'd go with 15-20K Mh lights because I like the look and color. In the T5 postions I would go with 2 10K lamps to brighten the tank up and add par. The T5 daylight optinos have good par and energy. Then for the last 2 T5's I'd put in Actinics for a dawn, dusk lighting schedule.

IF you cannot control the T5's in individual sets, then I'd reverse the colors and go with 10K's in the MH and put Blue + and actinics in the T5 positions.

My 2 cents worth...