New lighting solution

[Merit]

50-gallon show. 36x18x18. Would like to keep SPS and clams. This is a main floor tank so I'd rather go with a fixture solution. Currently looking at the 36" T5 Nova Extreme Pro 6x39watt and the 36" Current USA Outer Orbit HQI Metal Halide (150 watt) Light Fixture with Compact Fluorescents. Will the legs on the halide fixture be high enough to help dissipate the heat and still reach the bottom of the tank. Will the T5 solution give me the required lighting power. I've read through several pages of lighting questions, but have yet to find someone with tank dimensions similar to mine. Your opinion/advice is greatly appreciated.

Mike

 

[coolfish5]

I'm in the process of setting up a 65gallon, sounds similar just deeper than yours. I went with the Nova Pro mostly for cost. There is a center brace on my tank, so I'd need 2x150w halides, and a fixture like that is 3x the cost of the Nova Pro. The fixture construction looks fairly decent, fans, splash guard, somewhat SLR like reflectors. The legs are just one piece molded plastic, seperate power cords/switches for 4 and 2 bulbs (dusk/dawn effect). I'll have to see how the growth is once I get it setup.