Last week, I ordered a Coralife 48" 260w Power Compact Fluorescent fixture for my 90g tank. It's been a FOWLR for the past 4 years or so, with just NO lighting, but I want to start adding some corals (mushrooms, zoas, some LPS), hence the lighting upgrade.
Apparently I did not do enough research before hitting the order button. This weekend, I was reading more about lighting, and think I may have made a mistake... I thought PC lighting was pretty much the best available, short of MH. But now I'm seeing "PC sucks... go T5" everywhere I look.
So, I'm wondering now if I should just send this light back when it arrives in a few days, and order a T5 instead.
The main thing I don't like about doing this (aside from the shipping costs) is that my choices are very limited... my aquarium has a canopy, and I have only been able to find one light that the manufacturer says is ok to be in a canopy (the Current Sundial). From what I can tell, all the rest explicitly say to NOT put them in a canopy (presumably due to the side-mounted fans). The Current Sundial doesn't look bad, but the built-in timers are both a great feature (fewer power cords, can easily set extended schedule for actinics) and a source of concern (what happens when the timers break?).
So... bottom line, is PC lighting THAT bad? Assuming I won't be keeping SPS, will 260w of PC light be enough, or should I send it back and go with the Sundial?
Thanks!
--Michael
Apparently I did not do enough research before hitting the order button. This weekend, I was reading more about lighting, and think I may have made a mistake... I thought PC lighting was pretty much the best available, short of MH. But now I'm seeing "PC sucks... go T5" everywhere I look.
So, I'm wondering now if I should just send this light back when it arrives in a few days, and order a T5 instead.
The main thing I don't like about doing this (aside from the shipping costs) is that my choices are very limited... my aquarium has a canopy, and I have only been able to find one light that the manufacturer says is ok to be in a canopy (the Current Sundial). From what I can tell, all the rest explicitly say to NOT put them in a canopy (presumably due to the side-mounted fans). The Current Sundial doesn't look bad, but the built-in timers are both a great feature (fewer power cords, can easily set extended schedule for actinics) and a source of concern (what happens when the timers break?).
So... bottom line, is PC lighting THAT bad? Assuming I won't be keeping SPS, will 260w of PC light be enough, or should I send it back and go with the Sundial?
Thanks!
--Michael
