Please Help

vipjd39

New member
I need to decide on my lighting tonight and I needed some guidance. Thank you very much for your help. I have been researching lights and I have come across a few options and wondered what you guys would think. My tank is 72"x18x22. I will only be keeping softies and zoanthids. My 3 choices for lighting systems are the following.

Choice 1: T5 retro setup brand new

$40 for endcaps
$15 for standoffs
$80 for 2 Ballastwise 4X54W ballasts
$88 for reflectors
$88 for bulbs
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$315 estimate.


The only other thing I will have to purchase is wire, and then build my fixture for it.

Choice 2: VHO setup $150 (needs new lights)

Icecap 660 (1 yr old)
3 72" 12k URI bulbs (new)
endcaps/wires

If you suggested this one would you add reflectors, another ballast to keep actinics, swith one of the bulbs to actinics?

Choice 3: VHO setup $150 (needs new lights)
Icecap 660
4 48"bulbs
endcaps/wires

This is a Tek fixture that is a decent price that I can take apart and make a fixture for .

same questions as the previos choice with this one as well.

I am not too concerned about heat, but I am concerned about electricity consumption and the best bang for my buck along with how good looking the tank will be and how reliable the lighting will be. Please give me your thoughts on these and which one you would purchase if you had my setup. If you need anymore information, please let me know. I do not have the option to go with Metal halides by the way. Thanks.
 
T5's will give you the best light for the least energy I think. For softies, you may not need all those bulbs, but try to experiment with it. Do you already have an ice cap ballast? You can use those to drive your T5s and save money on buying a new ballast. It will also overdrive your bulbs for more light. Have you ever had experience with the "ballastwise" brand? I was looking at giving them a try.
 
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