90 Gallon 2X250W Metal Halide???

[fishforme]

I'm soon to be purchasing a 90 Gallon AG with Overflow and wondered about lighting. I aiming for an amazing reef tank. I was told to go with two 250W Metal Halide 12,000K Bulbs. Would this do the trick. Anyone else use this setup?

 

[sonny]

That would be good, except you might want to consider a different bulb. Those 12,000 k lamps are supposed to be trouble. There are a lot of people on this site that have them and don't like them. If you are not going to have any actinic lighting, you might want to look at the 10,000 k or 14,000 k. The 14,000 k would be much bluer, and not seem as bright to your eye. For the money, Still the 6500 k lamp is very good. It is more yellow, but has a broader spectrum, and is much brighter than most other bulbs. I think you would need actinic fluorescents in addition to it though. I like the 400 watt MH, and with a tank as deep as a 90 gallon, you may want to consider that. First decide what you want to keep, and then move on from there. Maxima and Crocea clams need intense light to thrive, and lots of SPS corals, like acroporas and montiporas, also need that intense light to maintain the bright colors. You could also upgrade the lights at a later time.
Sonny