Lighting question

[acompsroush]

I have a 300 (8' long) gallon with chepo Lowes $10 lights (qty 2 4' strips) on there. I want to get some good lights but I have no idea what to get. My tank is FOWLR but I may make it a reef down the road. Which are some good lights to get. I would like to spend no more that $300.
Thanks

 

[wangotango]

Well, for a reef that size $300 isn't going to be enough. If you wanted to stick with fish-only a couple of 4-foot T5ho retrofits would make the tank look nice.
IMO for a reef the most practical option for an eight-foot tank is four lumenbright MH reflectors. Those alone are about $130 each. You would also need ballasts and bulbs.
-Justin

 

[natclanwy]

Definetly not going to be able to go reef on an 8' tank for $300, about the cheapest solution that might get you into some soft corals and some LPS would be to get 3 workhorse 7 ballasts ($40ea) and run 12- 3' T5's ($20ea) you will also need the endcaps and mounting hardware and wire. Endcaps run about $7ea and the standoffs are about $3ea. So you are still looking at about $500+ for that DIY setup and you will still need to build a hood or canopy to mount the lights in.

 

[moprint]

Google 48 inch solar T5. It is a 4 bulb fixture. It's only $170, I know over your budget but getting two of those is the best I can up with in your price range. I would get two of those and use them with your current lights.

 

[natclanwy]

Didn't realize you could get 48" T5's so correct that build to two workhorse 7 ballasts and 8 T5 bulbs and 8 stand offs and endcaps for a total of about $400 plus the cost of the canopy or hood.
The fixture that Moprint reccommended is much cheaper, I don't know how reliable the light is but it does have a 5yr warranty so it might be the better route.